Finding Eva (Highland Creek Series) by Marie Garner Page A

talked about how taken I was with her and how I was doing. It was really sweet, and it made me think about what would make her leave me. She clearly loved me, I know that, but something held her back from giving herself to me, and that makes me feel unloved. Right or wrong, even though I know she loved me, I can’t seem to see how abandonment equals love.” Her mouth turned down in a frown while she stared down at the table. He didn’t know what to do with her, but he grabbed her hands and squeezed them to let her know he was here for her.
    He leaned over and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, rubbing his hand along her jaw to lift her chin. Her eyes, alight only minutes before, now looked dull. All he wanted to do was reassure her, regardless of whether she wanted him to help or not. “Honey, sometimes we do stupid stuff. There are always things that I wish I could turn around and do over, and maybe your mom felt the same way.”
    She shook her head in disbelief. “But over twenty years? At any time I would have welcomed her back.” He brought her hands to his lips, kissing them lightly in comfort.
    “I know, but maybe she didn’t know that. You have to stop doing this to yourself. You have the key in your house right now and you choose to ignore it. If you want to know her reasoning, read the letter that she left for you.”
    Her lips pursed curiously. “How do you know about the letter?”
    He knew he stepped in it and moved quickly to reassure her so she didn’t think she was talking about her behind her back. “My mom may have mentioned it the other night.”
    She smirked. “After she yelled at you?”
    He scratched his head, not liking to be in the hot seat. “Who told you that?” How the hell did she know that his mother chastised him like he was five years old?
    Eva held up her soda, glass clinking against the side as she shook it. “Conner,” she said before drinking, wanting to see his reaction.
    He could feel his face getting red. He was going kill Conner the next time he saw him. “Of course, little brother is always willing to help out.”
    She wagged her finger at him. “Don’t blame your brother for you being an ass.”
    “As I was saying …” He changed the subject back to the topic of the envelope, not liking the direction that conversation was going. “You can’t continue to live in this limbo— did she or didn’t she? Why did she do it?—that you’ve created for yourself. It’s not healthy for anyone, you especially, and it brings you no less peace than if you knew for sure.”
    She sighed heavily, figuring she might as well come clean. “But I’m scared of what I will find out.”
    “We all get scared. What really counts is what the hell you do when you get scared.” He gave her a slight smile before raising his hand for Ellen. “Now what do you say we put your mother out of your mind for the time being and go back to your place?”
    This time the smile reached her eyes. “I would like that.”
     

     
    Even though she tried to put the situation with her mother out of her mind, Aaron could tell she was still worried in the limited conversation that they had in the car. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to truly engage her in conversation, so when they pulled up to the house, he wasn’t surprised she didn’t really want him to come inside.
    “Do you mind if we just say goodnight here,” she said, looking everywhere but him.
    She shouldn’t have been uncomfortable, especially given their make out session yesterday, but he moved to comfort her. “Yeah, baby, that’s fine.”
    “Ok.” She seemed to sigh in relief before she realized what kind of impression she was giving him. She put her hand on his arm to reassure her. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved last night, and as much as I would love for you to come inside and continue where we left off, I am just not in the mood for it.”
    “You don’t have to explain. I knew what you meant. How about