Eversea A Love Story

sometime mother to his baby. I needed to be me. Discover who I was. Jack’s invasion into my life had at least shown me that. I had no direction, and I needed to find it.
    I was like a piece of that sea glass lying forgotten in a jar upstairs. A discarded shard that had been washed and tumbled back and forth by the momentum of the sea, only to wash up in Butler Cove and stay stuck and forgotten without any hope of becoming something more. Something more beautiful. I needed to find my potential. Jack wasn’t going to help with that. If anything, he would have completely eclipsed any chance I had of discovering what I was meant to do. The feelings I had for Jack were so strong they would have sucked me into a whirlpool straight down to the ocean floor.
    * * *
    Colt looked terrible. I apologized profusely. But what could I do? It wasn’t me who threw the punch. He said he wasn’t pressing charges. Mostly I think it was to keep me out of any publicity, and I think Joey had something to do with that. After saying our goodbyes, and promising to keep in touch, Joey and I headed back to Butler Cove in my truck with the windows down, the wind whipping through our hair. Both of us had too many thoughts and not much to say.
    “When are you going back?” I finally asked Joey as we pulled onto the crushed oyster shell parking pad outside our historic home.
    “This afternoon.” He looked over at me. “Are you going to be okay?”
    I nodded. “Jazz will keep me out of trouble.”
    His brow furrowed at the mention of Jazz’s name. “Fine. Just call me if you need to. Columbia is only about a two and a half hour drive. You can always come up there and see me.”
    We sat for a moment. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you, kiddo. I can see how selfish I was by continuing on with my plans for school. I didn’t think about how being left alone must have felt to you.”
    “It’s fine, Joey. I’ve been fine.” I put a hand on his arm.
    He shrugged. “I know you have. I just thought if I could get done first, then I could support you. ”
    “Joey. This is nothing new. That was always the plan, and I was okay with it. I’m still okay with it—”
    “I know! It’s just that you shouldn’t be. This is the prime of your life. You should be studying and figuring things out and making new friends. And dating. You should be dating! As it is ... you were a sitting duck for the likes of Jack Eversea strolling into town.”
    I scowled. “Thanks a lot. Way to cheapen the entire thing and make me look like a fool.”
    “That’s not what I meant. You know that. Just ... please. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, having been vehemently against it since I can remember, but Colt—”
    “Do not finish that sentence, Joey.”
    “He really likes you, always has. And he’s successful. Not Jack Eversea successful. But he has a good job, and he’s doing really well.”
    “Stop it, Joey!”
    “He’s a normal guy. A nice guy. He wouldn’t dare mess you around—”
    “I thought you called him a man-whore because of all his one night stands,” I reminded him. That should shut him up.
    “That’s just because he’s never dated anyone like you.”
    I snorted. “Please.”
    “Okay. That sounded dumb. I guess what I mean is, just let him take you out. Take you on a few dates, or something. You never know.”
    “Joey. I can’t, ok? I just ... can’t. I’m ... raw. I just want to go back to it being only me for a long while. I don’t want that giddy roller coast ride of highs and lows. I’m in the low right now, and it’s crushing me.”
    “But you wouldn’t have that with Colt, it would be steady. He’s steady.”
    “Joey.” How did I explain how truly terrifying that sounded. “That would be worse than nothing at all.”
    He slumped in his seat. “I know that, I guess. I just—”
    “Look, I get it, you’re saying all this because you’re worried. But, Joey, I’ll be fine. I know I’ll be fine. I felt like I’d never be fine again after mom and dad, but I was. And then after Nana. But I was. I still miss them every day, but I’m alright. I know I’ll think about Jack every day for the rest of my life. He changed me. He made me want more. Made me want to be more. Those are good things. I’m hanging onto them. And regardless of what you think of him, and also how mad I am at him for how everything went down, he’s a good guy. I have to believe I didn’t fall for an asshole.” I clenched