Sea Breeze 03 - While It Lasts

doors like he was on a mission. Knowing he wanted me to meet him down at the lake made the butterflies in my stomach act up.
    “He’ s a complete ass. I don’t know why I even bother.” Becca Lynn stalked past the porch toward her car.
    “You lea ving?” I asked just to be sure before I followed Cage.
    “Yeah, I got crap to do. I’ll call you,” Becca replied.
    Once she spun out of the driveway , I jumped up and ran for the truck but I stopped before I reached the door. Turning aro und I stared at the garage. My J eep sat in there unused. I’d taken off my ring. It was time I drove my Jeep. Slowly, I made my way toward the garage. I wasn’t sure if the memories would prove too much for me. I press ed the code on the door and it raised and rolled back. My silver Jeep was nice and clean. I knew my dad paid Jeremy to take it out once every other week to wash it and make sure it cranked. I pretended like I didn’t know this just because confronting them about it would just make me remember.
    The n eed to crump le to the ground and weep was gone. I only had fond memories to hold close. I walked around and opened the driver side door. “Guess it’s time to drive you again,” I whispered as I climbed behind the wheel and cranked it up. Country music blared from the radio and I smiled thinking about Jeremy blaring the music so he could hear it while he cleaned it.
    I backed out of the drive and headed down to the lake without any problem. No moments of intense pain and loss. Just me and my Jeep.
    I saw Cage’s truck as soon as I turned the corner behind the old maple trees. He was sitting on the tailgate waiting for me. His eyes widened in surprise as I pulled up beside him. He’d never seen my Jeep. All he’d seen me drive was one of dad’s old farm trucks. I smiled at his expression then hopped down and walked over to him.
    “Nice wheels,” he said when I stopped in front of him.
    “Thanks,” I replied , before pulling myself up to sit on the end of the tailgate with him.
    “In case you’re curious, Becca Lynn stripped off her top after I asked her not to. I never went near her and I walked out on her. She’s probably pissed.”
    I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “Yeah, she is.”
    “You think that’s funny?” Cage asked trying to sound stern but the teasing tone in his voice was unmistakable.
    “Yes. I do.”
    Cage grinned then looked down at the ground. I knew he was waiting on me. He may have asked me to come out here but it was because he was still waiting on answers. He deserved them.
    “ I was engaged, ” I started and couldn’t find the right words.
    Cage didn’t pressure me but waited silently beside me.
    “ J osh died in Baghdad a year and a half ago , ” I managed to say without choking up.
    Cage didn’t turn his head to look at me. There was no pity and no empty condolences. I wasn’t sure what I expected from him but his calm acceptance of this wasn’t it.
    “I know. Jeremy told me the Friday before your drunken escapade.”
    Jeremy had told him? Why?
    “But you never said anything,” I said , trying to wrap my head around the fact Jeremy had betrayed me. He’d broken a confidence. He had known I didn’t want Cage to know.
    “I want ed you to be the one to tell me.” H e finally shifted his gaze off the ground and turned his head to look at me. There was no pity in his pale blue depths , just understanding. “It was your story. If you wanted me to know you’d tell me. Then when you didn’t after that day in the lake I was angry. Hurt. I’d hoped you understood that this wasn’t a game to me.”
    He’d known all along. Never once had he treated me differently . He hadn’t handled me with kid gloves. I reached over and covered his hand with mine. He flipped his over and threaded his fingers through mine then squeezed.
    “When you came to my room upset the other night. I knew why. I wanted to be the one to hold up while you cried and dealt with the coming change. But you wouldn’t let me in. I’ve never wanted in, Eva. Not until you.”
    Swallowing was hard with the lump forming in my throat. I needed to tell him more. If we were going to have a summer fling , just be friends or whatever we were going to end up being the next two months I wanted him to know.
    “He was my best friend. We’d been inseparable since we were five years old. He w as my first kiss. My first date. ” I felt the familiar burn in my nose as my eyes filled with tears . I had to do