"She made a comment about you and I snapped at her, and made her cry."
Everly sits down beside me. "What kind of comment?"
"Just that you're young and maybe don't understand what you're getting into. I told her she was wrong."
"And she cried?"
"Yeah."
Everly's quiet for a second. "You know she's playing you, right?"
"What?"
"The tears, the apology; she's manipulating you."
"Ciara's not like that."
"Yes, she is. She's been doing it since we got together."
"Everly—"
"I'm not fighting with you about this. I'm just telling you what I see."
I pull her closer. "Even if you're right, it doesn't matter. You're the one I want."
"I know. I just wish you could see what she's doing."
"Maybe I will eventually, but right now I'm just trying to get through the next day without fucking everything up."
She touches my face. "You're not going to fuck it up."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do. Because you're choosing me every single day even when it's hard. That's not what people who fuck things up do."
I kiss her and it's slow and grounding. Her hands slide into my hair.
When I pull back we're both breathing hard.
"I love you," I say.
"I love you too."
"Even though your dad still doesn't trust me?"
"My dad's starting to come around. You told him the truth and he heard you. That's more than I expected."
"Me too."
We lie down on the couch and she curls against me.
I think about the promise I made to myself earlier, to protect her without becoming a monster. To be the man she sees when she looks at me. I'm going to keep that promise.
No matter what it takes.
19
EVERLY