I glanced down at my long hair. It fell nearly to my waist in thick waves. Dad had never wanted me to cut it. Said that women should always have their hair long. I lifted my gaze to Ev. “I want you to cut it.”
She smiled. “You got it.”
“I’ll go get the scissors,” Hadley offered, pulling open the door and heading into the hall.
I braided my fingers together as I searched my mind for something to talk about with Everly. She cleared her throat. “So, you and Beckett, huh?”
What did that even mean? I didn’t have the first clue how to answer her.
Everly seemed to sense as much and pushed on. “It’s not too much with everything else you have going on?”
“I’m not going to break.” The words snapped out more harshly than I’d intended just as Hadley stepped back into the room.
Ev winced. “I don’t think you’re going to break—”
“Yes, you do. You act like any little thing is going to send me rocking in a corner. Newsflash, Ev, I’ve already been through hell. If that didn’t break me, nothing will.”
Everly’s eyes welled, but she held back the tears. “I know you’re strong, but I don’t want you to get hurt any more than you already have.”
I let out a growl of frustration.
Hadley moved into our space. “Okay, let’s all just take a breath.” She looked back and forth between Ev and me. “Addie’s living her life on her terms. That should be celebrated, don’t you think?”
Everly’s eyes widened. “Of course, it should.”
I let out a breath. “You aren’t in control of my life, Ev. I am. And I care about Beckett. He hasn’t made me any promises. If he walked away tomorrow, that would be his choice. But it wouldn’t stop me from loving him today.”
She blinked a few times. “You love him?”
“Yes.” It was the simple truth. I’d started falling the moment he gave me a purple elephant code word to make me feel safe.
“All right.”
I stared at my cousin. “All right? Just like that?”
She moved in and squeezed my shoulder. “I’ve seen love work miracles. It did for me. How can I not want that for you?”
“Thanks, Ev.”
Hadley grinned at both of us. “Thank you both for avoiding that drama.” She pushed me into the bathroom, tugging Everly behind me. “Now, let’s cut some hair.”
I wet my locks and then sat in a chair Hadley had grabbed. Everly met my eyes in the mirror. “Ready?”
“Ready.” I marked on my chest where I wanted it cut. As the first strands hit the floor, I felt a new level of freedom—as if I were shedding a lifetime of weight. And just maybe I was.
34
BECKETT
I moved through the back doors into the kitchen as Hayes’ and Calder’s laughter drifted on the air as I stepped inside. It took me a few beats to realize that Shiloh had followed me.
“I can get the chips,” she said quietly.
“I’ll get the guacamole.” Addie had taken to keeping the stuff I loved so much on hand. I snatched it from the fridge as Shy emerged from the pantry. She fidgeted with the tortilla chips, and my gut tightened. “Everything okay?”
/> Her gaze lifted to mine. “Fine. Why wouldn’t it be?”
The defensiveness in her tone had me fighting a smile. “Because you look like you’re two seconds away from tearing that bag right open.”