Page 86 of Let Me Love You

That’s the thing, sis. I do love her. I love her enough not to even chance breaking her heart and ruining her relationship with her family.

My heart beats so hard, it nearly rips out of my chest. I shouldn’t be reading his private messages, but I can’t stop now. Not when I’ve got a peek into his head.

Annie

I think you’re using any excuse to be a coward. You deserve happiness, and you are enough. I know you probably think otherwise because of the past, but I’m being honest. You’re the best guy I know.

Archer

You’re my sister. Of course you’d think that.

Annie

Everleigh thinks so too. Trust me.

I want to reach into his phone and give Annie the biggest hug right now. It’s one thing for me to tell him how amazing he is, but hearing someone else confirm how great we’d be together means this isn’t just my imagination.

It’s real.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ARCHER

As Everleigh sleeps on me, I text Annie, who’s determined to drive me crazy. You’d think after spending the weekend with me, she’d get off my back about Everleigh, but I’m afraid it’s worse.

Now that she’s seen how Everleigh and I are together, she won’t drop it. I honestly hadn’t realized my attraction was so obvious until now.

“She’s right, you know.” Everleigh sits up, taking me off guard. “You deserve everything you want. You have so much more to offer than you give yourself credit for, and I’ve fallen so hard for you. Each day, I have to talk myself out of why we can’t cross that line, and each day, it gets harder. Listen, I’m scared too, but being together and allowing me to love you could be the best fuckin’ risk we’ve ever taken.”

“Everleigh…” I say quietly, my heart pounding rapidly. I can’t believe she read my messages. “We can’t do this here.”

Being on this plane filled with people is the worst possible place to have this conversation.

She huffs, leaning back into her seat. “She’s also right about you being a coward.”

I stay silent, clenching my jaw with frustration. Everleigh’s the last person I ever want to fight with.

They’re both right, though. I am being a coward, but I’m also scared of losing her. If I screwed things up, she’d be out of my life forever and so would Tyler.

Once we land in Alabama, neither of us speaks. The walk to her car is full of the same silence. As soon as Everleigh starts the engine, I clear my throat.

“Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?” I ask.

“No. I just don’t have anything to say.”

I snort. “I find that hard to believe. You talk my head off most days, and now suddenly you have nothing to say?”

She shrugs, pinching her lips together as if she’s fighting the urge to tell me off. I don’t push her any further as we drive to Lawton Ridge. Before we get home, we stop by her grandparents’ house to pick up Sassy. She licks my face, and Everleigh breaks out into a smile. When our eyes meet, she quickly turns and avoids my gaze.

Fuck.

When we get to the house, Everleigh goes to her room. Sassy plops down on the couch, and I unpack. After an hour, I search for Everleigh, but she’s still in her room.

“Everleigh,” I finally say outside her door. When she doesn’t respond, I try the handle, but it’s locked. Next, I pound my fist. “Let me in.”

She whips open the door, pulling out her AirPods as she scans her eyes up and down the length of my body.

“Jesus. Where’s the fire?”