And I Love Her by Abby Reynolds Page A

what I said. Now she has a partner to love for the rest of her life, who will protect her with his life, and make sure every day is filled with her laughter. I won’t be the father and mother she needs. You will. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
    “I never understand what you’re saying, Jer.”
    He smiled. “She’s in love with you.”
    What? She is? I think I would I know if she were. “She’s not.”
    “I know her pretty well.”
    That was too good to be true. It would make me the happiest man in the world if she were.
    “Cash, tell her how you feel.”
    “But what if she doesn’t feel the same way?”
    “She does,” he said firmly.
    “Did she say that?”
    “No,” Jeremy said. “But she doesn’t need to say it.”
    “And what if you’re wrong? What if I put myself out there, and she rejects me? She’ll push me away, she won’t marry me, and I’ll lose her forever. It’s not worth the risk.”
    “So you’re a coward?”
    “No,” I snapped. “I know her pretty damn well. For argument’s sake, let’s say she does love me. Do you think she’d fall into a relationship with me, or she’d run away, overwhelmed with the idea of being hurt again? She’s not ready for that.”
    Jeremy rubbed his chin. “She runs to you for everything. I think she is ready.”
    “You’re wrong.”
    Jeremy stared me down.
    I couldn’t stand the rejection if she didn’t feel the same way. And I couldn’t stand it if she left. “Jeremy, I need a favor.”
    “And what would that be?”
    “I want you to talk to her. Ask her how she feels about me.”
    “Then tell you what she confided in me in confidence?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’ve done things I’m not proud of—a lot of things, but there are lines I won’t cross. Prudence is the only woman in my life who will love me unconditionally. I would never betray her trust. I’m sorry.”
    Damn. But I can’t say I’m surprised.
    “But I can do something else for you.”
    “I’m listening.”
    “I can talk to her, and convince her to tell you how she feels.”
    That could work. “I’d be eternally grateful.”
    He nodded.
    “And you can tell her how I feel about her—if she admits she loves me first.”
    “I have your permission?” Jeremy asked.
    “Yes. Please tell her.” I felt like a teenager in high school. Never in my life had I been so afraid to be blunt.
    “Okay.” He sipped his scotch then stared at the table.
    My heart was throbbing in my chest. Jeremy knew Prudence really well, had pretty much raised her. If he said she loved me, maybe she did. And that gave me hope. But hope could be a deadly thing. If he spoke to her and she denied his claim, I’d be in even more pain than I was now.
    Jeremy poured another glass and slid it to me across the table. “By the way, these walls are pretty thin…”
    Shit. He heard us.
    “Just keep it down.”
    Damn it, Prudence.

Chapter Eleven
    ♬
    Prudence Clearwater
    When I woke up from my nap, Cash wasn’t there. And I hated waking up without him. I washed my face and changed before I went on my manhunt. Downstairs, Cash and Jeremy were drinking at the table.
    Were they best friends now?
    “You spend more time with my brother than with me.” I came beside Cash and placed my hand on his shoulder.
    Cash looked up at me. “Well, he does drink scotch.”
    I grabbed his glass and downed it. “I do too.”
    He smiled. “I think someone is jealous…”
    “I don’t like waking up without you next to me.”
    Cash glanced at Jeremy and they shared a look.
    “What?” I asked.
    Cash pulled me into his lap. “Do you feel better?”
    “I guess. I’ll never stop hating him.”
    He tugged my shirt over my shoulder and gave me a gentle kiss on the skin. I loved it when he did this. It was intimate and tender.
    Jeremy cleared his throat. “I should have brought this up before but I’ll bring it up now.”
    What?
    “Gavin and Desi kept in touch with me, wondering where you were. Since I didn’t