In the car Jared couldn't help but feel the awkward tension. Mila was acting strange, and he figured it had something to do back at the hospital. He leaves her alone with her grandfather only to come back with her being weird and quiet. So Cale had woken up huh. Wondering if they talked, and what they had talked...about.

His eyes widen a bit in realization. What did Cale say to her? It must have been something to make her act different towards...well just him. He suddenly slams on his breaks without thinking.

"What's wrong?!" Mila gasps in fright, wondering why he stopped so suddenly in such a way.

"Uh...it was...there's a stop sign." He stumbles lamely, looking away.

She looks around to find there was no stop sign anywhere.

"Sorry that I scared you." He mumbles, his skin feeling a bit sweaty from his overactive brain that wouldn't stop imagining of all the directions their conversations could have gone.

Silence ensues as they each go back to their own jumble thoughts. Cale wouldn't do that to him...would he? Unless maybe he thought he was on his deathbed...

Mila's thoughts were no different. What would he think of her if he knew of how she felt about him, that she was in love with him? What would he say or do? Should she confess? What if he didn't feel the same way? Of course he didn't, he was engaged to be married to someone else that wasn't her. But then why would her grandfather say such a thing? He believed that Jared didn't love Stacy. But they were together, he proposed...

By the time Jared got to her house they were both in a state of mind to get away from each other.

"Thanks." She tells him quickly getting out of the car.

"Yep." Was all he could manage without freaking out.

As soon as she shut the door he drove needing the space and they both gave a sigh of relief.

***

"Hello, earth to Mila." Evan says to her as they were walking towards the pond behind the Cooper's residence.

She snaps out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"

Shasta was up ahead of them feeding the ducks that quaked at her begging for more food. She giggles in delight as she throws a handful of crumbs their way.

"Is everything alright?" he sounded concerned.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just worried about my grandpa." She says truthfully.

He grabs her hand and squeezes it. "I'm here if you need me, you know that don't you?" he asks as he looks at her.

Mila felt awkward with him holding her hand, but she knew he was just trying to be nice, so she smiles at him. "Thank you Evan that means a lot."

He lets her go. After a few more minutes he say. "Mila there's something I want to talk to you about and it's a bit... um well, I know I've messed things up the first time, not that I'm saying that I want a relationship right now but, I hope that maybe in the future you and I could... man I going about this all wrong." he sighs.

She frowns, feeling a bit uneasy with his words. "Evan I'm not sure we should." she starts out.

She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she just found out something important about herself and it's all she could think about at the present. Besides, knowing how she felt about Jared it would be wrong of her to string along Evan in that way.

"Could you think about maybe giving me another chance? I still love you. I just want you to know that." he looks a bit sad with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

She couldn't believe what he just said, and it made her feel horrible. She thought about Jared and Stacy. Who was she kidding? He was getting married and soon, so they were saying. "Evan wait, I'll think about it ok." She tells him.

He smiles at her. "I'll take whatever I can get." He seemed a little pleased with that answer.

She grabs his arm and drops her head on his shoulder. Then they start walking again. Jared stares out his kitchen window at them and again felt the ebbing pain come. It was like nothing had changed at all. He was back to being seventeen and sitting back watching his best friend going after the girl of his dreams. It was as if the six year stretch was a giant pause and decided to pick back up again. If Evan played his cards right he could win her back and when he does, Jared knew there was nothing that could take her away from him.

"There you are, been looking everywhere for you." Stacy says coming up from behind him. He quickly looks away from the window and smiles at her, resuming to wash the cup he had used.

"Hey, well here I am."

She pulls him down for a kiss. "We still have to go get you fitted for your tux, I'm not sure if we shouldn't wait though with Cale being in the hospital and all." She states with some concern.

"We still have time to prepare things. The wedding isn't until next month." he tells her.

"You know, I was thinking now that Mila is back and all, that maybe she would like to be a bridesmaid. I really do feel like I know her and since She's a big part of everyone's life, besides I still need that extra bridesmaid, and I was dreading asking Kristan." She gave a face, and he couldn't help laughing.

"And have her ruin the wedding, no thank you. You know that sounds like a great idea and I think she'll love to be apart it."

***

"No" Mila states firmly. Selena was with her in her room and raised her eyebrows.

"No? Why not?"

"You know why Sel, how can I be a bridesmaid and stand there as I watch the man I love marry the wrong woman." She says fiercely.

Selena smiled. She knew Mila would react this way when she had been asked by Stacy to see if Mila would be her fourth bridesmaid. Selena was surprised herself. "And what excuse am I to give them when they want to know why you refused?"

Mila slumps down on her bed. "I don't care anything other than the truth." She sighs. "I don't want to talk at about Jared getting married anymore. Evan confessed to me that he still loves me and wants me to think about giving him another chance."

"Oh really? and what did you tell him? No way I hope" She scoffs. The nerve of the man.

"I told him that I would think about it."

"What?!" Selena spats angrily. "Are you serious Mil? You're really thinking about giving him another chance? What about Jared?"

"Keerp your voice down, and I'm not even sure about it alright. And as for Jared he's engaged and getting married remember."

"I think you should tell him." Selena says confidently.

"Are you crazy! Tell him and make a fool of myself, no thank you." Mila shakes her head.

"Why not Mila? What if there's a small chance that he might feel the same way? Hmmm?" Selena gets up and leaves the room to let that thought soak in a bit in Mila's mind.

Which it did throughout the rest of the nest two weeks. But every time, she would see Jared and Stacy together acting all in love, and she couldn't even hate the girl, she really did try, she was just too likeable besides Mila didn't have a mean streak in her body, she was just naturally nice to everyone; she would become more determined to give Evan a second chance.

They didn't go on any dates, which was good because with her grandpa's surgery coming up she was thankful he was giving her that space, but they did talk often. He would even come over for dinner at her parents' house with Shasta. At those times Selena and Ian joined. And Jared was right, Evan had changed. He wasn't that smooth talking badass he used to be, and she did think Shasta was the cause of it. She had never seen a father love his child as much as he did. That little girl did wonders on him.

"She really likes you." he said to her one night as they walked down to his car.

"Who does?"

"Shasta, never stops talking about you." he smiles.

"Well, I really like her too. She's a wonderful little girl. You're doing a great job in raising her." She tells him, as he lays her in her car seat.

She was knocked out. He shuts the door and looks at her. They didn't say anything for a few moments. And just for a moment she thought that he was going to lean in and kiss her, but he doesn't.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the hospital?" he asks.

"Absolutely" She replies.

He gives her a hug then gets into the car and she watches him drive away.

"Wow seems things are getting really serious between you two again." Jared comments behind her.

She whips around to find him hidden in the shadows in her front yard on the swing that her father built for her mother. "Jared? What are you doing here?"

"Apparently watching you be stupid all over again." he states in a hard tone.

"Excuse me?" She was getting irritated.

He walks out of the shadows, and she was surprised to see him angry. "I don't understand you." he was exasperated "When will you ever learn from your mistakes? But no, you're too soft hearted when it comes to people wanting your sympathy and pity. You just can't tell him no can you?"

Her face was heating up with anger. "Jared leave me alone, what does it matter to you on what I do with my love life?"

"It doesn't." He sways a little looking a bit peeved.

Mila squint at him. "Jared are you drunk?" She asks with disbelief, for she's never seen him wasted before.

He looks down at the bottle in his hand. "Well If you consist this half empty bourbon that was full a moment ago being drunk then so be it," he shrugs, slurring just a bit to prove both of their points.

"Why are you drinking Jared?" She looks around. "And here in my front yard?"

He looked confused for a moment. "Well, I always have a glass of bourbon with Cale once a week...I think, and I'm depressed because tomorrow is..." He doesn't continue.

He stood there and let the bottle drop from his hand. Mila closed her eyes because she knew what he was feeling at the moment. She sighs and goes up to him. He leans his forehead against hers and says softly with tears choking his words.

"What if he doesn't make it Mil, what if he dies?"

"Don't say that Jared, don't even think it. He's a tough old goat remember? He'll make it through, he has too." She says feeling her own eyes tear up.

She hadn't fully realized what Jared must be going through as well. He was Cale's grandson that he never had. They did everything together. He had always given him advice when he needed it, had always been there for him.

"Come on, lets go inside and get you sobered up. You'll never forgive yourself if you ended up missing the whole surgery." She tells him as she steers him towards her house.