I laugh to myself. “Really? Could have fooled me. Nash Nix has a shitty way of showing it.”
“Want me to come over later, see how it all goes?” she offers.
“Nah, I have a new bottle of white in my fridge. We’re good. Besides it’s almost twelve, so no need to doubt when to open the bottle.” I don’t even really drink except for the occasional dinner. But desperate times, desperate measures, right?
Lexi rubs my shoulder. “Good philosophy to have. You’ve got this.”
“Thanks.” My voice thins.
She begins to scurry up to leave me. “If you need anything at all, just send me an SOS.”
“Will do.” I sigh.
My eyes shift down to the ripples in the water beneath my sneakered feet; there must have been a tiny fish that jumped. As a kid, I would imagine there were pirates on the lake, with treasure along the bottom. A ridiculous notion considering we aren’t far from the corn fields that surround us, once you escape the hills surrounding the lake. I only ever shared that secret with one person, and I’m not sure why. We shared many secrets, actually.
Some more earth-shattering than others.
And now that man is walking around Lake Spark.
Okay, find another thought, Summer.
My job. Yes, my job. I love my job managing the staff at the Dizzy Duck Inn. Brings me joy, and damn, the stories of what happens there can make anyone grab a seat and wish they could watch while eating popcorn. Thanks to Holden, I get to work around my schedule, too. Which has been a saving grace when balancing a baby and mourning a loss, even though I’m finding normalcy again.
This doesn’t seem to detour the pit in my stomach.
Nash.
Occasionally, Nash would sweep into our life, or rather Zac’s, at random moments, and despite time passing, they always picked up where they left off. Nash was so busy withhis hockey life, after all. I scoff, because for someone who is all steely and confident on the ice, he avoids me or any situation where he had to face Zac and me as a couple. If our eyes ever met, then he would only take a few moments before he would ensure his eyes snapped in a new direction.
Damn it, Zac. What have you done? Leaving me.
Because I already feel the dread and fear, purely for the fact that Nash is in Lake Spark today to speak with Zac’s lawyer about his testament. The part of his will that I have no clue the contents.
I’ve handled Zac’s death well for the most part. Despite the anger he caused in me that I don’t want to think about now, we had the chance to say goodbye, and he was insistent that it shouldn’t be a sad moment. He promised to be winking at me from up in the sky. But I can’t help feeling that he didn’t tell me something.
He was a good soul, so kind and fun, but sometimes he would be lost in thought when Nash’s name was mentioned, because he missed his tight bond with his brother that they once had.
Shit. Younger us really fucked up life slightly.
My nails begin to tap the wood that I’m sitting on. There is no way to sweep away the image of where Nash is right now. Probably strolling on Main Street, with the baking club ladies sitting on a bench all ogle-eyed. I bet he’s flashing them a suave grin to rile them up. Right before his eyes catch sight of the new nurse in town that might be of interest, and the mere thought causes a cold shiver to run down my spine.
Summer, come on. Get it together. You have moved on like a storm heading east.
But then I feel him before I even hear the soft steps. My body stiffens, and I’m too late to take a calming breath.
My body feels like I’ve eaten a hot tamale, and I climb upto face Nash who takes over my vision. His gleaming brown eyes and his face with short stubble are unreadable, but it’s still damaging. The maroon t-shirt hugs the curves of his broad shoulders, and his light brown hair is short as always.
Our eyes meet in a tense standoff, and words lodge in my throat. Nash doesn’t bother examining any other part of my body because his piercing eyes have trapped me.
“Did you find your treasure yet?” That deep voice wraps around me.
I may fear him because it’s due to him that I have a different path in life. And despite nearly hating this man… my heart thrums.
2
NASH
“Well?” Summer finally manages to say.
