Though, she was trying hard not to, Gracie snickered from behind her pursed lips.
“You don’t believe me?” Nate acted hurt. “Fine. When we get back to the cabin, I’ll pull it up on the map and prove it to you.”
“Oh, I believe you.” She smiled. “I just find it fitting that you would be from a town with the name ‘Studley’.”
“That’s right.” Nate held his right fist up and flexed his bicep. “Pretty sure they changed the name to Studley after I was born.”
Gracie laughed, but her eyes seemed mesmerized by his bulging muscles. Normally, Nate would make some inappropriate comment right about now. Probably something referring to his ‘size’.
Rather than fall down that masochistic rabbit hole, he lowered his arm and said, “So, that’s where I’m from. What else did you ask? Oh, yeah. Siblings. I had an older brother.”
Those adorable eyebrows scrunched together again. “Had?”
“Scott was nine years older than me. I was what my parents affectionately call their ‘Oops’ baby. Anyway, Scott was a Lieutenant in the Navy and during his second tour in Afghanistan, the chopper he and five other members from his unit were in got shot down. There were no survivors.”
“Oh, God, Nate. I’m so sorry.”
The sincerity in her tone was touching. “Thanks. It sucks, and I still miss the big jerk like crazy. But, it was a long time ago. It helps to know he died doing what he loved.” Nate smiled sadly. “From the time I can remember, Scott always wanted to be in the Navy.”
“What about you? Did you always know you wanted to go into the military?”
Nate snorted. “Not at all. I’d planned to go to college, major in computer science, and then make a shit ton of money working for some big fortune five-hundred corporation.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“My brother died serving his country.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized again. “I didn’t mean to drag up bad memories.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about Scott, so thank you. Talking about him keeps his memory alive. Oh, and to answer your last two questions, I played second-string quarterback all four years in high school, and no, I’ve never been married.”
She gave him a smirk. “See? This is nice. We’re getting to know each other more.”
“Well, then. In keeping with that spirit, what about you? Any secret husbands I need to know about who might be jealous of your fake one?”
When Gracie laughed, it was as if her entire soul lit up from within. Jesus, he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing that sound.
“Definitely not. I’ve only had a couple relationships you could even consider labeling as serious, and even then, it would be a stretch. My dad and Becky, Sarah’s mom, got divorced when Sarah was two, and Dad took a job in Maryland. Six months later, he met my mom, and three months after that, they were married. Nine months later, I came along.”
“Wow. Sounds like they had quite the whirlwind romance.”
“It was.” Gracie smiled wistfully. “When I got older, Dad explained that he and Becky had loved each other in the beginning, but they married really young, and as they grew up, they grew apart.”
“What about your mom? Is he still with her?”
“Oh, yeah. Those two can’t keep their hands off each other. I swear, most days it’s like they’re still in their twenties.”
“I noticed you and Sarah have different last names.”
“Yeah, that’s a bit of a touchy subject with my dad. Becky remarried not long after their divorce, as well. Since Gordon, Sarah’s stepdad, was the one physically helping to raise her, Sarah’s mom asked my dad if Gordon could legally adopt Sarah when she was younger. It was a hard decision, but Dad said he thought it would be easier on Sarah if she had the same last name as Becky and Gordon. So, he signed off on it.”
“I can see that.”
“But,” Gracie was quick to add, “My dad loves Sarah very much. They talk on the phone and send cards all the time. He always made sure she and I got together whenever we could, growing up. Plus, Dad gets along really well with both Becky and Gordon, so it all worked out.”
“Sounds like he made the right choice for both himself and Sarah’s mom.”
“Yep. We’re all just one, big happy family.” As if she realized she’d said something wrong, Gracie began to apologize. “I’m sorry.”
