His dad is still outside of Atlanta, along with his sister, who has a family there too.
I tell him about the antique store—less the financial ruin it’s facing—and gush about Bee. About how smart she is.How funny. How my mom calls her a stickybeak because she’s constantly eavesdropping and snooping in other people’s business, including her teacher’s calendar when she isn’t looking. When I told him she goes to Fontain Academy, his eyes lit up.
“Bee’s an interesting name,” he says. “Where’d it come from?”
This is the perfect time to tell him, but selfishly, I don’t want to ruin whatever this day is. It feels good—easy. The first easy day I’ve had in a long time. I have to tell him, I will, but not today. I want today for me.
“So is Frank,” I deflect, half joking.
He chuckles, eyeing the dog who’s currently sprawled out across the living room floor. “Short for Franklin.”
“A nod to your hero.” I laugh so I don’t cry or word vomit and then real vomit all over his lovely house. “I appreciate your commitment to Benjamin Franklin’s legacy.”
His grin and wink fan the flames of my guilt.
“You like Charleston?” I ask.
He washes the dishes and the contoured muscles of his back tug at his T-shirt.
“Love the history. Love the people,” he says over his shoulder. “Hate the traffic.”
I make an agreeing sound; it’s so much busier than Fontain. I don’t know if I could ever live somewhere so fast and loud. So filled with people.
“You said you wanted to expand,” I say. “That mean you’re not done moving around? I remember it’s what you loved about your teaching gig.”
He looks directly at me. “I loved other things more.”
My heart stutters.
“But to answer your question.” He leans a hip on the counter across from me. “I might expand—sounds like a fun challenge tosee if I can replicate what I’ve done here somewhere else. But if I’ve learned anything these last eight years, it’s that I don’t really care where I live.”
“Would you—” I fiddle with the engagement ring on my finger that doesn’t seem to fit quite right. “Would you ever live somewhere smaller?”
Since I’m not looking at him, I don’t know what he’s thinking. Have no clue if he’s smiling or smirking or picking his jaw up from his kitchen floor at the absurdity of the question.
Say yes, Nash.
Of course, with him, it’s never that simple.
He circles the island until he’s next to me, using a knuckle to lift my chin to meet his gaze.
“I would live anywhere if the right person asked me to.”
There’s no fighting the pull his eyes have on mine, and I have to tell him the truth. Right now. I don’t know if I want to ask him to move to Fontain, but I can’t think clearly without him knowing.
Bennie is yours.Three words. I can do this.
“Nash . . .”
I swallow.
Open my mouth.
And flinch when my phone rings.
Jonathan’s name on the screen is so big it might as well be a billboard. I decline the call, and a text from him instantly follows.Headed to the mountains and service won’t be great for a few days. Talk then.
Nash sees then takes a step back. “A small town would be an awkward place to live with a husband and fiancé, huh?”
