Page 59 of Barefoot Lake

“You won’t believe who I just saw or who they were with.”

Jake huffs again and pulls me deeper into the store, seemingly knowing exactly where to find what we need. “We live in a town of lunatics,” he mutters over his shoulder.

I laugh because the reaction feels so outrageous for something so ordinary. I remain smiling because I like his use of “we.”

Jake shops efficiently and, when we approach the front to pay, levels the cashier with a glare that efficiently silences whatever personal question the girl is about to ask. She sticks to the perfunctory, “Did you find everything you need?” and other pleasantries.

Within minutes, we’re on our way again. I tell myself I imagined Bets from the post office throwing herself behind a parked car across the street as I looked in her direction. I’m sure she just dropped her phone… that she was pointing at us…

It’s fine.

I’m in a fit of laughter, doubled over and resting my forehead on the dashboard by the time Jake closes the passenger door for me, partially because this town is seemingly full of lunatics and partially because Jake’s face is, yet again, the perfect imitation of the straight-mouthed emoji. I’m surprised he doesn’t have a literal storm cloud floating over his head.

Once he’s also in the truck and we’re driving down the road, I finally compose myself.

“I’ve never lived anywhere like this before,” I say, wiping the tears leaking from my eyes. “I can’t tell you the number of times I saw something completely outrageous in the Common, and everybody literally just kept going with their day.”

“Wilcox Grove is about as different from Boston as you can get,” Jake agrees. “Do you… mind that it’s different?”

I think about it for a minute.

“You know, I really don’t. Making it in the big city makes me feel worthy of all the sacrifices Mom made for me, how hard she worked every day so I could have more than she did. I wanted to check all the boxes for what people consider to be success — college, post-grad, respectable and secure job, respectable and secure partner, family… all of it. And I liked a lot of it. I loved being a student, and when I was still spending most of my time teaching. But I’ve been really happy in Wilcox Grove, too.”

Jake is quiet for my little monologue, but I don’t miss the concern on his face when I talk about Boston. I feel concern when I talk about Boston, too. There are very real responsibilities there that I’ve been avoiding, and it’s not right. My life is still there, and we both know it, but he seems to be as keen as I am to pretend my return to the city isn’t looming. I beat my guilt back once more and focus on Jake.

A smile lifts the corner of his mouth as he makes the turn that leads to our houses and he says, “I know I wasn’t the most welcoming when you got here, but I think Wilcox Grove suits you. I like seeing you in this space, knowing you’re right across the yard in this house. Big city success or not, I think you’re spectacular.”

I think I blush from my hairline to my navel.

Once inside, Jake gets to work replacing the part in the downstairs bathroom, and I decide to start prep for dinner. The sun is only just starting to set, but I can always eat, and I think Jake skipped lunch to get back to me quicker, so nobody’s saying no to an early dinner.

I’m making burger patties when Jake joins me in the kitchen.

He makes a noise of appreciation when he looks over my shoulder and sees what’s on the menu.

“Oh, just you wait. I’m going to cook them, and then they’ll really be good!”

I love how easy it is to poke fun with Jake. I also love that he laughs, even when my jokes are awful. I wash my hands and take the plate of patties to the fridge, returning to the sink with tomatoes and lettuce.

“Thank you for making us dinner,” he says, pressing a kiss to my hair. Jake is a very affectionate man, and I’m obsessed with every one of his little touches or kisses.

“Would I be in the way if I fix the doors on the lower cabinets?”

He talks around a screw pressed into the corner of his mouth, his hands full with a screwdriver and a handful of the new hinges. He’ll be working far enough from food prep, so I shake my head.

I’m washing a tomato at the sink when I hear the first thud from the side of the house. Jake and I look at each other with the same puzzled expression. I dry my hands on a towel when there’s another scuffle.

“Let me.” Jake stands and moves to check out the disturbance.

“It’s ok. I’ve got it.”

It’s my house, and I need to learn to handle nature. It’s probably just Bambi poking around again.

I walk to the side door and jiggle the handle before unlocking it, something I’ve found sometimes helps the door behave.

I’m pleased when the door swings inward. I step forward to see what the ruckus is and start to lean forward so I can peer my head around the side of the house.

“It worked this time, but we should add this door to the list to—” I’m cut off by a loud huff from outside and a clop from a… hoof? I turn my head toward the garage and see an enormous creature sniffing what looks like a smear of pumpkin on the asphalt.