51. Eloise
51
ELOISE
I feel like I’m floating. No, scratch that. I feel like I’m flying . Everything inside me is light, unburdened for the first time in what feels like forever. The chaos of the Gauntlet, the constant worry about my sisters, even the ache of my past—all of it feels distant right now. Like a healing bruise.
It’s not just the sun streaming through the windows or the smell of fresh coffee wafting from the kitchen. It’s not even the sound of Vivie giggling from her bedroom or Margot studying her ass off for classes. It’s him.
Beau .
The man who showed up in my life like a storm and somehow brought a sense of calm with him.
I can still feel the ghost of his touch from last night, the way his hand lingered at the small of my back, like he couldn’t bear to let me go. The way he whispered my name, soft but sure, like it was a prayer.
I close my eyes for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips. My heart does a little somersault in my chest, and I don’t even try to stop it.
I’m falling for him.
No, that’s not quite right either.
I already fell.
Completely and utterly in love.
Oh, god, I’m in love with him.
It’s exhilarating and terrifying all at once.
This feeling, this depth of emotion, is unfamiliar territory for me. Loving him—being loved by him —feels as natural as breathing. But a small, stubborn part of me resists, unused to this kind of soul-deep happiness. Afraid it can’t possibly last.
I shake my head, dismissing the thought. I refuse to let my fears and doubts taint this perfect, shining moment. Beau has proven himself, time and again. He's not going anywhere.
And for the first time in a long time, I’m not scared.
A knock at the front door jolts me from my reverie. I glance at the clock, frowning. Beau and I are meeting in a little while, and no one knocks that politely here. Curious, I pad to the door and peek through the peephole.
Nate stands on the front porch, hands clasped behind his back and head tilted so he’s looking across my lawn, toward his house.
I hesitate, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Things have been a little weird between us lately, kind of strained and distant.
I know he was really busy doing something for Levi, so maybe it’s just all in my head. I shrug it off and remind myself that he’s my best friend, and he’s had my back for years.
I paste a smile on my face and open the door. “Nate, hey. I haven’t seen you in a while.”
He turns to face me, his expression unreadable. "We need to talk, Eloise."
I cross my arms over my chest, immediately defensive. I don’t even know why, but it feels like he’s about to scold me.
“Alright. Come in.” I open the door wider and gesture for him to step inside.
“Got a call today. Said they recognized you in Stoneview a few weeks ago,” he says, walking past me and stopping just inside of the entryway.
I shake my head a little, trying to figure out where this is going. “What’s the problem? It was a Gauntlet race.”
Nate drags a hand over his chin, his expression hard. “See, the thing is, baby?—”
“Don’t call me baby.” The words are out before I can stop them, sharper than I intended. It feels worse than usual—like a betrayal to myself. I can still hear Beau’s voice in my ear, telling me what a good girl I was, how brave I was. I didn’t mind when he called me baby.
Nate clenches his jaw, nodding slowly. “The thing is, Thorne , I got a video today. Didn’t click on it. Felt like one of those spammy virus links people send, you know? But then some things were brought to my attention, and I’ve got a feeling?—”
“Nate, what’s going on?” I cut him off, grabbing my stuff and heading toward the door. “I’ve got places to be, so can we pick this up later? You can show me the video then.”
I give him a pointed look, silently signaling that it’s time for him to leave. I’ve walked out with him still in my house before, but that’s when I was coming right back. Today, I’m not sure when I’ll be back. And if I have my way, it won’t be for several hours and a handful of orgasms.
“Yeah, Thorne, we can watch your amateur porn video with that fuckboy from the Alley together later,” he says dryly.
Everything inside me freezes. The air in my lungs feels trapped as I slowly pivot, taking my time to face him. It’s like I’m moving through molasses. “What did you just say?”
He crosses his arms and strolls toward me with a deliberate slowness, a cruel smirk twisting his mouth. For the first time in my life, I’m on the receiving end of Nate Thomas’s malice, and I don’t fucking like it.
The sight of it snaps me out of my haze. It’s a lifeboat in the quicksand.
“You better wipe that expression off your face, Nate, or we’re gonna have problems,” I warn, planting a hand on my hip and meeting his gaze head-on.
“Oh, we’re gonna have problems, are we?” he mocks, rocking back on his heels, his brows raised. His laughter is sharp and biting.
“You’re my best friend,” I grind out, trying to keep my voice steady. “But I’m telling you right now to tread carefully.”
“Sure thing, Thorne. And as your best friend ,” he pauses with a sneer. “I’m trying to figure out what the fuck you’re doing. I didn’t think you were this dumb, Thorne.”
I stare at him, everything inside of me locking down tight. My muscles tense, my nerves sparking like I’m gearing up for a fight.
“What did you just say to me?” I’m proud of how calm my voice is.
He tips his chin up, his eyes darkening as he looks at me. “You ever stop to think what’s gonna happen if you both make it to the final race, hm? You think that motherfucker is gonna what, just let you win because he fucks you sometimes?” He shakes his head with a pitying tumble of laughter.
I lock everything down tight and say, “What I do is none of your business.”
He scoffs, his smirk widening. “Nah, baby. That’s where you’re wrong. Everything you do is my fucking business. Like how you’re a whore for the Carters. That’s a problem for Seven Pines.”
I stare at him, my chest rising and falling as I try to rein in my anger. Without another word, I walk to the door and swing it open. “Get the fuck out of my house, Nate.”
“Your house?” He laughs darkly, shaking his head. “Damn, baby, did you forget you live in Seven fucking Pines?”
“Nate, I swear to God, if you don’t get out right now, I’m going to forget our lifetime of friendship.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now, Nate?” Margot’s voice thunders from the hallway. Her footsteps follow a second later, and she storms into the room like a fire-breathing dragon.
“Margot,” I snap, trying to head her off.
“No, I don’t think so,” she bites back, her eyes blazing as she stalks toward us. I slide in front of her, my body a barrier. I don’t think Nate will get physical, but I don’t trust Margot not to.
“You’re going to stand there and disrespect my sister like that? After she’s had your back every fucking day?” Margot seethes, her fists clenched.
“Stay out of it, Margot. This doesn’t concern you,” Nate growls.
“The fuck it doesn’t,” she spits. “Get out of our house, Nate, or you won’t like what happens next.”
He chuckles, low and humorless. “Fucking Hawthorne girls. They warned me you’d be just like your momma, but I didn’t believe it. Not until this morning when I watched you fuck that piece of shit Carter?—”
The slap comes before I even think about it, my palm connecting with his cheek in a sharp crack. My hand stings, and tears blur my vision, but I don’t let them fall. I’ve never slapped anyone before, and I can’t say I like it. But I couldn’t listen to another word of his vitriol.
“Get out, Nate,” I say, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest. “We’re done here.”
He rubs his cheek, his expression icy as he glares at me. “Yeah, we are.”
“You don’t realize what you’ve done, Nate,” Margot snaps, her voice shaking with anger. “But you will. And when you do, you’ll be fucking sorry.”
He doesn’t even look at her, his accusing finger pointed at me. “You don’t realize what you’ve done, Thorne. You took an oath the day you took your first job, Thorne. And Seven Pines doesn’t fuck with Carters. If you’re with him, you’re out. Levi’s orders. Make the right decision or I’ll be back to collect.”
“Don’t come back, Nate. Whatever friendship we had? It’s over now.”
Without another word, he storms out, slamming the door behind him.
The door rattles in its frame from the force of Nate's exit, the sound echoing through the stunned silence that settles over the room. I stare at the closed door, my mind reeling, trying to process what just happened.
Margot exhales sharply beside me. “What the actual fuck was that?”
I shake my head slowly, still in a daze. “I don’t know.” My voice comes out small, lost.
She rounds on me, her eyes wide and worried. “Louie, what was he talking about? A video? You and Beau made a fucking video ?”
My head snaps up at the judgment in her voice. She holds her hands in the air, palms up and toward me.
“Shit. No . Not like that. It’s just, how the fuck did he get the video?”
I roll my shoulders back and roll my eyes. “We didn’t make a fucking video, Margot.” My voice is dry, deadpan.
She flings her arm toward the door. “Well, what the fuck is he talking about! Talk to me, Louie. Please .”
I rake my hand through my hair and blow out a breath. “Fuck,” I whisper.
She grabs my elbow and leads me back to the kitchen, depositing me at the little island. “Sit,” she commands.
She yanks open the fridge, the bottles rattling in the shelves. She grabs one of her fancy sparkling waters, a slim can with enough caffeine to kick-start my bruised heart. She opens it and places it in front of me.
The morning light slants across her face as she leans her elbows on the counter, illuminating the determined set of her jaw, the worried crease between her brows.
“Tell me everything.”