twenty-six | will
TWENTY-SIXWill
The door closes behind Emberly and even though I want to chase after her, sweep her off her feet, and carry her back to the cabin, I know she can make it there on her own.
Reeve hasn’t moved, except to cross her arms. I might be a guy, but I can read the room.
“Don’t say it.”
“You like her.”
“Emberly is leaving on Saturday.” I am not going to have this conversation.
I prefer our chat group. It’s easier to hide behind emojis than talk about my feelings.
I can also set the phone down and walk away if there’s something I want to avoid.
“To what do I owe this visit? Did you need help with something?”
“My idiot friend.”
“What’s going on with Knox?”
Reeve presses her lips together but I know it’s because she’s holding back a smile. “My other idiot friend.”
“I’m fine, Reeve.” I bend down and close the first-aid kit. “And contrary to what you believe, not an idiot.”
Falling for a woman who can’t wait to get on her private plane and go back to her normal life with her beach house and personal chef? Yes.
But I’m also a realist.
Reeve shakes her head. “You have a type, I will say that.”
“Out of my league?”
“No one is out of your league.” Reeve’s elbow sinks into my ribs. The response of a loyal, if not slightly prejudiced, childhood friend.
Reeve might tease me, scold me, and give me unsolicited advice from time to time, but she’s had my back ever since I pointed at her while I was picking my team for dodgeball in the fifth grade.
Reeve was always chosen last because she was vertically challenged, but the girl was insanely fast and having older brothers made her more competitive.
Qualities more important than height when it came to dodgeball, to my way of thinking.
She didn’t mind falling down or getting dirty, either.
Knox was less than thrilled when Reeve started hanging out with us at recess, but she’d shared the homemade chocolate chip cookies in her lunchbox and eventually won him over.
Now, like me, she works in the family business.
Her parents own a property management company along with the outfitting business that Reeve and her brother, Owen, operate during the summer months.
The rest of the year, she’s the live-in caretaker for the Covington family’s summer home (i.e.
mansion) on a private lake just north of town.
Three of the Wilde brothers still live at home, so she claims it was the only way she could afford to move out and get some privacy.
“You know I love you, right?” Reeve reaches out and squeezes my arm. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
That makes two of us.
Three, because I don’t want Cab to get hurt, either.
“You could have sent me another warning text,” I tell her.
“Ha! Those are easier to ignore.” Reeve knows me too well. “But I actually stopped by to see Iris. I found another arrowhead for her collection yesterday.”
“I had to run an errand in town and dropped her off at Eden’s. They’re eating dinner together and Eden’s mom is bringing her home later tonight.”
The playdate was my idea. Cab had fun at the Grill, but the minute we got home she’d dashed over to the firepit, hoping to meet Emberly’s friends. She was disappointed they weren’t there, but I didn’t say my “I told you so” out loud.
“So …” Reeve draws out the word. “No Iris.”
“And a to-do list a mile long.”
“Uh huh.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“Not at the moment.” She softens the comment with a smile but I’m not offended. I don’t trust me, either.
I could have set Emberly down once we reached the grassy area, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the way her arms circled my waist in the studio.
Her cheek pressed against my chest. It was innocent as far as hugs go, but this could turn into an addiction.
I wanted that feeling again, so I carried her all the way to the cabin.
“I won’t say anything to Cab about the arrowhead and spoil the surprise,” I promise Reeve.
“Now that I’m here …” She pauses. “I should probably mention that your theory about Emberly’s friends might be correct.”
“Why?”
I realize I may have reacted a little strongly when Reeve holds up her hands like a shield. “Don’t shoot the messenger, Bud.”
“Sorry.”
“Some of the comments I overheard. They were laughing about their plan.” She puts air quotes around the last word. “Mentioned ditching someone.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. They’re Emberly’s best friends.”
Reeve shrugs. “It could be they were talking about someone else. Or … there’s a mutiny brewing.”
Part of me wants to reject the words. Then I remember seeing Emberly’s bloody feet and anger balls up inside me like a clenched fist.
I can’t believe they’d deliberately choose Berry Ridge because they knew Emberly wasn’t prepared for that kind of hike.
“There’s more.”
I wait.
“Trip and Owen went to Ace’s last night to hear their favorite band. A group of Category Twos were there, showing what Mom would say was ‘a whole lot of skin and not much common sense’. I’m pretty sure it was Emberly and her friends.”
I avoid Ace’s because the crowd it draws can get pretty rowdy. I try to imagine Emberly fitting in—or enjoying—that kind of environment. But what do I really know about her?
Maybe campfires and pudgy pies, spending time with Cab, were a way to kill time until her friends came back.
Maybe. But I don’t think so.
“Trip bragged about dancing with them and then teased Owen for striking out with the redhead,” Reeve continues. “He said she must have been too good for the locals because she sat at a picnic table by herself all night.”
Okay. So, I have some new information. I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to do with it.
“This is none of my business, Reeve.”
“You’re right.”
“Whatever’s going on—if anything is going on—they’ll work it out.”
“You do hate drama.”
“I do.”
“See you Saturday morning.” Reeve walks toward the door.
Saturday morning is a tradition that started after my parents died. Knox and Reeve show up at six a.m. sharp, I make buttermilk pancakes, and then they spend the next few hours helping me with whatever needs to be done around the resort before the new guests arrive.
Because of our busy summer schedules, we don’t see each other very often, so I always look forward to Saturdays.
Right now, not so much.
“And Will?”
Reeve stops and I brace myself. I don’t want any more lectures or warnings, but she grins.
“Have fun horseback riding.”