13. Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Lizzie
E arly the next morning, I sat alone on the dock, dangling my legs over the edge as I relaxed with a cup of coffee, already two chapters into my grandmother’s worn copy of The Lord & The Lady .
It had been late by the time things wound down and everyone had dispersed the night before. Brooke had decided to stay over with me at the cabin—but then left early to head back to the cities for some important networking event she couldn’t miss. It was a tearful goodbye for both of us, despite her promise to be back again soon.
And now, watching the mist dance across the water, I found myself settling into a feeling of melancholy. It was the first real moment that I’d had in weeks to just be still and to begin processing everything that had transpired.
I wanted this fresh start more than anything and to find a clear way forward. But so much change also felt overwhelming—I mean, my entire life had essentially been flipped on its head in a matter of weeks. And the more I rehashed everything, the more I couldn’t help but wonder— what had Grandma Cora been thinking?
Shaking my head to try to clear the voices of doubt that had been threatening my peace this morning, I returned my focus back to my reading. But I felt her there with me as I continued on to one of our favorite passages in the book.
“Lizzie girl, look at this part… Lord Pemberton has just arrived at the ball—you see how the author describes how he looks at Lucille? She can feel him watching her, in what she assumes is disdain. But from his perspective, he’s been struck by the sight of her. It’s the first moment, Lizzie, that he starts falling…”
“Hey.”
“Jesus Christ!” The booming voice came at me out of nowhere, of course scaring me shitless. It knocked me out of my memories as well as off-balance, as my coffee mug flew from my hand. I lunged forward, making a frantic grab for it—and then, in a slow-mo comedy of errors, I found myself also tumbling face first, off the dock, and into the water.
As I resurfaced in shock seconds later and glanced back towards the dock, I realized—-not only had I lost my mug, but I’d managed to take my grandmother’s book down with me as well. “Damn it!”
“Jesus, you ok?”
Overcome with panic, I ignored both the question and the person, desperate to find what I’d lost. “Shhhh, just … be quiet . I need to find it…”
No, no, no…
I went back under, the water now murky from the muddy lakebed being kicked up around me. A few feet away, I could see the glinting white handle of my mug laying next to a rock, and I swam over to grab it.
But where was the book?
Suddenly, someone else dove into the water just ahead, the water now next to impossible to see through.
What the hell were they doing?
And then, I spotted it—the swaying, frayed turquoise ribbon of my bookmark, miraculously still tucked inside the cover of the black-bound book. Running out of air, I reached out—but another hand beat me to it.
Resurfacing and gasping as the air filled my lungs, I swam back towards the dock, mug in hand, a splash sounding behind me as the other person surfaced as well.
“Is this what you were looking for, Red?”
Wait… 'Red'?? Why do I know that voice?
Setting the mug down on the wooden planks above my head, I spun around, ready to confront the stranger— rather than the memories —that seemed intent on destroying my peace this morning.
And that’s when I saw him—waist deep in the water, golden brown hair dripping into his face—with a grin that was equal parts sexy and smug, and all-too-familiar.
Rude Guy—from the coffee shop?
Not only that, but in his hand was my grandmother’s book, dripping water steadily down his arm. As we locked eyes, I saw the recognition all over his face as well.
“You!?”
Rude Guy grinned, waving my book in front of him like it was some prize he’d won. “Hello again. This yours?”
Reaching out with my free hand to snatch the book from his grasp, I set it down next to my mug, climbing up the rungs of the ladder until I was standing above him on the dock. Squeezing the water from my hair and clothes, I watched as he swam towards the shore, walking through the shallower water.
“What the hell were you trying to do— scare me half to death?” I stormed down the length of the dock towards him, book and mug in hand, annoyed at his smile and that he was finding any sort of delight in this situation.
“In my defense, all I said was ‘hey’ . I can’t help that you’re so… jumpy. ”
I crossed my arms. “Well, for your information, this is private property. I was hardly expecting a stranger to come waltzing across it before the sun was barely up.” As I said it, I felt a shiver from the slight chill that still hung in the air—suddenly all too aware of the fact that I was dressed in nothing but a thin, very soaked light blue t-shirt and pajama pants.
And seeing as how I was getting a very clear repeat peek of Rude Guy’s muscles beneath the thin fabric of his own t-shirt, I hugged my arms to my chest even tighter—simultaneously willing myself not to continue my gaze past his waistline.
His head was cocked to the side now as he looked at me thoughtfully. “Yep, it all makes sense now. You did sort of look familiar that day we ran into each other….”
Just then, I heard a door slam as Georgia made her way from her cabin towards my dock. “Ah, good, you’re here already, James. And you two have become reacquainted, I see?”
My eyes darted between Rude Guy and Georgia. “Wait a minute… how do you know each other?”
She smiled. “James is my grandson, dear. He grew up here. And,” she said, patting him on the shoulder proudly, “he’s the owner of Horizon Remodeling, your new contractor.” Then she furrowed her brow, finally seeming to notice the state we were in. “Hang on, were you two out there swimming at this hour?”
But I barely heard her question, my head still spinning. “What do you mean ‘my new contractor’?”
Rude Guy—I mean, James—glanced over at me, at least having the decency to look somewhat embarrassed. “Yeah, sorry… did I forget to mention that?”
Un-fucking-believable.
“Ok, let me sort this out. My neighbor— Georgia —is your grandmother?”
“Yes.”
I paused, looking at him. “But I just saw you in Minneapolis, like, three weeks ago.”
“Yeah, well… like I told you before, I was helping my friend move. Dearing Creek is my home.” He shrugged, like all of this was completely logical. I flexed my fingers at my sides as they began tingling again, working to slow my breathing—even as my brain argued loudly over how completely illogical this situation was.
“Oh, this couldn’t be more perfect.” Georgia grinned, clasping her hands together like this was the best day ever.
I interrupted her. “I don’t know about that. ‘Perfect’ might be a stretch. As for Minneapolis, we just… ran into each other.”
James was smirking now. “Right… something like that.”
Did he have to sound so goddamn cocky?
No, no, no… Deep breaths, Lizzie.
Crossing my arms, I eyed him straight on. “Ok… James , is it? Are you an actual home remodeler? Like, licensed and everything?”
He nodded. “Yes, and insured—all the necessary legal and business operation pieces are in place. But,” he paused, “you would actually be my first client.”
“Come again?”
Georgia, sensing that her well-crafted plan might be disintegrating, stepped in. “Oh, James is very qualified. He’s been doing this sort of work professionally for years now. Just finally took the leap to go out on his own. But he’s the best.” She motioned behind her proudly. “Did some work on my place, too.”
I hesitated, thinking about this cabin and how much it meant to me. Sure, now I had the money to make this place mine… but not a single part of any of this felt real to me yet. And more than anything, I didn’t want to screw anything else up, regardless of how much Georgia seemed to be pushing for it.
If I hired James and it went badly, I’d still have to face years of awkwardness, living next door to his grandmother…
“I don’t know…”
James held up a hand, his entire demeanor shifting. “Listen, I don’t want to waste either of our time if you aren’t interested. Good luck with your project, Ms. Blake.” Then he turned on his heel to head back towards the road, his sneakers making wet squishing noises as he set off across the grass.
“Wait,” I called out after him, “… I didn’t say no, exactly.” He paused mid-stride, slowly turning as I continued. “I was just… I don’t know… caught off guard.”
“See? You two just need to sit down and talk things through,” Georgia said, all smiles again. Then leaning towards me, she continued in a loud whisper. “But, Elizabeth… you might want to throw something decent on first. You’re… nipping out a bit there, dear.”
Eyes wide, I pinned my arms back over my chest, feeling the humiliation wash over me in bright shades of blush.
Oh... my God.
And watching James shift from prickly to struggling to hold back laughter wasn’t winning him any points, either—beyond the fluttery feelings in my chest as his stupid hazel eyes crinkled up at the corners.
Georgia, however, was undeterred. “Go on, you two. Clean up, and I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”
I looked back to James, who was just standing there, waiting for me to answer.
“Alright, fine. It can’t hurt to talk, I guess,” I sighed, throwing up my hands. “Let me go in and take a quick shower, and I’ll be out in a bit.”
James shrugged. “Fine, I guess that works.”
But as I trudged towards my cabin, my grandmother’s book still seeping water between my fingers, I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of me.
And I couldn’t help but wonder if I was about to fall face first into my biggest flop yet.