CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Monday morning, Alex—without any complaints from her ankle—walked the whole property looking for damage.
The storm had taken all the leaves, and with the trees bare and residual snow lingering, it looked like winter had come early.
This weekend’s campers would be bummed about missing the glorious New England fall, but nothing she could do about it.
She returned to the office, where Lauren sat playing solitaire on the computer.
“Only four trees down,” Alex said, shucking her hat and coat. “And the one across my path is the only one blocking anything.”
“That’s good,” Lauren said. “I’ll call the grounds guy and see when he can come out. All the cabins fair okay?”
“Yes. Thank goodness we put that new roof on cabin twelve. I doubt it would have held up under all the snow, and who knows how much damage that would have caused.”
“How’d Brody survive?”
Alex was surprised Lauren hadn’t already heard about her and Brody. “Storm must’ve broken the town grapevine,” she said, hesitating.
“Ooh. What’d I miss?” Lauren turned toward Alex and rubbed her hands together greedily.
Alex heaved out a breath. She would find out eventually. No sense in lying or delaying.
“Brody sheltered at my place. We’re kind of dating now, I guess.”
Lauren laughed. “You guess?”
“It’s complicated,” Alex mumbled.
“Ha. I’m sure it is. Good for you, girl.”
“Anyway,” Alex said, picking up her coat. “I also wanted to let you know I have plans for the rec cabin on Thanksgiving. Campers can use it for the day, but I need it cleared by seven-thirty.”
“Will do.”
On the walk home, she started mentally planning for a dinner party, still mad at herself for allowing Brody to provoke her into such a thing.
He’d implied she was chicken, somehow knowing she’d take the bait. She didn’t like being so predictable or that he already knew how to push her buttons and was okay doing so.
When she got home, she texted her friends to arrange an emergency meeting. She needed to talk to them without Brody around. They all agreed to come to her place that evening.
Later that afternoon, she supervised the removal of the branch blocking her path, amazed Lauren had gotten someone out so quickly. Once they left, she fed Daisy, talked to Brody for a minute, cleaned up, and waited for her team to show up.
“How’d you get out of hanging with Brody?” Tess said when she entered, a bag of deli sandwiches dangling off her arm.
“Just told him I needed a night with my girls.” Alex pulled out paper plates and napkins and set them on the counter. “He took it all right. Is it weird he wants to spend so much time together?”
Alex’s dating experience was almost exclusively with men who’d rented a cabin—hunters, hikers, fishermen. And those relationships ended when the reservation did. Having someone so close for so long was taking some getting used to.
“Not if he really likes you,” Juliet said. “I thought you said you didn’t get tired of him during the storm?”
“I didn’t, but that was different,” Alex said. “He couldn’t leave, even if I’d wanted him to.”
“Still,” Tess said. “The fact that we didn’t have to dig him out of the snow bodes well for him.”
“Maybe he’s the one,” Faith said.
“Let’s not get carried away.” Alex held up a hand. “And I’m not tired of him. I just wanted to talk to you guys. Alone.”
They dug around through the sack of sandwiches and each grabbed one. Tess went to the refrigerator and brought back four cans of diet soda.
“Things are moving really fast, and it’s freaking me out,” Alex started. “We haven’t even been on an actual date, and already we’re leapfrogging to meeting parents and hosting holidays? Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”
“It is a little unconventional,” Juliet said, unwrapping her sandwich. “But sometimes when you know, you know.”
Tess and Faith nodded in agreement.
“Know what?” Alex exclaimed.
“When you love someone,” Faith said, casually biting into her turkey on rye as if she hadn’t just dropped the L-word like a grenade onto the counter.
Alex’s mouth fell open. “Okay, this convo has derailed,” she said. “No one said anything about love. Why would I fall in love when he’s just going to take off?”
“Are you positive he plans to leave?” Juliet asked, sipping her pop.
“I have to be realistic,” Alex said. “It’s only a matter of time before he gets sick of me or GVF or both. Then, he’ll be gone in a heartbeat, and where does that leave me?”
“You can’t go into a relationship thinking it will automatically end,” Faith said. “You gotta have a positive mindset about it.”
“What my metaphysical-loving sister-in-law is trying to say is that you have to play the cards you’re dealt,” Tess said. “Maybe he won’t be around forever, but you should take advantage of the time you have.”
“No one ever knows what the future will hold,” Juliet said. “Look at what happened to Teddy. And Jenny.”
Teddy was Juliet’s husband, who’d died in a car accident at twenty. All of a sudden, Alex’s problems seemed stupidly trivial.
“Well, that got dark,” Tess said, and everyone chuckled. “What we’re saying is, he’s here, he’s hot, and he wants to hang out with you. Just do it.”
“Yeah, that’s another suspicious thing. Why me?” Alex asked. “Why not Tess or Juliet? I mean, look at me.” She swiped a finger up and down her body. “You guys are taller, prettier, nicer. It can’t just be that he saw me first.”
“Man, your mom has done such a number on you,” Tess mumbled. “You are gorgeous, woman. Check any freaking mirror.”
“I concur,” Faith said. “Don’t sell yourself short. No pun intended. You’re pretty, but more importantly, you’re a strong, confident woman. Plus, you have a great rack.”
“That’s true,” Tess agreed. “And exquisite boobs aside, guys like it when a woman has a mind of her own.”
“And you know this how?” Tess had been married for a hot minute, but unlike Juliet’s husband, they never spoke of him. The question wasn’t meant as a dig at Tess, and she didn’t take it as one.
“I don’t for sure,” Tess said. “But that’s what I’m hoping. Otherwise, I’m screwed.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alex,” Juliet said. “Your personality is your best quality. Second to none, I’d say.”
“Hah.” Alex laughed. “Now I know you’re just blowing smoke up my butt. Look, I didn’t invite you here to fish for compliments. I need advice on whether or not to let this happen.”
“Pros and cons,” Tess said, which Alex had already thought of. She and Tess were the most pragmatic, get ’er done types of the bunch. A P&C list was second nature to them. “Pro, he’s good looking.”
“Con,” Alex said. “He’s leaving.”
“That could be pro.” Faith shrugged. “Just saying.”
“Also, we don’t know that for sure,” Juliet said.
“Con.” Alex took a deep breath and finally voiced her true concern, realizing Faith hadn’t actually been too far off base bringing up love. “I really like him. I’m trying not to, but what if I accidentally fall in love?”
She didn’t mention that she’d already put up the drawbridge to her heart, so literally falling in love shouldn’t be an issue. Still, accidents happened. Better to cover all her bases.
“Accidentally?” Tess raised an eyebrow.
“Just take it a day at a time,” Juliet suggested. “And don’t punish Brody because all the other guys you’ve dated never worked out. Give him a fair shot.”
“Well,” Alex said. “I thought of one possible pro. It’ll be nice not to have to be on my best behavior. If he’s leaving anyway, I can do or say whatever I want.”
“There ya go,” Tess said. “That’s a big plus.”
“Fine,” Alex said. “I’ll ride this wave until it crashes and deal with the consequences later.”
“Attagirl,” Faith said.
They finished their food—Alex only eating half since she was still unable to run—and moved to the living room.
“Hey,” Juliet said. “About Thanksgiving. Should we do something for Max and Lilly? Does anyone know if they have plans?”
“His family is staying in GVF until further notice,” Faith said. “I already talked to Max’s mom, and they’re planning a quiet dinner, just them.”
“They’re really keeping to themselves,” Tess said. “I used to run into Max all the time at The Rise and Grind. I haven’t seen him since the funeral.”
“Time’s weird,” Alex said. “It’s been almost a month since Jenny’s death, but it simultaneously seems like yesterday and forever ago.”
“Agreed.” Faith nodded. “It’s been over a year since my mom passed, and I still feel that way.”
Conversation paused for an impromptu moment of silence before Alex changed the subject.
“There’s another reason I brought you all here.” She pulled out a notebook and a pen. “How the hell do you cook a turkey?”