3. Liz
Chapter three
Liz
I’m sprawled out on the couch, savoring the quiet of the morning, when my phone buzzes in my lap. I glance at the screen and smile at the familiar name: Bryan.
“Hey, bro!” I answer, settling back into the cushions. It’s been a week since I came back to Ocean Bay. Despite Nate’s constant grumpiness, things have been surprisingly better than I imagined.
“Well, look who’s finally answering my calls,” Bryan’s teasing tone comes through the line, and I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Oh, come on. I’ve been busy.” My tone is playful, but there’s truth behind it. With adjusting to living with Nate, bonding with Max and Boomer, and the ever-present tension in the house, my life’s been anything but calm.
“Busy, huh? How’s the ‘temporary stay’ going? Nate hasn’t kicked you out yet, has he?”
I laugh. “Not yet. Max and Boomer are my saving grace. And they keep Nate in check.”
“I’m sure they do,” Bryan chuckles, but his tone shifts.
“How are you doing though, Liz?”
I pause, the lightness in the conversation fading. Bryan knows me too well.
“I’m good,” I lie, and it’s clear from his silence that he’s not buying it.
“Liz,” he says, his voice more serious now.
“I know you didn’t only come back here for a vacation, did you? This isn’t some random getaway. What’s really going on, Sis?”
I chew on my lip, feeling like a kid caught in a lie. Of course, Bryan would see through me. He always could.
“I just... needed to get away for a while,” I murmur, not offering much.
Bryan isn’t satisfied.
“It’s him, isn’t it? Matt, right?” The mention of is name sends a sharp pang through my chest.
“Don’t,” I snap, louder than I intended. My heart races, and my hand tightens around the phone.
“Don’t bring him up.”
Bryan falls silent for a moment, but I know he won’t let it go.
“Liz, I know he wasn’t good for you. I never liked that guy. What the heck happened?”
I can feel the familiar sting of tears threatening behind my eyes, but I blink them away.
“You were right about him, Bryan,” I finally admit, my voice quieter now. Matt Jarvis is a jerk. I don’t want to waste one more minute thinking about the scum.
“He wasn’t who I thought he was, and I don’t want to talk about it.”
The silence on the other end is thick. I can picture my brother’s face - furrowed brow and clenched jaw, wanting to march over here and fix everything. That’s Bryan. Always the protective big brother.
“Liz... I’m sorry." He speaks to me with his typical big brother tenderness. “You know I have your back, right? Always. If you ever want to talk—”
“I know,” I cut him off, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“I appreciate it, Bryan. Honest. But I’m okay. I’m getting there.”
He lets out a long sigh.
“Alright. But know that I’m always a call away. Ever since Mom and Dad, it’s been the two of us, you know?”
“I know,” I say softly.
“When are you coming back to town?”
“In a few weeks. Work’s been a nightmare, but I’ll be there soon, at least for a few weeks”
We talk a little longer, and the conversation shifts to lighter things: work, his life in the city, and how he misses Ocean Bay’s slower pace.
When we finally end the call, I'm a bit more settled. But lingering thoughts of Nate still gnaw at the back of my mind.
I glance toward the kitchen and an idea strikes me. Nate’s been giving me a place to stay, even if he’s been his usual grumpy self. I should at least try to thank him for that.
The smell of sizzling bacon fills the kitchen as I scramble to get everything together. Pancakes, eggs, and fruit, which I hope are enough to show my gratitude. I’m flipping the last of the pancakes when I hear footsteps approaching.
Nate walks into the kitchen, his expression immediately turning suspicious.
“What’s all this?”
“Good morning to you too,” I reply, throwing a playful smile over my shoulder.
“It’s called breakfast.”
He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I can see that. But why?”
I shrug, turning back to the stove.
“I thought I’d do something nice. You know, as a thank you for letting me stay here. And before you say anything, it’s not a big deal. I like cooking.”
He grumbles something under his breath, clearly uncomfortable with the gesture. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I smile, amused by how he’s almost squirming at the thought of someone doing something nice for him.
“I know I don’t have to, Nate. But I want to.”
Max trudges in next, his usual grumpy morning self, rubbing his eyes and dragging his feet.
“Morning, Max,” I say brightly, but he only grunts in response, much like his dad in the mornings.
I chuckle. “I see you and your dad have more in common than your good looks. You’re both terrible in the mornings.”
Max gives me a half-hearted glare, but it’s hard to take him seriously with his bedhead and sleepy eyes. I pour him a glass of juice and slide a plate of pancakes in front of him. His mood shifts a bit at the sight of food, though he still hasn’t quite roused.
Nate’s phone buzzes in his pocket, and I watch as he steps aside to answer it. His voice is low, but I can still hear bits and pieces of the conversation.
“What do you mean it was her?” Nate’s voice is tense, laced with disbelief.
“I can’t believe that... after everything. How could she do this?”
I pretend to focus on flipping pancakes, but I keep my ears attuned to his words. Someone betrayed him. That much is clear.
“Alright. Yeah, get me the full details,” Nate says before hanging up. He runs a hand over his face, his expression dark.
He turns back to us, trying to shake off the conversation.
“I need to go in for a while. Something came up at work.”
“Is everything okay?” I ask, my curiosity piqued by the conversation I overheard.
“Not really,” he replies curtly, already heading for the door after hugging Max. “Thanks for breakfast.”
Before I can say anything else, he’s gone, leaving a tension in the air that wasn’t there before. I glance at Max, who’s too engrossed in his pancakes to notice anything off.
I sigh and sit down across from him, my mind still on the brief phone call I heard. Something’s definitely wrong, but Nate doesn’t strike me as the type to talk about his problems. I push the thought aside, focusing instead on Max, who’s now chattering about his plans for the day.
“Well, at least one Kingston is easy to talk to,” I mutter under my breath, earning a confused look from Max. I chuckle and take a bite of my pancakes. I'm determined to enjoy the rest of the morning, even if Nate’s mysterious phone call continues to weigh on my mind.
After breakfast, Max bounces over to where Boomer is lounging on the floor and gives his furry friend a gentle pat on the head.
“Can we take Boomer to the park, Liz? Please?” Max’s eyes light up with excitement as he looks up at me, his small hands already clasping the dog’s leash.
I smile, feeling a warmth spread through me at how quickly Max has become comfortable around me.
“Sure, buddy. Let’s go for a walk.”
Max beams at me, his face lighting up as if I’ve single-handedly made his day. He snaps Boomer’s leash into place, and before I know it, the three of us are out the door, heading toward the nearby park.
The crisp morning air is refreshing, and for the first time in a while, I feel... content. It’s strange how easy it feels to be here, to be part of this little routine with Max and Boomer. There’s something comforting about the simplicity of it, the way Max’s small hand finds mine as we cross the street. His bright chatter fills the air.
Boomer, with his boundless energy, pulls ahead. His tail wags in excitement as we approach the park. Max runs beside him, his laughter echoing through the quiet morning, and I can’t help but smile at the scene.
At the park, Max races toward the playground as Boomer trails behind him with just as much enthusiasm. I find a bench nearby, sitting down and watching as Max and Boomer play together. Max climbs onto the slide, pretending he is a superhero while Boomer awaits at the bottom, barking in encouragement.
This is so... normal. So different from the life I left behind.
I contemplate the chaos of my breakup. There was such constant pressure to be someone I wasn’t. I realize I was the one suffocating under the feeling of trying to please a man who never really saw me. It all seems so distant now. Being here, with Max, in Nate’s world, is like stepping into a completely different life. And this one is simple, warm, and somehow soothing.
I laugh as Max slides down, landing with a dramatic thud on the grass before racing back up to do it all over again. His carefree attitude is contagious, and I realize how much better I feel. The weight of everything that’s happened before feels lighter here.
But then, I remind myself, this is temporary.
This isn’t my life. This is Nate’s life. Nate and Max’s world. I know that I’m just passing through, like a visitor who will soon move on.
“Liz!” Max calls out, interrupting my thoughts. “Can we get ice cream?”
I blink, surprised, and glance around. There’s a small ice cream stand across the park, the vendor already setting up for the day. Max’s hopeful face is almost impossible to resist, and I can't help but chuckle.
“Sure.” I say, standing up and walking with him toward the stand.
“Let’s get you some ice cream.”
Max immediately points to the most colorful option - a rainbow swirl of sugar that looks like it’s made of pure happiness.
“One rainbow swirl for the little man,” I tell the vendor, handing over a few bills.
As we wait for the ice cream, Max tugs on my sleeve, his face serious.
“Do you like it here, Liz? I mean, staying with me and Dad?”
The question catches me off guard, and I take a moment before answering.
“I do, Max. I really do. It’s been... nice.”
He grins, accepting the ice cream from the vendor and taking a big bite. His face scrunches up from the cold, but he quickly recovers, his smile even wider than before.
“Good. I like having you here. Boomer likes it too.”
My heart tugs at his words, and for a second, I feel that familiar ache. I like being here too, more than I thought I would. But I can’t let myself get too comfortable. This isn’t forever.
“Thanks, Max. That means a lot.” I ruffle his hair, earning a giggle as he licks his ice cream with gusto.
We make our way back to the bench, sitting down while Max finishes his treat. Boomer flops down at our feet, exhausted from his enthusiastic playtime. The park is quiet, with only a few other people milling about, and for a moment, everything feels... perfect.
I glance down at Max, who’s now chattering away about his day at school yesterday. He's telling me about how he built a new toy in art class and how he’s going to show it to Boomer when we get back. His excitement is infectious, and I find myself laughing along with him, hanging on his every word.
It’s so easy to fall into this rhythm with Max, to enjoy the simplicity of the moment. It’s almost too easy.
But I remind myself again this is temporary. I don’t belong here, no matter how much I wish things were different. This isn’t my family, and I can’t let myself forget that.
Max runs ahead with Boomer, his laughter echoing through the park. I smile to myself, watching him, feeling a warmth spread through me that I haven’t felt in a long time.
Being here, with Max, feels right. But I know it’s not forever.
And that’s the hardest part.