5. Susan
Chapter five
Susan
M y hands moved with practiced ease, sorting through returned books while my thoughts strayed to Nate and the tangled web we'd inadvertently woven together.
"Tiffany must be taking a crash course in gossip journalism," I muttered under my breath, still reeling from how quickly news of our pretend relationship had spread. I knew I was going to get bombarded with questions after lunch when Frances came on shift.
"Ah, Susan! Just the person I was looking for." Grace Harper's voice cut through my thoughts like an errant sunbeam. She sashayed towards me, her colorful scarf fluttering behind her like a flag of impending meddling. "I'm in the mood for a new romance novel. Any recommendations?"
"Sure, Grace." I set down the book I was holding and selected a book from a nearby shelf. "How about something by Tara Robertson? She's always a popular choice."
"Ah, yes, Tara Robertson," she said thoughtfully, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Speaking of romance, I've heard some interesting news lately about you and Dr. Dreamy. Is it true?"
"Um, yeah." I clasped my hands together and twirled my thumbs around each other, resisting the urge to hide them behind my back and cross my fingers. "We're engaged."
"Isn't that something?" Grace mused. "You know, I've always believed that the best love stories are unexpected and genuine. Wouldn’t you agree?"
"Uh, sure," I responded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Life can surprise you sometimes."
"Yes, it can," she said, nodding wisely. "So, tell me, how did this lovely development come about?"
"Actually," I hesitated, searching for a suitable answer. "It just sort of... happened."
"Ah, well, I’m happy for you," she said, nodding in approval. "Life is too short to let love pass you by."
"Thank you, Grace," I replied, touched by her heartfelt advice.
She gave me a warm smile and patted my hand. "Now, back to business. Tara Robertson, you say. I'll give it a try."
As she walked away, her words continued to echo in my mind. Was it possible that this unexpected, pretend relationship with Nate could somehow become genuine? And if so, was I ready to take that chance?
I was still mulling over Grace's words when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a new message from Nate.
" Hey Susan, can we meet today after lunch by the river? I don’t have any patients until three p.m. I think I can get away for a bit. We should talk ."
A walk with Nate—alone. The prospect sent a flutter of anticipation through me, tempered by the anxiety of navigating our fake relationship and the genuine emotions simmering beneath the surface.
" Sure ," I typed back, my fingers betraying a slight tremble. " I can be there around 1:00 ?"
" Sounds good. See you then ."
I had brought my lunch to work, and after eating in the breakroom, I headed to meet Nate.
Rivermint Cove was divided into an old town square and a newer area. The library and the hospital were in the old area. The town had made several improvements in the last few years, and new coffee shops, ice cream shops, and restaurants had opened. It was like our own Central Park in the center of town, with a river flowing through the middle.
As I made my way to the river, deep in thought, I almost collided with Mayor Tom Fletcher, whose larger-than-life personality seemed to fill the entire sidewalk.
"Ah, Susan!" he boomed, his eyes crinkling with enthusiasm. "I've heard some delightful news about you and our fine Dr. Reynolds. Care to share any juicy details?"
"Mayor Fletcher," I stammered, my face heating up as I tried to formulate a response. "You know how the rumor mill churns in this town. Nothing too juicy, I’m afraid.”
"No need to spill all the beans just yet. But I must say, I'm absolutely thrilled for you both. Love is a beautiful thing, my dear!" he exclaimed, giving me a playful nudge.
"Thank you," I managed to choke out, my cheeks aflame with embarrassment and amusement. "I should really be going now—Nate's waiting for me."
"Ah, young love." A grin spread across his face as he stepped aside. "Off you go then!” He winked and walked away, leaving me standing there with a face as bright red as a tomato.
I shook my head, chuckling to myself as I continued towards the river. Word traveled fast in Rivermint Cove, but I didn’t anticipate it traveling this fast. I couldn’t help but wonder if Nate was as nervous about our meeting as I was. Would he be able to tell that beneath the pretense, genuine feelings were there?
"Focus, Susan," I muttered under my breath, trying to steady my racing heart.
The river glistened under the golden glow of the sun, its gentle flow mirroring the soft rustle of leaves above. I spotted Nate leaning against a tree, his hands tucked in his pockets, and my stomach fluttered nervously. As I approached him, he looked up and smiled, his blue eyes warm and inviting.
"Hey, Susan," he greeted me, pushing off the tree to stand next to me. "Thanks for meeting me here."
"Hi, Nate," I replied, trying to sound relaxed even though I was nothing but. "I just ran into Mayor Fletcher on my way here. He already knows about us."
Nate chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess Tiffany ran straight to the Rivermint Cove gossip mill. Truth be told, I never expected that our fake relationship would involve so much attention. It's a bit overwhelming," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
I couldn't help but giggle. "Welcome to the world of Rivermint Cove gossip, I suppose."
"Yeah," he said, his laughter mirroring my own. I couldn't believe how ridiculous the situation was, but at least we could laugh about it together. Maybe this unexpected connection was exactly what I needed.
"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath as we continued walking along the riverside path. "It isn't the end of the world, but now that the story is online and people know, we need to come up with a plan for how we fell in love." I paused, glancing at Nate. "What did you tell Tiffany?"
Nate looked flustered as he admitted to telling her we had been secretly seeing each other for a few months to maintain our privacy.
"Secretly?" I raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a grin. "That sounds very cloak-and-dagger. So, what's our story?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know we can say it started when I came to the library to do some research. We got to talking, and one thing led to another."
"Very smooth." I laughed, feeling my spirits lift in response to Nate's easygoing demeanor. Then, a thought struck me. "Wait, did you actually tell Tiffany that we fell in love in the library?"
"No," he replied, rolling his eyes playfully. "But it sounds like the most logical plan, don't you think?"
As we continued brainstorming, Nate brought up a memory that I had almost forgotten about. "Remember that time you stayed the night with Emily, and the three of us went to the lake? I think it was my junior year. I had gotten my license, and Emily begged me to drive y’all there. I was not happy about it, but it ended up being a lot of fun."
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as the memory resurfaced. I had forgotten to put on sunscreen and looked like a lobster the next morning. "That was a great day."
I watched as Nate's eyes sparkled with mischief, a grin spreading across his face. “I recall us having a water fight at the lake and you calling a truce before I could get you back. Maybe it’s time for payback.” Suddenly, his hand skimmed the water's surface, sending a spray of droplets onto my unsuspecting face.
"Hey! I have to go back to work." I sputtered, wiping droplets from my glasses.
“Oops," Nate pretended to be innocent, but I could see the playful glint in his eyes. "My bad."
The laughter bubbled up before I could even register it, and I found myself reaching down to scoop water in retaliation. "Two can play that game," I declared, flinging the water toward him. He yelped in surprise and dodged, but not before some of the water hit its target.
The next few minutes were a flurry of splashing, dodging, and laughter as we engaged in our impromptu water fight. For that brief moment in time, all thoughts of fake relationships, confusing emotions, and town gossip melted away. The world around us seemed to blur, leaving only the simple joy of connection and shared laughter that felt like a balm to my soul. “Okay, truce. I really do have to get back to work. Thankfully, I have an extra shirt in my secret stash at the library.” I hosted arts and crafts with the kids sometimes and never knew when I might get paint or something on my shirt.
"Okay, I will text you tomorrow," Nate murmured, leaning in for an awkward hug that made me blush despite myself.
"See you later," I whispered as I hugged him back and then turned to head back to the library.
I took a deep breath as I entered the Rivermint Cove Library, mentally preparing myself for the onslaught of questions I knew was coming.
As soon as the library doors closed behind me, a whirlwind of red curls practically tackled me. “Susan! Is it true?” Frances exclaimed, her freckles dancing with excitement. "You and Dr. Reynolds are engaged? When is the wedding? Can I help with planning it?"
Her rapid-fire questions hit me like a barrage of snowballs in a winter war. I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water. "Well…uh…Frances! One question at a time. We only just made it official."
“That’s okay. Early days, but don’t you worry. I am going to make sure you have the most amazing wedding ever!” She paused and then totally disregarded my one-question-at-a-time statement. “What are your favorite colors? Do you think it will be indoor or outdoor?”
Before Frances could voice another question, my phone chimed from my pocket. "Hold that thought," I told Frances, pulling the device out.
" Call me ASAP !" it read. My stomach dropped. I’m sure Emily had heard the news. “Excuse me, Frances. We will talk later.”
Hands shaking, I slipped into the back room and called Emily. She picked up immediately.
"Susan Marie Phillips, how could you not tell me you and my brother are engaged?! What is going on?" Emily cried.
I cringed. "Listen, Emily, it's not what you think..."
I took a deep breath and explained the whole fake engagement situation, ending with a pleading, "Please don't tell anyone it's not real!"
Emily was quiet for a moment. "Wow," she said finally. "I can't believe Nate came up with a scheme like that."
I could hear the skepticism in her voice. " I know it seems crazy."
"Oh, it's definitely crazy," Emily agreed. "But I trust you, so I'll keep your secret."
I sighed in relief. "Thank you. This means the world to me."
"Just be careful, okay?" Emily said gently. "I don't want to see you or Nate get hurt. And you know how important our friendship is. I don’t want to get in the middle if something goes wrong."
I knew she was right to be concerned. But I couldn't deny the way my heart raced at the thought of pretending to be with Nate. I'd just have to stay grounded and focused.
"I will," I promised.
I tucked my phone back into my pocket and tried to finish up my day without too much questioning. We had a late-night checking inventory, and I was grateful when my shift was up and I headed home.
Once inside, I found my mother in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared her bedtime tea. The scent of lavender and chamomile filled the air.
"Hi, Mom," I greeted her, trying to mask my inner turmoil with a casual tone.
"Hello, dear," she said, pausing to give me a piercing look. "I heard from Grace Harper today that you and Nate are engaged. Is that true?"
Guilt twisted in my chest. I didn’t know how long I could lie to my mother. "Yes, it's true. We’ve been dating for a few months. We knew as soon as everyone found out we wouldn’t have any privacy, so we kept it a secret."
"Ah, I see. But I am surprised that you kept it from your own mother," she said, returning her attention to her cup of tea. "But I'm happy for you both. Nate is such a wonderful young man."
"Thanks, Mom," I murmured, feeling a warmth spread through me at her words. It was strange how something that started as a lie could feel so right.
"Are you sure everything is okay?" she asked, pausing her preparations once more to give me a searching look.
"Everything's fine," I assured her, forcing a smile. "I'm just… processing it all, I guess."
"Take your time, sweetheart," Mom said softly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "Love can be a complicated thing."
"Tell me about it," I muttered under my breath, excusing myself from the kitchen and heading to my room.
The soft glow of my bedside lamp cast a warm, comforting light across my bedroom walls as I sat cross-legged on the bed, a well-worn copy of Pride and Prejudice forgotten in my lap. The familiar words of Austen's world blurred together, my thoughts consumed by the day's conversations and revelations.
"Is it possible to fall for someone while pretending to be in love with them?" I whispered into the silence, recalling Grace's twinkling eyes and smile, her words about unexpected and genuine love stories echoing in my mind.
I continued thinking of Nate's laughter by the river and the playful water fight that felt natural and free. "Maybe"
I shook my head, frustrated with my own indecision.
"Get it together, Susan," I chided myself, setting the book aside and tracing the intricate pattern on my quilt. "You're both adults, and you agreed to this ridiculous charade. Just play your part until it's over and hope you don't lose your best friend in the process."
And with that, I surrendered to the night and the dreams that awaited me, my heart daring to hope for a future where pretense gave way to something real, something undeniable, and something as beautiful as the river's gentle flow beneath the moon's watchful gaze.