Chapter 23
23
Friday, July 11
52 Days Left at the Lake
“Holy shit.” Harrison gapes at me when I open the door.
“Is it too much?” I say, looking down at myself. I’ve put on the green dress, but he’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt, far more casual than me. He’s shaved the beard and combed his hair, so it falls over his ears, a thick, shiny black. “I can change.”
I texted him after Charlie left yesterday, asking whether he was free tonight. He replied immediately, and we decided on the Bent Anchor, the spot Charlie pointed out to me on the river.
“No way,” Harrison says now. “You look amazing. Sorry, swearing at you probably wasn’t the best way to say hello.”
“Hello,” I say, smiling. I forgot how lovely he is.
“Hi.” He offers me his arm. “Shall we?”
We sit at a picnic table underneath a red umbrella on the sand, overlooking the Madawaska River. A bluegrass band is playing on the patio. Every so often, a boat or Jet Ski passes by, and the riders wave to children playing on the beach. The place has the ideal first-date alchemy: It’s laid-back and the service is fast, and if you run out of things to say, there’s enough to watch and comment on that you could survive the night without things getting awkward.
Harrison and I order barbecue chicken and ribs, and he tells me about working with his family, and that while he enjoys building houses, his true passion is pottery. We discuss glazing techniques and art and photography. I study his long fingers, thinking he must be good with them. My white wine comes served in a stemless plastic glass, filled to the brim, and when I’m on my second, I don’t care that I’m wildly overdressed. The breeze off the water keeps the mosquitoes at bay, but I’m shivering once our food arrives, so Harrison fetches me a hoodie from his truck.
By all measures, it’s a good date. But I keep catching myself thinking about Charlie and what it would be like if I were sitting across from him. Or how Harrison’s sweatshirt smells nice enough—like it’s just been washed—but Charlie’s smell is more complex. I push the thoughts aside—only to find my mind wandering to him again.
At the end of the night, when Harrison and I walk to the parking lot, I study his profile. He’s gorgeous. He’s interesting. He has a nice mouth. But I can’t summon any excitement over kissing him.
He leans a shoulder on his truck. “This was fun.”
“Really fun,” I agree.
“But we’re not clicking, right? It’s not just me?”
I wince. “No, it’s not just you.”
Maybe it’s my fault there’s no spark between us. I’ve spent the entire date thinking about Charlie.
Harrison is open and funny and creative. Why shouldn’t the night end with his lips on mine? I wanted to kiss a cute guy—just for the sheer fun of it—and he more than fits the bill.
“But maybe if we…” I put my palm on his chest, but he rubs the back of his neck and looks to the side. I drop my hand immediately.
“I’m sorry. You’re awesome, Alice. You’re beautiful and easy to talk to, and I’ll probably kick myself for saying this later, but tonight made me realize I’m not over my ex. And I can’t…” He motions between us. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“I get it,” I say. “If anyone understands bad breakups, it’s me.”
Harrison drives me back to the cottage, and when we turn down the driveway, my heart quickens. Charlie’s car is here.
“Didn’t know you were having company tonight?” Harrison asks, seeing the look on my face.
I shake my head. I turn to Harrison. “Do you want to come in?”
“I shouldn’t. I have an early start tomorrow.”
I reach for the door handle but then stop. “What’s your take on him?”
“On Charlie?” Harrison frowns, as though it’s a question he’s never considered.
“Yeah.”
“We’ve been buddies since kindergarten. He’s basically the same guy he was when we were kids, although I’ve noticed he’s a bit different these days.”
“How so?”
Harrison thinks about it for a moment. “He’s become a lot more serious. He used to be the guy who always brought the party. I guess we’re all getting older.”
I say good night to Harrison and open the door to the cottage, then gasp. I glare at Charlie. “What the hell is this?”