Chapter 39
INEZ
39
It’s early in the morning. I’m wandering around the house, practicing my script off of my phone, when the smell of freshly-brewed coffee lures me into the kitchen. I find Nolan and Stella at the counter, chatting away and packing an oversized lunch.
“Hey, you two,” I say with a grin, heading for the brand new, duct-tape-less coffee pot.
“We’re going hiking at the waterfall today!” the little girl announces excitedly.
“Oh, the waterfall! It’s always really pretty this time of year. I love it there.” Obviously, everything is prettier in the spring, but I’d say the local waterfall belongs in a storybook when the flowers start blooming.
“Well, good thing you’re coming with us.”I turn around and Nolan winks at me over Stella’s head when he catches my eye.
My gaze moves to Stella and then back to Nolan. “I am?” I’m sort of asking them both.
“Yes!” Stella claps excitedly.
She’s always quick to invite me on their excursions, but I want to make sure Nolan’s really good with me crashing their sacred time, too.
“Yes! Please come, Inez. Daddy’s way more fun when you’re around!”
He laughs, but then he shrugs. “She might be right,” he admits.
My stomach flutters. “Well, okay then,” I reply with a quiet laugh. “Let me go brush my hair, so I don’t scare off any small animals.”
“You look cute. You and your crazy hair will fit right in with the small animals,” Nolan teases as he sneakily swats at my butt.
He’s been more careful about the butt-smacking these days and it always gives me a little thrill.
I get ready in record time while father and daughter finish putting together their picnic basket. Then we pile into Nolan’s ride and head out to the edge of town with the radio blasting cheesy, upbeat pop songs.
As we’re driving by Stella’s elementary school, we see a large crew of construction workers in Hartley Construction uniforms hard at work on repairing the building.
“Look, Inez! That’s my school!” Stella says excitedly, her nose pressed to the window.
I know the school has been closed for a while now and this whole thing is inconvenient to some—having their kids at home and having to figure out alternative childcare while the renovations go on—but I see the school closure as a good thing. Not only do I believe that the kids deserve a safe learning environment. But also, I’m very much enjoying Stella and Nolan in these moments we get to spend together. It’s selfish but I don’t care.
We notice some local parents dropping off snacks and baked goods for the construction workers. It may seem out of the ordinary, but that’s Starlight Falls for ya. The town’s residents may be nosy and lack boundaries, but they are kind, selfless people at heart.
“We should bring the construction guys some cold water or something on our way back,” Stella suggest. “And some chips! Everybody loves chips.”
Nolan laughs heartily. “That sounds like an excellent idea. In fact, change of plans—let’s make a little detour right now.”
We pull into a gas station a few miles down and we all head into the convenience store. We stock up on an indecent amount of snacks. Nolan is laughing and chatting with Stella the whole time. He barely spares a glance at the cash register when the clerk announces his total. He just taps his debit card over the reader without batting an eye.
Gone is the old, penny-pinching Nolan Brighton who let prices determine whether or not he’d allow himself the small pleasures in life. This current version of Nolan prioritizes living in the moment and allowing the price tag to be a secondary concern.
When we return with the snacks, the construction workers are grateful for our offering. They shower us with praise and promise Stella that they’re doing their best to make sure that the school can reopen shortly.
Then we get in the car and drive on until we’re traveling on bumpy dirt roads that lead to the waterfall. We’re almost at our destination when Stella tugs on her dad’s sleeve. He turns down the radio so she can talk.
“Daddy, is it true that the waterfall makes people fall in love, and if you get wet, then you’ll be drenched in lov-v-v-v-e?”
His head whips around quickly. “What? Where did you hear that from?”
Stella giggles. “I heard Gaga talking to Miss Rainbow about it one day.”
It’s Starlight Falls’s oldest folktale. A silly nonsensical theory that no-one’s ever been able to prove. I mean, come on—a waterfall that makes people fall in love? Ridiculous.
But when Nolan and I make brief eye contact, my cheeks tingle and his neck grows red. Hello, tension.
“Well, you shouldn’t believe everything Miss Rainbow says,” he advises wryly as he cuts the engine. He hops out of the car without sparing me another glance.
Stella and I follow suit, climbing out of the vehicle. Then we divvy up the bags we’ll be carrying along our hike. Nolan insists on taking all the heavy stuff, like the drinks and the picnic basket. I get to carry the towels and blankets, and Stella takes her backpack with her change of clothes.
We make our way down toward the waterfall, trudging along the bushy path. Nolan’s in the lead, but he’s going painstakingly slow, pausing and turning around every few steps to make sure Stella and I don’t slip on the precarious trail. I’ve never known a more patient man. He doesn’t even bat an eye when Stella asks him to take it slower.
Then Nolan catches me completely off guard when he starts reciting lines from my audition script. He’s chosen one of the G-rated scenes at this given moment. I catch on quickly and recite my next line. We carry on for the rest of the walk, practicing my parts.
Ever since I told Nolan about the script that night in the alley, he’s been rehearsing with me every chance he gets. At the bar. In the kitchen at home. In the hall when we pass each other. Everywhere.
Every. Chance. He. Gets.
We’ve been going through it so often that Nolan’s now memorized his parts. Heck, even Stella is starting to learn mine. She chimes in on the fun and repeats my lines right along with me.
But even though he’s been nothing but supportive, I can’t help the questions floating around in my head. Is Nolan just being a good, selfless man by encouraging me? Or is this his way of nicely telling me good riddance after our fling has run its course?
Despite the mess in my head, I find myself desperately clinging to every fleeting moment that passes between us.
“Someone’s got a future in Hollywood,” I say with a laugh, noticing how much fun Stella is having as we practice together. I wink at her. “You might steal my role from me altogether.”
She grins at me then turns to her father. “Daddy, can I do acting classes?” She frowns to herself. “Well, after I’m done with my piano lessons…and my tap dance classes…and my CPR course.”
Nolan laughs, promising to look around for an acting class in town.
When we finally arrive at the waterfall, we take a moment to fully appreciate its beauty. It really is an enchanting sight. I’m not a girl who believes in magic, but every time I come here, I momentarily consider the possibility that it might be real.
This place looks like something straight out of the pages of Snow White. A part of me is waiting for the woodland creatures to all pop out and start singing and dancing around.
Nolan’s arms come around me from behind. Then I feel his breath on my neck. “I’m going to go find some wood, so we can get a little fire going. You girls want to get the picnic ready?”
Despite the innocence of his words, his touch makes me shiver and clench. All I can do is nod in response.
Nolan disappears into the forest, and I rummage through the gear. When I find the big blanket, Stella and I team up to lay it out for our picnic. Before we can finish up our task, she spots a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly—just like from the insect exhibit—and lets go of her corner of the blanket.She takes off, chasing after the butterfly.
“Be careful,” I call out, finishing up with the blanket on my own.
Then it all happens so fast.
When I turn around, my eyes pop out of my head, seeing how close she is to the riverbank.
“Stel—!” I don’t even finish calling her name before she slips and falls over the edge.
I let out a blood-curdling scream, sprinting after her and plunging right in. The basin’s icy water engulfs me before I pop up above the surface and grab Stella, saving her from going under.
From behind me, I hear Nolan yelling as he runs and jumps into the water, too. Just seconds later, he’s got us, scooping us both into his strong, safe arms.
One minute feels like a whole hour as we half-swim, half-trudge through the freezing water, making it back to the edge. We help Stella climb out first. Nolan boosts me up next before pulling himself out. Eventually, we all make it over to the blanket.
Wet, traumatized and shivering, we do our best to wrap ourselves up together in the blanket. It might be a sunny spring day, but down here under the canopy shade, there’s a biting chill, especially through our soaked clothes.
“I’m s-so sorry,” I say for the billionth time, my own teeth chattering. “I should have kept Stella closer to me when you were gone. I sh-sh…”
Nolan’s heavy arm comes around me, pulling me into his body, while he’s also holding onto Stella. Her little body is shaking so hard as she whimpers.
He presses his lips to my temple. “Shush,” he whispers softly. “We’re okay. We’re all okay.”
His warmth simmers through me, the kind of warmth that chases away the cold. I breathe a heavy sigh, leaning into Nolan and holding onto Stella and finally letting myself relax.
And it occurs to me how very much I love these two people. I’d put myself in harm’s way to save either one of them.
That’s when another realization hits me. The folktale is right! I’m drenched in love.
I love little Stella to pieces. And I’m head over heels in love with her dad.