3. Lucy
3
LUCY
The Everwood Halloween Festival is the kind of event that makes small-town living feel like something out of a movie. The park is transformed into a kaleidoscope of orange and black, with strings of twinkling lights wrapped around tree trunks and jack-o’-lanterns grinning from every corner. The smell of caramel apples and popcorn wafts through the crisp evening air, and laughter echoes from the carnival game area.
It’s perfect, and it’s exactly the kind of distraction I need. At this point, living under the same roof as Joel is getting harder and harder. I have to admit to myself that my teenage crush is cranked up full speed again. I really want to jump his bones but, obviously it would be inappropriate given we are just “pretending” to be in a relationship. But it’s tempting.
Joel and I arrive hand in hand, the boys bounding ahead of us in their costumes. Miles is a pirate, complete with an eyepatch and a foam sword he’s been swishing around all evening. Finn, predictably, insisted on being a dinosaur, his green tail dragging behind him as he stomps and growls at anyone who crosses his path.
“They’re having the time of their lives,” I say, watching as they dive into a ring toss game.
Joel glances at me, his green eyes warm in the glow of the festival lights. “They sure are enjoying themselves.”
There’s something in his tone that tugs at me, a weight he doesn’t let show often. I squeeze his hand without thinking, and his gaze flicks to mine, startled. “What?” I ask, suddenly self-conscious.
“Nothing,” he says, a faint smile curving his lips. “You just surprised me, that’s all.”
“By being nice?”
“No, by being you,” he says simply, and the way he says it makes my stomach flip. I look away, my cheeks warming under his steady gaze.
We spend the next hour weaving through the festival, stopping at booths and games as the boys rack up a collection of prizes. Joel insists on trying his hand at the ring toss, and I can’t stop laughing when he misses every single one. He just shrugs, grinning. “I’m better in the operating room.”
Before I can respond, Finn tugs on my sleeve, begging me to join him in the pumpkin decorating booth.
As the evening stretches on, the festival becomes even more magical. The main stage is lit up now, with a live band playing upbeat covers that have people dancing in the grass. The boys are busy with some kids they know from school, leaving Joel and me to wander on our own. It’s strange, this feeling of being part of something bigger, something that feels almost… normal.
“Want to dance?” Joel asks suddenly, his voice cutting through my thoughts.
I blink at him. “What?”
“Dance,” he says, tipping his head toward the stage where couples are swaying to a slower song. “It might help sell the whole ‘happily together’ thing.”
I hesitate, but the playful glint in his eyes convinces me. “All right, Dr. Anderson. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
He holds out his hand, and I take it, letting him lead me toward the makeshift dance floor. The moment his hands settle on my waist, I forget how to breathe. He’s warm, solid, and entirely too close for comfort—or maybe just close enough.
“You’re not bad at this,” I say, my voice lighter than I feel. His hand tightens slightly on my waist, pulling me closer.
“I have hidden talents,” he replies, his voice low and amused. “Though dancing isn’t usually one of them.”
The song shifts into something slower, softer, and I realize we’re swaying now, our movements in sync without either of us thinking about it. I glance up at him, and the look in his eyes makes my breath hitch. It’s not playful anymore. It’s intense, searching, like he’s seeing parts of me even I don’t understand.
“Lucy,” he says quietly, his voice barely audible over the music.
“Joel, what…” she began, but her words falter as he leads her behind one of the massive oaks that borders the festival grounds. Hidden from view, the noise of the festival dims further, leaving only the sound of her rapid breathing and the hum of voices in the distance.
“Is this better?” he teases softly, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down her spine.
“Better for what?” she asks breathlessly, though she already knows the answer.
Joel doesn’t reply. He cups her face in his hands, tilting her head just enough to meet his gaze. His thumb brushes over her cheek in a tender, deliberate motion that makes her pulse spike.
“Better for this”, he whispers, his voice thick with restraint.
Instead of pulling away, she leans into him, her hands on his chest as he closes the distance between them. His lips find hers in a kiss that starts slow but quickly ignites. Joel’s mouth is warm, insistent, and utterly consuming as he presses her back gently against the rough bark of the tree. Lucy sighs into him, her body melting into his as his hands slip to her waist, pulling her closer.
When he finally breaks away, they are both breathless, their foreheads touching as they try to steady themselves. Joel’s thumb tracing her bottom lip as he gazes down at her, his expression a mix of desire and something deeper.
In the distance, Lucy hears Miles, “Dad, where are you?”
His answer is interrupted by a loud, familiar voice. “Dr. Anderson! What a surprise to see you here!”
We both turn to find Dr. Rivkin approaching, his smile as fake as the tan he obviously gets from a booth. He’s wearing a suit, of course, looking entirely out of place among the costumed crowd. The sight of him is enough to break the spell Joel and I were under, and I step back instinctively, putting a bit of distance between us.
“Rivkin,” Joel says, his tone clipped. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I could say the same,” Rivkin replies smoothly, his eyes flicking to me. “And who’s this lovely lady?”
“This is Lucy Harper,” Joel says, stepping slightly in front of me. “My girlfriend.”
The word hangs in the air between us, and I have to fight to keep my expression neutral. Rivkin’s smile widens, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Ah, the nanny. I’ve heard about you.”
I stiffen, but Joel’s hand on my arm steadies me. “Then you know she’s an amazing addition to my family,” he says, his voice calm but firm. “We’re lucky to have her.”
Rivkin chuckles, the sound grating. “Of course. Well, I hope you two enjoy the rest of your evening. I’ll see you at the hospital, Anderson.”
With that, he walks away, leaving a trail of tension in his wake. I exhale slowly, only now realizing how tightly I was holding myself. “Well,” I say, forcing a smile. “That was… something.”
“Are you okay? Rivkin can be a real ass,” Joel asks, his brow furrowed.
“I’m fine,” I say quickly, though the unease curling in my stomach says otherwise. “Let’s just… get back to the boys.”
Joel doesn’t argue, but the look he gives me lingers long after we’ve returned to the bustling warmth of the festival. As the night winds down, I can’t help but wonder if the charade is over and we are moving into more dangerous territory, but I’m excited to find out.
Back at the house, the boys are fast asleep, their costumes discarded in a heap by their beds. I tiptoe out of their room, pulling the door closed behind me. Joel is in the living room, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand. He glances up as I enter, his expression softer than usual.
“Want some?” he asks, gesturing to the bottle on the coffee table.
“Sure,” I say, sinking onto the opposite end of the couch. He pours me a glass, and I take a sip, letting the warmth of the wine settle in my chest.
“Long day,” he says, his voice low.
“Yeah,” I agree, staring into my glass. “Good, though.”
Silence stretches between us, comfortable but heavy with unspoken words. The kiss we shared is heavy on my mind. Finally, Joel breaks it. “You seem good at this.”
“At what?”
“The boys, the town… me. You make it look easy,” he says, his gaze steady.
I laugh softly, shaking my head. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”
“What really made you decide to come back to Evergreen?” he asks, his tone gentle.
I hesitate, the question opening a door I’m not sure I want to walk through. But there’s something about Joel’s presence that feels safe, like he’s not asking to judge but to understand.
“I needed a reset,” I say finally, setting my glass down. “New York wasn’t what I thought it would be. Modeling… it was a pipe dream, really. I did get quite a few gigs but not enough. I thought I could make it work, but I was wrong.”
“What happened?”
I lean back, staring at the ceiling. “A lot. The industry chewed me up and spit me out. And then there was Mark.”
Joel doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to continue.
“We were together for a while,” I say, my voice quieter now. “He was charming, ambitious, everything I thought I wanted. Until he wasn’t. He broke things off when he realized I wasn’t going to be the next big thing. Said I was ‘holding him back.’”
Joel’s jaw tightens, and I can see the flash of anger in his eyes. “He sounds like a jerk.”
“He was,” I admit with a bitter smile. “But it was a wake-up call. I realized I was chasing a dream that wasn’t mine anymore. So, I decided to come back to Everwood.”
“To start over,” Joel says, his voice softer now.
“Yeah,” I say, meeting his gaze. “To start over.”
For a moment, the air between us feels charged again, like it did on the dance floor. Like it did during that kiss. Joel’s eyes hold mine, and I wonder if he sees the cracks I try so hard to hide. His hand shifts slightly on the couch, as if he’s debating whether to close the space between us, but then he pulls back, his expression unreadable.
“You’re great at the nanny thing and I’m sure something more in your wheelhouse will come around eventually,” he says finally, his voice low but steady.
I swallow hard, his words settling in my chest. “Thanks, but I don’t plan to abandon you any time soon,” I whisper, though I’m not sure he realizes how much I mean it.
We sit in silence for a while longer, the rattle of the refrigerator and the faint creak of the house filling the quiet. It’s not uncomfortable, though. It’s… grounding, in a way I didn’t expect.
When I finally head to bed, my mind is a swirl of thoughts.