CHAPTER TWO
ANIKA
Six Months Later.
Loud bass music plays through the speakers as I push through the crowd. The bar is right in my line of sight but the crowd of people here is so thick and I’m having way too much trouble than necessary reaching my destination.
The friends I came here with are long gone by now, lost to the crowd, which would be a tad worrying if the only thing on my mind right now isn’t getting shitfaced. I finally manage to reach the bar, glad for a moment of solitude it offers amid the chaos. I lean forward and catch the bartender’s eye.
“Martini, extra dry,” I say, my voice barely louder than the music.
He hears me well enough though and soon enough I’m cradling the cool glass between my fingers. I take a slow sip, feeling the burn of the alcohol as it dulls the edges of my thoughts.
I’m taking another sip when a man appears beside me. He’s tall, his presence commanding even in the dim light. Tattoos trace mysterious paths along his arms, and there’s a dangerous glint in his eyes that both unsettles and intrigues me. He orders a drink with a confident nod and after a brief moment, his eyes meet mine.
“Hey gorgeous,” he says, his voice low and inviting as he leans casually against the bar.
I smirk, “Hi.”
“Rough night?”
“What makes you say that?” I question, my tone teasing.
“Well you’re a beautiful woman standing alone at a bar. Which tells me you’re either in the market for some trouble or you’re hoping trouble finds you.”
“So what? You trouble?” I prod.
He grins and it makes him a little less intimidating, “I could be.”
I’m just starting to relax when a familiar annoying voice slices through the air.
“Party’s over, little sis.”
I look to the side, my heart clenching at the sight of my older brother standing a few feet away, his eyes narrowed as he surveys the scene.
Damn it, Carson. You couldn’t let me have one night?
“Who’s that?” the man in front of me asks, his smile faltering.
I try to muster a casual laugh although I feel embarrassed that my party pooper of an elder brother’s here to ruin the fun.
“He’s no one,” I say, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “Hey, what’s your name?”
Who knows maybe Carson will leave me alone?
And maybe pigs can fly?
“Really, Nika?” Carson questions, irritation coloring his tone.
He’s closer now. Close enough to grab my hand from the other guy’s arm, pulling me to his side in one movement.
“I said party’s over,” he barks, glaring at him.
You’d think he’d stand his ground, dude’s got about three inches on my brother. But it seems those tattoos are all for show. He raises his hands in a surrounding motion before slowly backing away. I roll my eyes. As soon as he’s gone, my brother’s attention turns to me.
“When you said you wanted to come spend a night in the city, this wasn’t what I thought you had in mind,” he states, expression unreadable, which means he’s pissed.
I shrug, pulling out his grip, “I came to a club, Carson. Stop acting like you found me doing drugs or something.”
His eyes drop to the glass in my hand, “And you’re drinking,” he notes. “Really, Nika. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing. I’m allowed to have fun, aren’t I?”
“You usually don’t engage in this particular brand of fun. And what was it with that guy?”
“He was cute.”
“He looked like a gangster,” he retorts. “I thought your type was pale twigs with obnoxiously long hair, aptly named after famous vampires.”
I look up at him my eyes narrowed into a glare. He really shouldn’t have mentioned Edward.
“You know what, I’m done here,” I say on a scoff, before dropping the glass on the bar.
I walk away, pushing through the crowd with just as much effort as the first time until I reach the exit. Turns out this was a bad idea and I never should have come here in the first place.
Carson follows me of course. I hear his footsteps behind me, the minute I open the doors and the cold air hits my face. I head towards the parking lot trying to find his car, since he’s decided to be a stalker, might as well help him out and follow him home like he wants.
“Anika,” he calls. “Just stop, please.”
I consider not stopping but he asked nicely. When I turn around, he’s a lot less angry and a lot more worried.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
I shrug. “Carson, I’m twenty six years old. I’m old enough to go clubbing and have a few drinks.”
“Of course you are. No one’s disputing that, munchkin. It’s just weird. You don’t even like clubbing, you hate going to places with loud noises.”
“I thought I needed a change of environment,” I mutter.
“Yeah, but why? What’s wrong? You know you can talk to me right?”
Here’s the thing. I love my elder brother, so much. He’s always had my back since the minute I was born. I know he’d kill for me and he’d do anything to make all my problems go away. But you can’t fight battles against things that aren’t physical.
Which means this is a battle I need to fight myself.
“I’m fine, Carson, honestly. Or at least I will be.”
“You’ve been weird for a couple of months,” he says, blue eyes scanning my expression.
“I’ve been weird my whole life,” I retort jokingly.
It works, he smiles, his expression clearing, “True that. Alright, how about we head back home? We can watch a movie? I’ll order pizza.”
I smile too because that does sound nice and maybe I can distract myself simply by being in the company of my elder brother.
“Okay,” I agree.
“Good. Now let’s head into the car. You’re probably freezing in that dress. Why would you leave home without a jacket?” he asks, gesturing at my outfit.
It’s a two piece skirt and tube top, pretty cute but not offering much protection from the weather.
“Fashion knows no pain, Bubba,” I tell hm.
We head into his car, a red Mercedes that’s practically his baby. Carson starts the car, immediately turning the heat on which I’m grateful for. I settle in comfortably, feeling some of the ache in my chest release. If I’m being honest I came here for this. I did miss my big brother a little.
He hasn’t been coming home often since Emilia moved to New York. Sometimes it feels like my elder sister was the glue keeping us all together. When she was still around, my parents mandated Saturday night dinners with the entire family. Since Em left, it’s something we do on occasion.
At times it feels like it was all performative. Like they acted like that because they knew Emilia needed them. And now she doesn’t need us anymore. We’re all living our own lives or trying to. I’m not saying I’m not close with my parents or anything like that. My mom’s literally my best friend. I just miss having us all together. Like before.
“What are you thinking about?” Carson questions.
I blink, my mind wandering back to the present. I look at my elder brother and he’s wearing a probing smirk.
“Nothing,” I reply.
“Really, munchkin? Is that your default answer to everything now?”
I laugh, “No. I wasn’t really thinking about anything. Anyway, how have you been? What’s going on with the company?”
“You know I was actually meaning to talk to you, mom and dad. I’m going to be spending a lot more time in Edenton for a bit,” he informs me.
I arch an eyebrow, “Why?”
“Well you know how I was hoping to start a project in town last year. Contribute to the town, make my mark and all that?”
“Yeah but you shut that plan down because you couldn’t receive the financing. Sterling’s friend turned you down right?”
“He did,” Carson mutters. “Anyway get this. He called me a few weeks ago, asking me about what my plan and what sort of project I’d been wanting to work on.”
“He didn’t know before?”
“Dude wasn’t exactly patient enough to listen the first time around. He’s an even bigger dick than Sterling.”
“For real? Damn,” I say, shaking my head.
Sterling’s our brother in law, my sister’s husband. He’s not exactly the softest cookie but he loves Emilia to bits.
“Anyway, he called, I sent him the proposal and when he called back he seemed pretty cool with it. He said he’d be interested in working on it with me.”
“Wait, what’s the project again?”
“A community center, munchkins. It’ll be like a hub for local art, cultural events and community gatherings that honor the towns’ heritage. There’ll also be a gallery space, performance areas, and educational workshops. It’s going to be pretty big. You’re kind of the muse of it all,” my brother states, his eyes fixed on the road.
“I am?” I ask uncomfortably.
“Of course, Nika. I figured you like musicals so much, so why not build you a bigger stage to watch them? Also you can display your art at the gallery.”
I shift in my seat, “That’s really nice, Bubba.”
“Damn right it is. Although you’d have to talk to Wolfe about the whole gallery thing. He seemed particularly fixed on that aspect of the project.”
“Wolfe?”
“Yeah. Nathan Wolfe. You probably don’t remember him since you were so young. He and his family lived in Edenton a long time ago. They’re pretty loaded, like the Harrington’s.”
“Never heard of them,” I say on a shrug.
“Anyway, I’m going to be handling most of the construction process for the building.”
“And he’ll be doing what exactly?”
“Handling the financial aspect. He’s going to move to town for a bit when construction’s almost over in order to oversee the opening of the place. It’s going to be a pretty big deal. We’re already working on getting permits, the land. He wants to fast track the whole thing. We’re using uninhabited land so it makes the whole process smoother. Construction starts in two weeks as soon as we’ve secured permits.”
“Wow, that’s fast. Why is he rushing it so much?”
“No idea. The guy is a total mystery. His coming back to town is definitely going to get a lot of tongues wagging. Just try to steer clear of him if you can, yeah?”
“Shouldn’t be too hard. Asshole billionaires are more Emilia’s lane.”
Carson chuckles, “Sounds about right.”
***
I ease into the saddle and grip Winter’s reins as we trot out onto the private track. The morning sun casts long shadows over the smooth, familiar ground. Soon enough the rhythmic clatter of her hooves and the calmness that eases into me, sets my thoughts adrift.
I have no idea why the place I feel the most peace these days is on top of a horse but I’m so grateful that I’ve found this. The Harrington Country Club is a place for the rich, elites of the town, hell it’s even got patrons from out of state. It’s really fancy and I would not be able to afford it if it weren’t for my connections to the Harrington family. My sister married one of them and I got a horse and a membership out of it as a birthday present last year.
There’s some inclusivity at the club though, despite the fact that it was created for the rich. Elderly aged men and women, and also retirees living in Edenton are given free access to the club and its facilities, which I think is really nice. And it has provided a lot of jobs for locals as well. My brother in law, paving the way for our sleepy home town one building at a time.
I ride along the curves, my grip on Winter’s reins becoming tighter as I urge her on faster. I don’t even have to speak, she understands. She picks up the pace, galloping as fast as she wants. I smile, feeling exhilaration flow through my veins.
“That’s it, baby. You’re doing so well,” I breathe.
Soon enough we’re at the end of the track and she slows down to a trot until she finally stops. I climb off her, running my hand through her dark mane while staring into her eyes. She has really pretty eyes. Dark, soulful. I thought it was weird to think of animals as having souls, until my mom pointed out that they feel things and can share bonds the same way we do which means definitely have souls too.
“What do you say, Winter?” I ask, leaning my head against hers. “Should we walk back to the stables?”
“It’ll take you thirty minutes to walk back from here,” a voice says, startling me.
I let out a small scream, clutching my chest before whirling around to see who scared me.
“Chris!” I chide. “How did I not hear you walk up?”
“ You spook too easily,” he says shaking his head.
I frown, “You’re too old to be creeping about like a creepy old man, Chris.”
“That makes no sense, sport,” he says with a fond smile.
I’ve known Chris practically all my life. He’s always been around, usually around trees or flowers, working as a gardener. He worked at the Harrington estate for a pretty long time and now I guess they’ve given him a position here as well. “So what are you up to?” I ask, rubbing Winter’s nose before she starts to get fussy.
She doesn’t like staying in place for too long. Kind of like me. Never settled, except when she’s riding.
Or painting , an annoying voice whispers in my mind.
“I was doing what I always do, Anika. Tending to the trees,” he informs me before gesturing at the 7 feet tall mare beside me. “She likes you.”
“Yeah, she does. We’re kindred spirits,” I murmur with a smile.
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with your kindred spirit,” Chris notes, crossing his arms. The shears in his hand dangles at the side, it looks heavy but he doesn’t seem to mind the weight.
“Not you too,” I say with a small sigh. “Let’s talk about something else. Please. Anything else?”
He smirks, “Alright, sport. What do you want to hear? We can talk while we walk back to the stables.”
“Okay,” I reply, brightening. I grab a hold of Winter’s reigns, spurring her into a slow trot. “Please tell me you have some news for me. You always have the best gossip, Chris.”
“I don’t partake in gossiping,” he chuckles.
“But you have news,” I prompt.
He shakes his head, “Alright. You’re the only one I really talk to anyway, Nika. And I know you’d never do anything malicious.”
His words make me a little sad. Chris’s wife passed away when I was young. He has a daughter but I don’t think she’s stepped foot in town in years. I’m sure he’s very lonely. Which is why I’ve always tried to seek him out, talk to him. I hate seeing people sad.
“Elizabeth and her husband are getting a divorce,” Chris informs me.
I gasp, “Mr. and Mrs. Hatcher?”
“Yep. She called me over to help mow her lawn a couple of days ago. I heard them having a fight. He’d brought over the divorce papers. I’m sure everyone knows they’d been having problems with their marriage. He’s been away a lot over the past couple of years.”
“That’s sad. They were together for so long,” I murmur. “Why stick with someone that long only to call it quits now? Might as well ride out forever to the grave.”
“You can’t say that, sport,” Chris says amused. “They’re allowed to seek out their personal happiness regardless of age. I think it’s the best time. Their kids are all grown and they have a lot of time on their hands to think about who they truly are without each other. Better to call it quits than force themselves to remain in a relationship that’s not working anymore.”
His words strike a nerve. But I clear my throat, pretending the ache away.
“So Mrs. Hatcher’s going to be a divorcee. That’s rich, considering how stuck up she acts around town. I mean I feel bad but the woman can be annoying.”
“Yeah well. I’m sure this will knock her down a few pegs,” Chris chuckles. “Remember, Nika, this can’t get out. I’m sure she’d want to keep things quiet.”
“I know. I promise not to tell anyone. Except my mom,” I add in with a cheeky smile. I tell her everything unfortunately. “But don’t worry, mom won’t tell anyone either. Except dad. And then the cycle ends for sure.”
Chris sighs, “Camerons.”
I laugh, “Anything else?”
“Did you already hear about Nathan Wolfe?”
“Who?” I ask with a frown.
“The Wolfe boy that’s moving back into town,” Chris states. “He used to live here a long time ago. Haven’t seen him since he was a teenager.”
“Oh yeah I remember. Carson mentioned a while back that they’re working together on the community center. Is it a big deal? People move back all the time.”
It’s been months since I had that conversation with my brother in Greenville. And yet it feels like it’s been no time at all. I guess it has to do with the fact that nothing’s really changed with me since then. I still feel the exact same way. I’ve just gotten better at hiding it.
“Yeah well, Nate’s return is odd in the fact that I never expected him to want to live in this town ever again. He and his father, they left for a good reason.”
“What reason?” I ask curiously.
“His mother passed away in a tragic accident,” Chris says somberly. “They moved out of town right after, never came back.”
“How did she die?”
“I really don’t want to get into it, sport. Too sad. But Nate’s a good kid. I hope he’s been able to find some peace.”
“Doubt it. According to Carson, he’s an arrogant jerk.”
Chris simply smiles. We continue our walk, the conversation flowing smoothly as he tells me anything he deems interesting.
For some reason though, I keep thinking back to Nathan Wolfe. Long after I’ve left the country club. It stays in the back of my mind for a couple of days. I keep wondering what could have happened to him all those years when he was away from home.
And why he decided to come back to a place that could only be filled with the shadows of his mother’s death.