17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Nick
“Do you have any plans for Halloween this weekend?” I ask Eliza as I run the rag, covered in stain, along the wood railings. I’m finally done building the ramp, and this is the last step of the project.
“I’ll probably just be passing out candy with Granny. Other than that, I haven’t thought too much about it, why?”
“My sister, Mara, and her family are coming to town,” I say. “I thought you might like to meet them. We’ll probably take the kids trick-or-treating if you wanna come. Vanessa, Daniel, and their girls will be there. It should be fun.”
She nods. “Yeah, that would be fun. I just need to make sure I’m back in time to help pass out some candy with Granny. I’m sure she’ll tell me not to worry about it, but you know, I like to spend time with her.”
“I understand,” I say, setting the rag down as I finish. “You don’t have to go at all if you don’t want to. I know we’ve been spending a lot of time together … You might want some space.”
She laughs. “Nah, I’m good. I’ll still go, I’ll just make sure I get back with enough time to help Granny for a little while.”
I nod, her answer bringing me some relief. “Great! I think you and my sister will hit it off,” I comment, not bothering to mention the fact that I want Mara to meet Eliza. “Plus, my niece and nephew always keep it interesting, and I figured I’d take them on a hayride too.”
“You drive a tractor too?”
I give her a funny look. “Well, considering I was raised near my grandparents’ farm and always had to help out, yes. I do.”
“Huh, jack of all trades.”
“Master of none,” I finish the statement. It’s always been the way I’ve felt. Carpentry is about as close as I come to being a master, and even then, I still have so much to learn.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Eliza says, grabbing my attention. “I think you’re literally amazing at everything you do.”
Just not amazing enough to make you fall for me.
I nearly roll my eyes at how pathetic the thought is. But to be honest, I’m pining hard after Eliza. The more time we spend together, the more my feelings grow. But with how much she seems to mention the word friend , I don’t think she feels the same.
I eye her, gathering the courage to ask her a question that’s been burning in my mind. “Hey, whatever happened with those pictures you took of us at the orchard?”
“Funny you should ask. I actually just posted them last night.” Eliza shifts, pulling her phone from her pocket. “Do you want to see them?”
I hesitate, the sweet moment between Eliza and I forever burned in my mind. “If you want to show them to me, I’ll be happy to look.”
She rolls her eyes. “Always such a gentleman.”
“Always.” I shoot her a wink that makes her laugh.
She hands me her phone, and I peer at the pictures of us. The one pulled up is us standing close to each other, my arm wrapped around her shoulder as she leans into me, her smile reaching her eyes. My heart does a stupid little dance in my chest as I take in the genuine happiness on her face. It’s a beautiful moment, one that I’d happily relive.
We look like an actual couple .
“Scroll to the right to see the rest,” Eliza comments.
I do, and instantly am sucked into the picture of her laughing beside me. Jeez. Her face is tilted toward the camera, just enough to see the glimmer of the sun illuminating her creamy skin. She didn’t photoshop out her freckles, either, leaving them to dance across the bridge of her nose.
She’s stunning .
I’m just about to ask if she could send me the photos when a text message flashes across the screen.
Hey, can we talk?
My heart drops at the name of the contact: Devon - Do NOT call.
“You, um, have a text message,” I say, handing the phone back to her. The message serves as a reminder that the pictures are just that: only pictures.
“Ugh,” she mutters as she takes it back from me, her eyes on the screen. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem at all.” I force a smile. “So, I’ll pick you up at four on Saturday for the hayride and trick-or-treating?”
She doesn’t look up from her phone, typing away on the screen. “Sounds good.” Her voice is flat, and my shoulders drop, wondering if she’s replying to him. “I was just texting Granny!” she calls out to me as I walk toward the truck, my arms full of supplies.
“It’s all good,” I reply, setting it down in the back of the truck with a grunt.
“I’m excited for this weekend,” she says, a smile on her face as I turn back around. “Really.”
“So, you’re the Eliza.” Mara beams as she climbs onto the trailer, lined with hay. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Eliza raises a brow and looks at me. “Oh?”
“Mom,” I clarify, telling the truth.
She nods and finds a seat on the hay next to Vanessa, while I climb up into the driver’s seat of the tractor. I start the engine and the rhythmic lug of the exhaust drowns out all of the conversation. Looking back over my shoulder, I take in the sight of Eliza, chatting away with my sister, mom, and friends. She’s got a bright smile on her face and is relaxed.
“Come on! Let’s go!” My nephew calls to me, waving his little hands beneath his dime-store cowboy hat.
I chuckle, give him a thumbs up, and hit the gas—not before taking one last look at Eliza though. I wish I could be sitting there beside her, enjoying the cool air and view of the fall colors towering above us.
But she still hasn’t even looked in my direction.
Shaking it off, I maneuver out down the trail I brush-hogged a few days ago. The sound of the tractor continues to drown out most of the conversation behind me, but I occasionally hear a laugh and glance back at my family.
It looks … complete with Eliza there.
But maybe that’s just in my head.
I keep my eyes focused on the deep ambers, warm yellows, and burgundy leaves floating in the air and barely clinging to the branches. Autumn in West Falls is always gorgeous, but this year, I’m feeling the season a little more than usual .
The tractor winds through the trail, the breeze rustling the trees. As we pull back to the barn, everyone is all smiles, their cheeks rosy from the crisp air.
“Thank you, Uncle Nick!” My nephew jumps up, pumping his fist in the air. “But now I really want to get some candy.”
Eliza laughs—it’s a sound I could recognize anywhere—and pushes herself up off the hay. “I think that’s a great idea.”
Mara is all smiles too, and the way she nudges Eliza tells me that they must’ve talked the entire duration of the hayride … and I just hope she didn’t tell Eliza about, well, my feelings for her .
Mara’s never been one for secrecy.
“So, how about you all get your costumes on, and we’ll go,” Mara says, her voice bright.
“We can go to your neighborhood,” Mom suggests to Eliza. “That’ll ensure that you’re home in plenty of time to help Marilyn pass out candy.”
She nods. “That sounds good to me.”
I don’t know why the meager exchange hits me the way it does, but my chest feels warm at the sight of Eliza having such a normal conversation with my family—like she belongs here…
“Quit staring at her.” Daniel chuckles in a low voice as he clamps down on my shoulder. “You might make it even more obvious that you’re in love.”
I shake my head as my face heats up. “I think love might be too much.”
“Well, maybe, but you’re obviously crazy about her. ”
Pursing my lips, I stay quiet for a few moments, ripping my eyes away from Eliza. “I don’t know about any of that. We’re just friends.”
“Yeah, for now,” Daniel says with a shrug, talking a little louder now that everyone has headed off to the house—including Eliza. “I don’t know why you won’t just talk to her about how you feel. There’s clearly somethin’ between you two.”
My mind flashes to the text from her ex lighting up her phone. “Maybe that’s how I feel about it, but she’s going through some stuff right now.”
Daniel’s brow furrows. “You mean, she’s still hung up on her ex, right? Vanessa talks to her,” he adds quickly when my expression fills with suspicion. “It’s over between the two of them, man. I think she’s just been slow to move on because she was with him for like eight years or something. I’m sure that takes some time to get over. They lived together—the whole shebang.”
I nod, my stomach curling at the thought of Eliza being with someone like that. “Ah, yeah … well…” My voice trails off as the jealousy continues to hover over me. “I don’t know.”
“Just give it some time.” Daniel flashes a reassuring smile.
Right.
Thirty minutes later, we’re moseying down the street while the kids run off to knock on doors. Eliza and I are finally near each other again, after she opted to ride with my sister and her kids instead of with me .
“Tonight has been amazing.” Eliza turns to look up at me, her eyes glassy beneath the setting sun. “I love your family.”
“I’m pretty sure they love you too,” I say with a laugh, shoving my hands into my jacket pocket. We’ve fallen a few car lengths back from everyone, and the moment of being mostly alone with her is a welcomed relief.
“Aw.” She smiles, just as some of her blonde hair falls in her eyes.
My heart pounds as I reach for the silky strands, brushing them out of her face. My fingertips brush the soft skin of her cheek, and it feels like everything around us just … stops .
I don’t know why I did that, and the surprise on Eliza’s face makes it clear she feels the same way.
“Sorry,” I mutter, clearing my throat and retreating from the touch.
She lets out an unnerved giggle. “It’s okay. My hair is a mess.”
I eye her. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“I would,” she jokes, elbowing me. “Thanks for tonight. I think it was just what I needed.”
“Yeah?”
She bobs her head before reaching out and grabbing my arm, stopping us in the street. “I mean it. Thank you.” Eliza holds my gaze with those deep green eyes, her thick lips turned up in a smile. Sincerity is written all over her face, and she still hasn’t let go of my arm .
I swallow the nerves building in my chest. “Anytime. You know”—I clear my throat—“I really enjoy the time we spend—”
“Oh, shoot,” Eliza cuts me off as she suddenly glances down at her smartwatch. “I need to go.”
“Of course,” I choke out in the nicest tone possible. “Thanks for coming. I can walk you back to your house?”
She shakes her head and laughs. “It’s just right there; I don’t need an escort. I’ll see you around, Nick.” Eliza gives me one last smile before leaving me standing in the middle of the street. There are tons of kids and people around, but I have to admit, at the moment, I feel like I’m the only one.