Chapter 6
N atalie
Late August
The look that comes over Alex’s face is so similar to how my brother reacted when I told him about Rob, that I almost laugh. I guess I understand. I’m his sister’s best friend. Well, at least one of them. And it probably means I’m family by association. I’m a pseudo-sister.
Even I’m surprised when a steel look of resolve, plus a healthy dose of malicious intent cover his face a moment later. “Give me his fucking name and address right the fuck now, Sunflower.”
“What’s with the nickname?” I breathe, finding it ridiculously hot how he seems to be ready to go fight for my honor.
“Natalie,” he growls.
“I’m not giving you his name or address, Alex. You know what? If you’re going to call me Sunflower, then I’m going to call you Alexander.”
“That’s not my fucking name.”
“Well, what is your name?”
“I’m not telling,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest.
Raising a brow at him, I give him a challenging look. “Oh? Cool.”
Whipping out my phone, I pull up my favorites and call Arianna.
“Hey, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of something,” she says breathlessly. I hear Stone in the background growl something, and I roll my eyes. Those two have more sex than anyone I know.
“This will literally take five seconds. I ran into Alex at that open house thing, and he’s being an asshole. What’s his actual first name? I’d like to irritate him with it.”
“Oh, I love this for him!” Ari gushes gleefully. “It’s Alessio. Bye!”
I give him a victorious grin as I place the phone back in my pocket. “Your move, Alessio.”
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters. “No one calls me that, Natalie.”
“Great!” I say cheerfully as I walk past him. “I like knowing that I’m the only one.”
“I hate my name. Why do you think I’ve always gone by Alex?”
“Why not Lex?” I wonder aloud.
He snorts. “Because I’m not that big of a jackass.”
“Eh.” I pantomime weighing two items. “You say potato, I say jackass.”
I turn down a hallway and hear Alex pause behind me. “Where are you going?”
“To my room. I have to grab my things. Night!” I call out, glad to be away from him for a moment. Once in my classroom, I putz around for a handful of minutes, admiring my handiwork as I’ve put my personal touches on the space. Come Monday, I’m hopeful my kiddos will find joy in the room. They’ve been separated amongst the other fourth-grade classes, and I know it’s going to be difficult to transition again.
Closing the door to my room, I scream when a voice speaks directly behind me. Whirling around, I find a bemused Alex. “You about gave me a heart attack!”
“Did you really think I’d leave you to walk alone to your car in the dark?” he asks.
“Please. Nothing ever happens here unless it’s a varmint wreaking havoc,” I scoff. It’s not that far off from the truth. Eternity Springs is quaint, and it’s certainly eclectic with all the cute shop names and family-friendly events, but for a single girl in her thirties, it’s boring as fuck.
“It only takes one crime to change that, and I’ll be damned if it’s on my watch,” he says as we walk out the main entrance. “Where are you living now? ”
“Arianna hooked me up with a studio apartment on Fifth Street,” I answer.
“A studio?”
“It’s actually a great space, and I’m really comfortable. I’m just me. I don’t need much,” I shrug. Rob and I lived in a more upscale apartment complex, with all the bells and whistles. Other than the gym, we didn’t use any of it, but our rent was three grand a month for a one-bedroom. My little studio in Eternity Springs is under fifteen hundred, with water and trash removal included. I’m able to save money for the first time in recent memory.
“I don’t live far from you,” Alex comments.
“Oh yeah?”
“Mmm-hmm. A couple of blocks away.”
As Alex continues to walk next to me, a wave of awkwardness overcomes me. Do I thank him for walking me to my car? Should I offer a handshake, or a weird side hug? A high five, or a wave? Maybe I should just start sprinting to my car now, and hope it confuses Alex just enough that I make it to my car before him. As that option begins to show merit, I notice only two cars are left in the entire parking lot. Of course he would be parked next to me.
“You drive a Dodge Challenger?” he asks incredulously.
“Yes, why?”
He shakes his head in disbelief. “I guess I never considered that. I assumed you’d either have some cutesy car that had sentimental value, or a safe SUV that you bought after reading every article on Consumer Reports.”
He’s not that far off from the truth. “I read the reports on the Challenger, if that makes you feel better. I almost got a Subaru, but didn’t want to be that Coloradan.”
He snickers, and the sound is like a melody, lifting my confidence greatly. I’ve never made Alex laugh before. I’m damn proud of myself.
“My mom is the only one in my family who owns a Subaru,” he confesses, prompting me to throw back my head in a shout of laughter.
“Mine too! ”
As we approach our cars, I realize we’ve both slowed down drastically. I turn to Alex, ready to thank him for walking with me, but he’s already speaking. “Thanks for checking on me. After the open house, I mean. You could have just left, but you didn’t. And that means a lot.”
I give him a shy smile as I nod. He waves briefly before walking to his truck.
Parked in front of my building, the thought of going inside to my apartment, knowing I have nothing to eat, makes me walk a couple of blocks to my favorite hole-in-the-wall diner that serves breakfast all day. I’ve eaten here a few times with Arianna over the years, since she knows my love of breakfast food, and I’ve already gotten on a first-name basis with the owners. A perk — but also a hindrance — of small-town living is knowing everyone by name, and I find that to be pretty neat.
Growing up, my mom routinely served us breakfast for dinner, and now as an adult, I can see the appeal. I spent ten hours working on my classroom, filling out paperwork, and doing some new teacher induction things for the tiny school district. Since I lost track of time and had to go straight to the community open house, I haven’t eaten since lunch, and I’m well past starving at this point. While I try to curb my attitude in front of others, there’s a very thin line between hungry and hangry for me. I should not be held liable for decisions I make when I just need protein and water.
The interior of Dixie’s Diner is all classic fifties and sixties style. Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean posters dot the walls. Old records are stapled haphazardly on the ceiling, and a jukebox stands in the back corner of the space. I take a seat at the bar, grab the menu, and begin perusing it to see what strikes my fancy. I love trying new foods, as long as they’re within my budget. My move to Eternity Springs has been expensive, even with the loan from my brother. I didn’t feel comfortable taking any money from him, and definitely not as much as he deposited into my account. Once I get a gauge on my bills for an accurate budget, I plan on giving most of it back to him. I know he has more money than he knows what to do with, but I firmly believe that family and money should not go hand-in-hand.
After ordering a spin on eggs benedict that includes asparagus, I pull out my phone and scroll through Instagram. I’m only vaguely aware of someone sitting next to me, until I hear a scoff that I only heard a short time ago. Looking up, I stare into the glaring eyes of Alex Santo.
“Seriously, are you following me?” he demands.
“I got here first!” I blurt out.
He appears nonplussed. “This is all a little too coincidental, Sunflower. The bar, my sister’s, the school, and now here? Did you know this is my favorite diner?”
“How the hell would I know that? Contrary to your misguided belief, my world does not revolve around you. And stop calling me Sunflower, unless you’re going to tell me why you are doing it.”
“Nope,” he says. “Now that I know it irritates you, I think I’m gonna do it more.”
“I never actually said it irritated me. I just want to know why,” I tell him. It totally irritates me, in an ‘it’s making me hot and I don’t want to be’ way. Well, that’s somewhat of a lie. I’d very much like to be in a too hot situation with Alex. But considering he’s still glaring at me, with one eyebrow cocked in such a way that he’s even sexier, I hate that I want him like this.
At a couple inches over six feet, with dark tousled waves and penetrating brown eyes, Alex exudes masculinity and power. I feel a pull toward him, like an invisible tether, drawing me into his orbit. But the way he’s looking at me right now makes me think he’d rather I be anywhere but here.
“Hey, Alex. You want your usual?” the server asks, a woman who looks to be about my mom’s age. She smiles warmly at Alex, and he nods in return. “You two eating together? I’ll bring your food out at the same time then.”
“Oh, no, we’re not —” I stop when she walks away, having already decided we’re together. “Great. ”
“Hope you aren’t concerned with gossip,” Alex says nonchalantly.
“Huh?”
“I’ll bet you the price of your meal that the site has a picture of us sitting next to each other within the next thirty minutes, and an article stating we’re on a date.”
“The site? What’s the name of it again?”
“ The Eagle Has Landed . Stupid fucking website. It has never been used for its actual purpose.”
“What purpose was that?”
“As an actual news and community website. A place for tourists to learn about the town, community events to be announced, and whatnot. Instead, it’s all gossip and bullshit they make up half the time.”
I screw up my face in distaste. “Could I get in trouble with the school if I’m seen on that?”
“Doubt it. My family is on it all the time. They dragged Dom and Kate often during the start of their relationship. Even suggested Kate and I had a thing going on.”
I choke a little on a large gulp of water. “Did you ever have a thing with her? I mean, I didn’t think so. I thought she had the hots for Dom the first time I met her. She was always watching him out of the corner of her eye.”
Alex’s lips pull up in a half smile, the closest I think I’ve ever seen him give me a real smile. “Yeah, he did the same thing. They probably could have gotten married a good year before they did, but they’re both stubborn asses.”
I chuckle. Knowing what I know about Kate, it’s true. They butt heads quite a bit, but the support and love they have for one another is remarkable.
“To answer your first question, no. I never had anything with Kate.”
“Oh,” I whisper. This conversation turned awkward quite suddenly.
“Besides, I don’t think that is a concern for me anymore. A relationship, I mean. And Kate has always been a relationship kind of girl. ”
“Why don’t you think you’ll ever have a relationship?” I ask quietly.
He shrugs, looking down at his hands, his fingers intertwined together tightly. “I had my shot. Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.”
“That’s actually not true.” When he looks up, anger evident on his face, I throw up a hand in mock surrender. “I mean about lightning. It literally can strike the same place twice. My friend Becca is a meteorologist in Denver, and she’s taught me all kinds of weird weather facts.”
“Alright. What’s the weirdest weather fact she’s told you?”
“Dammit, you’re not supposed to put me on the spot,” I mutter. “Hold on. I can look back through our texts. She’s a nerd, and always gets so excited about weird weather.”
“Ben loves weather. He’s convinced he either wants to be a storm chaser or go into the Air Force when he grows up,” Alex comments as I scroll through my texts.
“Really? How do you feel about that?”
He shrugs again. “I don’t know. I guess if he gets a degree in meteorology, and chases storms on his off days, I’m fine with that. But if he wants to just go out there and live off gas station food while he can’t make ends meet elsewhere, I’m not okay with that. I want him to enjoy a career, whatever that may be. But he needs to be self-sufficient however he does it.”
“What if he’s like that crazy dude who always points at storms in his selfies? He’s got a website, and he sells his videos to news channels.”
“I guess,” he says slowly. “I’m not too stressed about it now. He’s got quite a few years before we can start arguing about careers.”
“And you’re cool if he follows in your military footsteps?”
Alex lifts one shoulder. “If it makes him happy. I just don’t want him to do it because he thinks I want him to.”
“What if he doesn’t want to go to college?”
“Oh, I don’t care about that. I didn’t go to college. If he wants a job that is more of a trade, I’m cool with that. Those guys make bank. And if he’s happy, I’m happy. ”
“That’s actually pretty decent of you, Alessio,” I tell him with a wicked grin.
Alex rolls his eyes as he chuckles. “I’d hoped you forgot about that, honestly.”
“Nope.”
“Did you find any weird weather facts?” he asks, changing the subject suddenly.
“Hmm. Oh! Here’s one. Did you know you can tell the temperature by counting a cricket’s chirps?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And if it’s a mild autumn, spiders will be larger when found in your home.”
“How the hell did someone figure that out?” he asks incredulously.
“I don’t know. Becca doesn’t explain the weird facts unless I specifically ask.”
“And you didn’t ask about the spider one, obviously.”
“Hell, no,” I say with an exaggerated shudder. “I’m the president of the arachnophobia club of Denver.”
“That’s — that’s not a real thing, is it? I’m just really not sure what to trust when it comes to you,” he says with a chuckle.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a real thing. Although if it were, I’d definitely be involved. I’m not a fan of spiders.”
“Have you ever been down to southern Colorado to see the tarantula migration?”
Pretty sure my heart stops in my chest. “Excuse me, the what now?”
“The tarantula migration. Male tarantulas come out in the late summer, traveling around to find a mate.”
“Oh, good God. I think I would completely pass out if I saw a tarantula.”
Alex’s eyes narrow as he stares at me. “Noted.”
“I swear to God, Alessio, if you ever come at me with a tarantula, I will have no problem cutting off any of your appendages, so make your decisions wisely.”
Alex laughs, but quiets when he notices I’m not joking. “You’re serious.”
“As a heart attack. Ask your sister if I ever joke about arachnids.”
We’re quiet for a few moments, lost in our thoughts, before plates are dropped in front of us. Identical plates.
“I can see why y’all are eating together, seeing as how you like the same things,” the server says with a wink.
“Thanks, Nancy,” Alex says as he grabs a napkin and places it in his lap. “I don’t even know what to think about you ordering that.”
“I swear, I didn’t know,” I stammer.
“This is a lot of coincidences,” he murmurs. I don’t answer. There’s no way he thinks this is coincidence. I’m beginning to wonder if something else is at play here.
We eat quietly for some time before Alex clears his throat. “I’ve never spent a lot of time with you, but you seem like the kind of woman who is a ballbuster. A girl who won’t take any shit from anyone. And that’s why I really don’t understand how you got in a relationship where someone was hurting you.”
I sigh as I think of how to respond. “He wasn’t that way for a while. It was a great relationship for so long. I think he lulled me into a false sense of security. Looking back, I can tell when his personality changed, and he began to gaslight me. I’d never get better than him. I couldn’t live without him because Colorado is such an expensive place to live. No one would ever accept me because I’m fat. All the stupid things. He fed into every insecurity I had. Once he realized he had me, line, hook, and sinker, that’s when the arguments started to escalate. That’s when he’d get so mad about stupid things. I started walking on eggshells around him, convinced if I could just keep him happy, then I’d still have a boyfriend, and everything would be fine.”
“What changed for you?” he asks softly.
“Seeing how happy Arianna and Kate are. And especially seeing how Dom and Stone are with their kids. I couldn’t have a man like Rob in my kids’ lives, you know? If he hits me, would he hit our daughter? Would our son think it’s okay to hit? I can’t be responsible for encouraging another generation to abuse women,” I confess. When Alex doesn’t respond, I look quickly out of the corner of my eye to find him studying me. “I’m guessing that isn’t what you thought I’d say.”
“Uh, no. Not at all. I figured your brother or dad saw a bruise and raised hell. That’s probably what I would have done,” he answers truthfully.
“I hid it from them. My brother only knows now because I borrowed some money to put the deposit down on my apartment here, and I paid a fee to get my name off Rob’s apartment in Denver. I’m a teacher. I’m barely making ends meet as it is. I was stuck.”
“What did Shawn say?” Alex asks. My eyes whip to his in shock, making him laugh. “I know your brother, Sunflower. Not only because I’m a hockey fan, but because he’s friends with my brother. I might be older than everyone, but I can still hang on occasion.”
“I didn’t mean anything like that. I had no idea you knew him, that’s all.”
“I’ve been to a lot of those summer league games too, you know. Probably talked to you and that other girl who Arianna is friends with. Not that I remember,” he says with a chuckle. Oh, we barely talked. I never spoke to him. I was all gangly knees, braces, and thick thighs even then. Alex seemed larger than life to me, and I couldn’t speak when he was around. I think I cried for a week the first time he brought his wife to one of Luca and Shawn’s games. Honestly, the fact that I’m sitting next to him, holding a civilized conversation where I’m not a bumbling mess, is pretty damn surprising. Only Claire knew of my crush on Alex. I certainly couldn’t tell Arianna.
As we both finish our meals, I watch as Alex carefully pulls out his phone. “Damn.”
“What?” I ask.
“My kids fell asleep at Dom’s house. It’s been a long time since that happened. His kids must have run mine ragged.”
“Kate says she’s never gotten better sleep than she has on the days she has them nonstop. Well, that was before Dom. I mean, before they were married and having all the back-breaking sex. I think. I mean, I know they’re having sex. And she goes into detail, which I could do without, and honestly, I’m surprised that he has the stamina he has at his age. Don’t you guys lose that at some point?” Jesus. Someone muzzle me.
“Uh, I’m not sure I can comment on my brother’s stamina,” Alex murmurs, staring straight ahead. When I’m about to say goodbye so I can go scream into my pillow in humiliation, Alex turns to me. “But I assure you, Sunflower, we old guys don’t all lose our stamina.”
Holy hell.
“Do you want to go back to my place for sex?” I say loudly, then gasp, covering my face with my hands. “Oh my God. I can’t believe I just said that. It’s just, well, it’s been a while since I’ve had a good C in the V, because Rob certainly wasn’t packing a punch. To proposition my best friend’s brother in the middle of a restaurant is a new low for me, if I’m being honest.”
“If you say things like this sober, what the hell do you say when you’re blitzed?” Alex asks. Peeking through my fingers, I find a bewildered look on his face.
“I think it’s best if I don’t discuss what I say when I’m drunk,” I whisper.
He leans toward me. “State secrets? Connections to a Mexican cartel? Let me guess, you actually know who is hiding JFK.”
I gasp. “How did you know? Except for the JFK thing. He died ten years ago.”
The grin that covers Alex’s face is so beautiful, I’m momentarily stunned. It’s a smile I haven’t seen in years. Straight white teeth, except for a hint of a snaggle tooth on one side, that somehow makes him even more attractive, and perfect lips that I’d really like to experience again. His beard covers a chiseled jawline that I want to feel between my fingers … and my thighs.
“Natalie.”
“Hmm?”
“I said, are you ready?”
“Oh,” I say, embarrassment covering my face, “I just need to pay my bill. ”
“We need to work on your situational awareness, Sunflower. I already paid it.”
I stare at him in confusion. “Huh?”
Alex shakes his head at me. “It’s paid for. Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
He motions for me to walk in front of him, and I’m acutely aware of the possibility he might be staring at my ass. Casting a quick look over my shoulder, I’m pleased when I find his eyes cast downward. Once outside, I turn to him. “I, uh, parked by my apartment, so I’m walking home.”
“It’s dark out, Natalie. I’ll walk you to your door. My mom would kill me if I didn’t.”
“Your mom wouldn’t know,” I mumble.
“You haven’t lived here long enough to understand this, so just trust me. My mom knows everything, or knows someone who will tell her everything. She’ll find out.” From what Ari has told me, I don’t doubt it.
Arriving at my apartment building entrance, I again turn to Alex. “Okay, you did the gentlemanly thing. You can live another day without any mom-on-son violence.”
He absentmindedly scratches at the hair on his chin. “Well, you know someone probably told her that you propositioned me at the diner, right?”
The blood drains from my face. “So I need to move again, right? I can’t ever see your parents again. Oh, your Nonna will hate me forever —”
My words die out when Alex’s mouth covers mine.