24. Cole
“Just a little to the left!” Blair shouts from behind us. Graham and I both hoist our side of the bear statue to swivel it a few inches over.
“Is that good?” Graham calls over his shoulder.
“A little to the right!” Sydney yells this time. With a sigh, I grunt, and we maneuver it back.
“Do you think they’re just messing with us?” I ask Graham.
“That’s very likely,” he groans, standing up straight.
“Maybe—” Blair starts but doesn’t get to finish.
“It’s fine,” Graham cuts her off curtly—yet respectfully, of course—brushing his hands together. I take a few steps to the side to study the placement of the statue. Graham wanted it right off the porch steps so guests will pass it when they walk in the lodge.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Sydney gushes to Blair and Graham, the same sense of awe to her tone as when she first saw it.
I roll my lips to hide a smile, appreciating her attempt to brag, regardless of how unfamiliar it feels to me.
“It really is,” Blair agrees. “Nice job, Cole.”
“Thank you.” I take a few steps to stand on the other side of Sydney, a force drawing me to her that hasn’t relented since our kiss yesterday.
That kiss was as powerful and soul moving as the first time was all those years ago. Except, this time it felt even more like a choice. With all our cards having been laid out on the table—the good, the bad, the ugly—it felt like we were acknowledging our scars and baring our battle wounds for the other to see…and choosing each other anyway.
I don’t know what this means for us moving forward, but that’s okay. It doesn’t need to be all figured out right now and wrapped up in a neat bow. When has it ever been with us? I’m content being along for the ride at this point to see how it will all play out.
From behind us comes the slow roar of a boat motor out on the lake that increases as it comes into the bay.
“Must be dinner time.” Graham flashes a smile before he heads for the docks. Blair trails behind him, leaving Sydney and me alone for the first time all day.
“Neal and his team are over at the recreation site today, but he told me they got the floors installed in the main part of the lodge.” Sydney smiles, a nervous excitement apparent in the way she bites her lip. “Do you want to come see it with me?”
“Sure.”
“Okay, good.” She leads the way to the steps. “I’m really nervous to see it.”
“How could you be nervous? We spent two hours in the hardware store making sure it was the right color.”
“You never know for sure until you see it in the space, Cole.” She holds the door open behind her as I follow her inside.
“That’s true, I guess,” I chuckle.
The subtle fumes of a construction site hit me as soon as I walk in—dust, sealing compounds, and wood shavings fill the air.
“Whoa,” I murmur, taking in the changes that have been made. The spot where the front desk used to be is no longer there, and the walls that separated the entry to the dining room are no longer, making it one big space that’s pushed back farther than it used to be. The walls are white, still needing to be painted, but the stunning blonde, white oak flooring we picked out covers every inch of the floor.
I glance at Sydney, expecting her to be admiring it the same way I am. However, her face is stern as her gaze flitters back and forth. From the back of the room to the front, from the walls down the span of the floor, she’s seemingly scrutinizing every little detail.
“What do you think?” I ask.
After a few sighs, she gives a hint of a shrug, nodding slightly.
“I think it’ll work,” she says, though not at all convincingly. I can see the way her brain is overthinking.
“Can I ask you a question?” I ask as I study her.
“Sure.” She looks over her shoulder at me then walks around the perimeter of the room, eyes roaming over every surface.
“What happens if it doesn’t end up perfect?” I ask the question as gently as I can. “This whole renovation…what if it’s not flawless at the end?”
She huffs, a sad smile crossing her face while she ponders my question. Then she pushes her lips together before shrugging. “I guess I just feel like restoring this place is my way of honoring my family, honoring my past.”
I nod in silence, giving her admission the quiet space it deserves before asking, “And you think you’re not going to honor them if the wrong picture hangs on the wall or the paint color ends up being a tad too dark? Do you think anyone would care?”
She flicks her gaze to me, and as she holds my stare, her tension relaxes.
“No,” she admits with a hint of a smile. “I know they wouldn’t.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” I say quietly.
“I guess there’s just a lot of things I feel guilty for,” she admits before shaking her head. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.”
I cross the room and slide my hand down her arm, squeezing at her wrist. “I get it.”
She offers me a small smile before wandering to the far side of the room. I follow behind as we pass by the door to the kitchen, all the way to another doorway.
“This is Graham and Blair’s apartment,” she explains, pointing to the set of unfinished stairs that lead up to a living space without a door yet. “They’re still working on electrical and plumbing in the addition portion of the lodge.”
“That’ll be nice for Blair and Graham when it’s all done.”
“Yeah. They deserve it,” she says softly as we wander on. I stay as close to her as I can without crowding her. I’m finding more and more that I just want to be near her. Close enough to feel a hint of a spark that rushes over me when she’s just within reach.
“Do you think you could ever live out here full-time?”
“Yup,” I reply instantly, not needing to think about it long.
“Really?” She giggles. “I don’t know if I could. I think I’d miss the city too much.”
“The city is overrated,” I mumble as we pass what looks to be the laundry room.
“Tell me about your place in Longville. What does it look like?”
“There’s not much to it,” I admit. “It’s a rambler walkout with a kitchen and two bedrooms. Cheap, thrifted furniture and not a thing on the walls.”
“Sounds perfect.” She smiles. “Do you have land, or is it in a neighborhood?”
“I’m close to my neighbors, but I don’t mind it. I’m not there often enough to need the solitude. I find that enough when I do my wandering.”
I lift my gaze to hers to find that she’s been staring at me with interest, as if she’s enthralled by these small glimpses of my life that I show her.
“Can I take you on a date?” I blurt out suddenly. I might be moving too fast—I’m fully aware of that. But it feels as right as anything has ever felt before. She feels right.
She laughs, throwing her head back. “Where exactly are we going to go on a date around here, Cole? We’re in the middle of a lake.”
I hadn’t gotten that far yet, so I lift a shoulder. “I’ll think of something.”
She stares at me, seemingly considering my offer.
“Okay…but can I make a request?” she asks.
“Of course.”
“Could we not go into Baudette? Would that be okay?” She asks the question hesitantly, as if it would be a huge inconvenience on my end to not go into town.
“That’s the last place I want to be too,” I tell her. “I promise we won’t go near the city.”
The corner of her mouth tips up, a hint of excitement behind her eyes.
“Great. I’m looking forward to it,” she says.