Chapter 8 #2
“Nash, I wanted to make him happy while he was sick. He asked, and I didn’t say no because that’s how much I care for him, but that doesn’t mean that I was madly in love, you idiot.”
His entire body stills as if a bullet just hit him, and for a few ticks, he evaluates my words. “Say that again.”
“Our marriage wasn’t what you thought.”
Nash voluntarily steps back, and my feet follow as I face him, but it causes him to stumble… right into the water.
“Nash!”
The sound of water splashing and the sight of Nash’s head appearing above water as he slows his strokes has me instantly near the edge.
I lean down and offer my hand which is ridiculous, as he’s too strong for me anyhow. “This wasn’t how this conversation was supposed to go.”
“Really? Wouldn’t have thought.” He’s sarcastic but reaches up for my hand.
In a flash, he curls his hand around my wrist and yanks me, causing me to lose my balance and plunge into the water with him.
What the hell? Now I’m furious all over again.
I flail my arms until I find stillness. My nipples are hard as pebbles, and I’m already freezing. I’m completely soaked, and my makeup is probably melting down my skin.
“Are you crazy?” I yell. “It’s the end of September and the water is cold.”
“Oh yeah? Then why did you cause me to fall in?”
I’m stunned. “Are you serious? You tripped!”
“Because you just casually mentioned something quite key to this little set-up my brother has thrown me into.” Nash sounds livid.
“Ugh, I’m reminded why I think that I might hate you.”
He swims closer to me. “Maybe I hate you too, except you know, that I never could, and I’m sure you know the sentiment.”
“Fine! I dislike you with a strong dose of anger.”
He pushes water toward me. “Ditto, Summer.”
I splash water at him, frustrated. “Well, now you know.
I married Zac when he told me he was sick and he had a wish.
He was my best friend, something felt right about it.
I cared so deeply for him, and I knew he loved me.
I'd already been feeling alone for some time, and then he asked. I was overwhelmed.”
Nash’s nostrils flare. “Why didn’t you clue me the fuck in about your marriage situation?”
“Really? That’s your concern? You weren’t at the top of the list of who to inform. Because if I recall, you sure as hell weren’t dropping by for weekly family dinners or expressing an interest that you would come crawling back to me.”
“I had hockey, and I had to stay away from y—” He cuts his statement short.
I growl as my legs whirl underneath the water. “Well, I made sure that happened. Besides, some things made sense between Zac and me. We were friends who made one another happy. Just not…”
Deeply in love.
“And Bo?”
“Sue me. We did something a few times, and maybe it was even an unspoken compromise because I’ve always wanted to be a mom. We ended up with a great child, your nephew.”
Nash blinks as everything sinks in, literally.
Now that he knows this, everything is more dangerous between Nash and me.
We shouldn’t be around one another. But right now, our bodies are nearly pressed together because I take hold of his shirt.
“Why the fuck did you have you to tell me this?” He nearly sneers.
“What?” My voice squeaks as I look up the sky because now I think Nash is crazy.
“This tidbit of information might have been useful.” He’s flippant. “Especially when deciding to stay here.”
Because it makes it all even more complicated.
I shake my head and shove water his way. “No shit.”
He continues to swim in place, clearly agitated. “You are not on the list of people who make me feel okay right now.”
“I’m sure your list is non-existent on a normal day.”
“Fuck,” he barks. “I had the tiniest inclinations that your relationship might have been something like this. I just didn’t want the fucking confirmation.” He slams his hands on top of the water causing more ripples on the surface.
“What the hell does that mean?” My voice raises an octave.
Nash’s eyes laser in, and he looks at me as if I should solve the riddle. “It might make it hurt even more.”
I shake my head. “If you rewind the last five minutes, then you would realize we’ve established that it’s you who led us all down this path.”
“The past few days you let me think that your marriage was…”
“We started on the wrong foot because you’re still a cocky asshole sometimes.”
Nash growls then wipes droplets from his face. “The house?” His cheeks rise, and he’s trying to keep his temper down.
“Oh, you mean which room I made a baby in?” I mock him, and it only makes him more dismayed.
“Summer,” he grits out a warning.
I glance away then slide my eyes back to him.
“I only moved in with Bo when Zac was in the hospital. So to answer your very inappropriate question from the other day, no. No, there is not a room where I made a baby in my house. The bed is new, too, you asshole. And while we’re at it, no.
No, I never told him about us. I made a promise, and I tend to keep those.
” I’m nearly livid that we’re discussing this topic.
Nash stares at me blankly. “Okay,” he replies with zero indication of what’s running through his mind.
“Oh gee, does my answer appease you? I really want to throttle you right now.”
He peers down and back up with a faint chuckle. “Well, you could if you want. Look where we are.”
I take a moment to let the surroundings remind me of my setting. “Shit. Why are we still in the water?”
“Because you felt the need to explain important facts here,” he says, irritated.
I growl. “Ugh, I need to find a way to live with you. This is ridiculous that I’m in the lake.”
He smirks at me, and it’s so smug. I remember that look. The one he would give before his mouth would move lower on my body. “What’s even more ludicrous is that we can stand here.”
“What?” Oh. It’s a bit of a reach, but still, my feet touch the bottom of the lake and my head is still above the water.
Then it happens as we both stand. A calmness overtakes us as we stare at one another. A moment where even I can let my mouth ease into a small smile. It’s not every day that you can clear the air in cold water. The corners of his mouth stretch up because he must feel it too.
Nash’s hand comes out on offer. “A peace offering? No more jabs at one another?”
I think for a moment then sigh. Bo shouldn’t be dragged into Nash’s and my history. “Yes.”
Reluctantly, I slide my hand into his. The connection hits with a jolt and an anger that the water on our skin is an extra layer between us. It rushes through my body, the patter of my heart and the warning that a truth may alter the moments that I’m alone with Nash.
But I won’t think too hard as I walk up the slant of the dark sand on the shore.
We both look up to see that we have an entire audience.
Holden’s face is puzzled. “Uh… you guys okay? I thought about throwing in the life vest, but when we all heard you two screaming that you hate one another, we decided you have some issues to work out.”
While Nash continues his slow walk with a satisfied grin, I look at Holden and a few other staff members with embarrassment.
“How much of that did you hear?” I wonder.
“Nothing except the hate part. Kind of concerning,” Holden tells me, pretty amused by all of this.
I hold my hand up, and my breath is heavy. “I think this…” I twirl a finger in the air, “is my cue that I might need to leave early today. I’m freezing, and I think…” I blink, trying to adapt to being back on land.
Holden holds his palms up. He’s trying to suppress a laugh. “Say no more.”
“What? What was that?” Nash cups his ear with his hand, pretending to try and listen. “Pick up milk from the grocery store since we now have a truce and I need to up my baby-whispering game from a two? You got it.”
A rumbling sound rolls up my throat.
Was this a turning point for us? Arguing in the water to have transparency about our current situation…
…except our situation just became more complex. We now have a new kind of tension.