Chapter 10
SUMMER
The heaviness of sleep begins to fade as I stretch my body, my eyes blinking open. It takes a second or two, but then I realize where I am. In my bed, except I’m lying on top of the duvet with a throw blanket over my body. The setup causes me to sit up and attempt to recall how I got here.
The only thing that makes sense is that Nash must have carried me up here. I only remember sitting on the couch while he put away dishes. I must have fallen asleep. I rub my eyes to wake up further.
A little gesture begins to cause chaos inside of me. If I ended up here, then it means I was in his arms. For a moment, I let down my defenses yesterday, and a natural hug found my body far too close to his. The idea of Nash carrying me to my bedroom shouldn’t affect me, but it does.
I hear the breakout of Bo’s cry beginning to form. Our clocks are aligned, so I know that he is waking, too. I swing my legs out of bed, my feet touching the rug. I’m still in my tank top and jeans from yesterday, but I’ll worry about that later.
Walking groggily into the hall, a peculiar sound occurs; Bo hasn’t reached his full-fledged crying status.
My eyes open wide when I reach the doorway to his room. Immediately, my sight strikes up to the ceiling, trying to gain composure.
“Hey,” Nash greets me.
He’s pulling Bo up and out of his crib. Albeit, shirtless. What’s worse is that I don’t think he is even lacking a shirt on purpose. That just makes this all the more endearing.
Internally I curse to myself before getting a grip. “Hey. Looks like we can upgrade your baby skills from a four to a five.” I meander into the room and reach my arms out to take hold of my son, but Nash makes no effort to hand him to me.
“It’s good. I think I can handle making oatmeal if you want to change.”
Subconsciously, my eyes slip down to examine myself, and I cross my arms as if I can shield myself.
“Yeah, sure… uhm, thanks?” My voice is uneven.
“I mean for taking me to bed.” His eyes widen.
Shit. “I mean not to bed, just bed, my bed, setting me in bed so I can sleep.” Phew, I think I saved that.
He tries to suppress his melting grin, but I see it all the same. “I got what you meant the first time.”
I blow out a breath, thankful that we can move on. “Just thanks. Okay?”
“No problem,” Nash says as he swings his body side to side, and Bo seems to take interest in grabbing Nash’s chin.
“And, yeah, that would help if you can do the oatmeal. I normally make it then bring him to the bathroom so I can shower and he chills in his bouncer,” I explain.
I take a few steps to Bo’s dresser and pull out some clothes and a fresh diaper then pause when I pivot to look at Nash with doubt. “Maybe I should get him dressed.”
Nash chuckles. “Nah, I have to learn.”
Skeptically, I agree. A few seconds’ pause is mindless. Well, that is until it bursts out of my mouth about logistics last night. “How did you carry me up the stairs?”
He gives me a proud look. “Summer, I’ve played hockey most of my life. If I don’t have the ability to carry you, then I think they were paying millions to the wrong person,” he jokes.
It causes me to smirk. “If you say so.”
Our eyes remain locked for a moment before I leave him to be with my son who is cooing.
The moment I’m out of the room, I lean against the hallway wall and sigh, acknowledging that there has been a shift between Nash and me. And it’s scary.
Watching Nash skate is somehow soothing, with his hockey stick in hand, oblivious to me. Is it the sound of blades on ice? Or simply knowing that he’ll be surprised I’m here.
Truthfully, I’m not exactly sure what possessed me to drive here, but my feet are planted to watch as I hold Bo in my arms. When Nash looks up for a millisecond, he does a double take, surprised that I’m here, as he should be.
I raise Bo’s wrist to give a little wave to Nash, and a faint line on his mouth slides up.
Nash slowly skates our way until he’s at gate from the ice.
“Hey. Wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
My eyes circle the arena. “Well, me neither, but here I am. You mentioned earlier about coming here.” My face must show that I’m pleased to be here; no jabs are planned to leave my mouth in the next few minutes.
Nash uses his stick to toss up the puck until he snatches it away and shows Bo. “Maybe you’ll like hockey one day,” he says to my son before his eyes dart to me as he waits for an explanation.
“I just wanted to… well, everyone is right, maybe.” There I said it.
His face screws up in confusion.
“Maybe I do need a little help,” I admit.
Nash listens patiently. “Can we just forget I said anything.” I’m backtracking and press my lips together and rinse the thoughts in my mind.
But Nash’s eyes study me, and his face is neutral.
“Fine.” I roll my eyes, caving. “Maybe we can just… keep it between us?”
“We’re good at that,” he remarks simply. My lashes bat as I recognize the truth in that. “But yeah… we can.”
Appreciation floods my face.
“Anything for you,” he mutters. I don’t think he expected me to hear, but my breath hitches all the same.
“Lie of the century,” I rasp. He left. “But let’s keep this a normal conversation.
Besides, there are seven-year-olds about the descend onto the ice.
We can keep it classy and get an award for this perfectly normal conversation.
” I straighten my posture as much as I can with a baby propped on one hip.
The corners of his mouth twist. “Sure.”
“Okay, well, uh… see you at home.” He looks at me strangely, probably because I’m being awkward. Even when I turn to leave only to backtrack, I find him waiting in the exact spot with the exact same facial expression. “Actually, I thought about going for a coffee or ice cream with Bo. Maybe…”
Now he just grins. “I would like to tag along?” He helps me out because my invitation just spewed out of my mouth without thought.
“Yeah, something like that. Or like that.” It drags out of my mouth.
He chuckles as he lowers his hand to unlock the gate. “I’ll see you soon then.”
Debating, I’m not sure if this is the right move. It’s just Bo, and Nash is his uncle. I can’t keep Nash at bay. This is good for Bo. Hence, why all three of us are wandering down Main Street to Jolly Joe’s for ice cream.
“I’m surprised it isn’t colder. The weather for fall seems to be okay,” Nash remarks.
I continue to push Bo’s stroller. “You may have jinxed us.”
The fall decorations of Lake Spark overpower the scene. Pumpkins, hay bales, a weird-looking scarecrow, plus fakes leaves in shop windows.
“Are you decorating the house for Halloween?”
Shrugging a shoulder, I remind myself that is another item on my to-do list. “I guess I should at least get a pumpkin or something. Trick-or-treaters are ruthless here.”
A brimming smile is pasted on his face. “Oh, I remember. Prime prank time.”
“Speaking from experience.” I give him a pointed look, very well aware of his younger antics.
“Don’t you want to take Bo to a pumpkin patch or something? Isn’t that a photo-op necessity?”
I move my head side to side in contemplation. “Solid point. I’ll figure it out.”
He nudges my shoulder with his. “There’s a pumpkin farm down in Bluetop, at the Blisswood winery. We can go there one day.”
We.
I’m wary of the term, as much as it warms my heart. “Maybe a good idea.” We arrive at Jolly Joe’s, and Nash is quick to open the door for me. “One scoop of blueberry and one scoop of rainbow sherbet per your usual? The ice cream of senior citizens.”
Nash seems surprised. “You remember my ice cream flavor choice?”
“Of course, I do. How many times have we been here?”
A fond smile shades his face. “Probably too many to count, Ms. Chocolate Cherry Shake.”
My mouth turns to an O shape. “Seems you remember, too. It’s a classic flavor,” I protest.
We find our way to a table, and I get situated as Nash prepares to order at the counter. “For the little guy?”
“I don’t really let him have too much sugar, but they say the vanilla bean here has the least amount, so perhaps a small scoop of that.”
“Got it.”
Finding a table, I decide to leave Bo in his stroller and hand him a soft book with different activities, it should keep him occupied. My eyes drift to Nash ordering with his suave smile that he gives everyone. I hate that it’s the little things that bring back memories that makes me twist inside.
“So, you watched the game?” Nash wipes a hand through his sweaty hair while he holds his helmet to the side, with the background noise of the arena. His face is red, and he still causes my middle to swirl. I was up in Michigan to visit a friend from college and Nash left tickets for us.
“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” I tease.
He’s nearly bashful and glances away while he licks his lips.
When his sight returns to me, I think we might be melting.
It’s been a few years since we both acted on a spark, because who knew a simple kiss could cause years of attraction to grow.
The seldom times that we saw one another since, we left it as a magnetism between us that we never acted on. But tonight feels different.
“What are you doing after?”
“My friend and I were going to probably get a drink.”
A devilish grin hits his mouth. “I need to change, but I’ll text you a place where we can all meet.”
I snicker a laugh. “Something feels like this isn’t an innocent ‘let’s go for ice cream’ suggestion.”
That grin is my undoing. “It’s really not. But I think you knew that when you came here.”
“Earth to Summer.” Nash waves a hand in front of my face, and it snaps me back to reality, brushing thoughts of how our secret months began.
I forcefully form a smile. “Yeah, sorry, just… remembering something for work.”
Nash slides into the booth, not entirely convinced, and thanks the waitress for following with the ice cream and shake. “You have work tomorrow?” he asks me.