Chapter 3 #2
Nate’s done the majority of the talking for the last hour, and as much as I love listening to his deep voice and learning things about him, I don’t want him to think I’m just a spectator, uninterested in conversing with him.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
I’m nervous.
We’re only a year apart, yet it seems like decades with everything he’s experienced, and I don’t want to embarrass myself.
I’ve always known my life in Georgia was sheltered, but hearing him talk about living in the big city has given the word “sheltered” a whole new meaning.
“Yeah.” He turns his head toward the lake and smiles at the boats. “I love sailing. It’s the perfect escape.”
I frown, picking up on the weight of his words. “What do you mean?”
He hesitates and then shakes it off. “It’s nothing.” He squeezes my hand, forcing a smile on his face. “Only that it’s nice to be out on the water. It’s calming.”
I don’t know Nate well, but I know he’s lying or giving me a half-truth. I’ve spent the last hour studying every inch of him, and something shifted when I asked that question.
It was a slight flicker of darkness, but it was easy to spot when you’re paying attention.
“I’ve never been on a boat,” I say, hoping to lighten the mood.
When his eyes double in size, I admit I can’t swim either.
He stops dead in his tracks and turns us face to face. “Tell me you’re joking?”
I giggle at how seriously he’s taking this. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Mads, we are changing that this summer. How will I bring you sailing if you can’t swim? I will worry the whole time.” I freeze at the nickname, and he doesn’t miss it. “I’m sorry. I know you said to call you Maddie. I don’t know why I said that.”
“No. No. It’s okay.” I shrug, playing it cool, but I’m grinning like a kid in a candy shop on the inside. “I liked it. No one’s ever given me a nickname.”
His beautiful smile stretches the width of his face, and he gives me a little nod.
Thankfully, he doesn’t make it a big deal.
When stunning Lake Horizon comes into view, he points to two chairs on the dock and asks, “Are you okay with sitting down there? Sunset is soon, and we won’t want to miss it.”
“Sure. Hopefully, I don’t fall off the dock,” I joke.
Nate’s face fills with horror. “Forget it. We’ll sit on the sand far away from the water.”
“Oh my goodness! I was kidding.” He ignores me as he pulls me down to the sand. “Nate.” I laugh. “Really, it’s fine.”
“One sway of the dock, and I’d lose my mind. There’s no bad view here. This is fine.” He adjusts himself close enough to me that I can feel him, though not one inch of our bodies is touching. His presence is so formidable that I can feel him all around me.
“You’re very bossy,” I tease.
He raises a suggestive brow, causing me to blush and shyly turn away. Focusing on the view is the only way to ignore my racing heart.
It really is gorgeous here.
“Do you like camp?” I ask to change the subject.
“For the most part. Our older brothers and sister came here too, so Leo and I didn’t think twice, but sometimes I miss summers in the Hamptons. Luckily, I’ll spend part of August there.”
“The Hamptons?” Not sure what he means.
“Yeah. That’s where my boat is.”
“Oh. But where are the Hamptons?”
He turns his head perfectly angled so I see more of his face. His eyes, the color of the summer sky, sparkle as he gets a good look at me.
“I forgot you’re a country girl.” He winks and turns his attention back toward the lake. “The Hamptons are where most of Manhattan goes during the summer months. It’s on the eastern tip of Long Island, and I love it there. It’s a place that has it all.”
Aimlessly I draw circles in the sand, trying to picture such a place. “Tell me more about it. It’s hard for me to imagine.”
He leans back on his elbows, stretching out his long legs. One brushes against mine, and it takes all my might not to suck in an audible breath.
Nate seems so at ease with physical touch that I don’t want to seem totally lame every time he even grazes a pinkie.
“My version of the Hamptons may be more long-winded than the rest. Leo can tell you the fun version.”
I lean over and playfully push my shoulder into his. “I enjoy learning. Tell me all the things.”
“I’ll try to break it down. But don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
” He nudges me back but doesn’t move, so now most of our side connects.
“It’s known as the playground for the rich and famous, but before that, the land originally belonged to the Shinnecock Indian Nation.
English settlers bought land from them and began establishing towns like Southampton and East Hampton.
Some are still named after tribes, like Amagansett and Montauk.
” He glances at me. “Have I bored you to death yet?”
“No.” I roll my eyes playfully. “Keep going, I’m intrigued.”
“Anyway, at some point in the late 1800s, the Long Island Rail Road, the train that connects Manhattan to Long Island, extended to the east end so the Hamptons would be accessible to wealthy New Yorkers. Families like the Vanderbilts began building summer estates there, and eventually, all the wealthy followed. Have you read The Great Gatsby?”
I nod. “This year, in my AP English class.”
“AP, huh? Smarty pants.”
“Okay, Mr. Encyclopedia.” I extend my arm and twirl my wrist for him to go on.
He chuckles and nudges my shoulder again. I’m getting the sense that the continued touches are deliberate, and I’m not complaining one bit.
“Well, what you know of that book, the elaborate, luxurious parties in the mansions, started then and haven’t stopped.
That’s only one side of it, though. There are still quaint towns like Sag Harbor, where my boat is docked.
Fishing towns like Montauk, with spectacular beaches, where people love to surf.
You can go whale watching and hiking, and in some towns, you can drive for miles, passing member clubs, mega-mansions with beautiful landscaped lawns, high hedges, and immaculate gardens, and then a potato farm, horses, a vineyard, and farm stands. Like I said, it has it all.”
When he chuckles, I know I haven’t contained my shock. “I know I live under a rock, but wow. I could only dream of going to a place like that.”
“Nah, Mads. You’re going to be a big-time architect. You won’t just visit. You’ll build a house out there.”
The sincerity in his voice has me swallowing back emotions I’m not sure how to handle.
Mason has always been the only one who believed in me. But hearing it from someone else—someone practically a stranger—fills me with a warmth I’ve never felt before.
I shift in the sand to face him. “Thank you, Nate. I hope you’re right.
It’s my dream to succeed, to get out of my crappy little town.
To be independent and make a name for myself.
” I shrug, more embarrassed about revealing secrets than the tears threatening to drop.
“And I should have thanked you earlier for the supplies. I know this is probably not a big deal for you, but I’d never be able to afford them.
Having what I need to create an impressive portfolio this summer for my college applications?
That means everything to me. With what you’ve bought me, I truly think it will make all the difference. ”
He smiles, but it’s not the one I’ve grown accustomed to.
It’s softer, sadder even.
“You’re very welcome,” he says, reaching forward. I hold my breath as he gently tucks an errant piece of hair that’s gone wild in the wind behind my ear. His fingers linger just long enough for me to feel the warmth of his touch.
“So, tell me about the jewelry,” he says.
“Jewelry?” I nearly whimper when his hand drops away.
He chuckles, knowing exactly the effect he has on me. “Yeah. Mason had me pick up supplies. I had no idea what he meant, so I admit I had my sister help.”
“Oh. Right. Thanks for that too.” I’m a little embarrassed that Mase asked him to buy all that. “I had no idea my brother was asking you. He must be laying it on thick before leaving for college.”
“You two are close.” It’s not a question. It seems like he knows a lot about Mase and my relationship. “I’m the same with my siblings. Leo and I are the youngest, but it doesn’t matter, we’re all best friends.”
Mason’s words come to mind about his family, so I make a conscious effort not to mention anything, instead turning the conversation back to me.
“It’s nice that Mase and I are close in age, it was helpful growing up.
My parents are…” I hesitate, searching for the right words.
“They’re extremely strict, more so with me than Mase, and because of that, it’s hard to ever feel close with them.
Over time, I imagine that could feel lonely, but having Mase was a lifeline. Not that I realized until recently.”
I’m not sure why I keep spilling my guts to him, but at this point, I push the embarrassment away and try to lighten the mood. “I mean, he’s still annoying, and we fight constantly, but I know he always has my back.”
Nate’s smile is pensive. He knows I’m shifting the conversation, and I’m grateful when he lets me.
His fingers brush over the bracelet on my wrist. “Did you make this?”
I nod. “It’s not great, but it was the first bracelet where I handmade every clay bead, so I’m attached to it.”
“It’s the same colors Mase said to buy for your room.”
“Blurple.”
He pauses. “Pardon?”
I giggle at his confused face and shrug. “Blurple. It’s the word I made up when I was little. The perfect mix of blue and purple.”
He throws his head back, letting out a deep, throaty laugh. “Blurple,” he repeats, still chuckling.
The breeze picks up, sending that stubborn strand of hair back in front of my eyes, and Nate is quick to tuck it away again. Our eyes lock, and he smiles softly.
“I’m sorry if I’m being too forward. But I need to tell you that you’re really beautiful, Maddie.”
I bite my lip, trying to contain the excited way my heart soars. “Thank you.”
“So, USC?”