Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
EVERLY
“I’m just saying, a little bit of a heads-up would have been nice,” I mumble as toothpaste dribbles out of the corner of my mouth.
“I know, I know. They begged me to keep it a surprise, and you’re right, I know how much you hate surprises, but I didn’t want to ruin their fun.” Alex grabs the toothpaste from my hand, slightly hip-checking me to the right so we can both stand at the small vanity.
I know I sound ungrateful, and I do love that my friends have traveled all this way to see me. I have missed them much more than I expected. Silsby has felt like this sacred place these last few months. However, I’m worried I’m not ready for my other life to find me just yet.
“I get it, and you’re going to love Hannah and Josh. I just… I don’t know. I’m not sure how everyone is going to ‘mesh,’ you know?” I tell Alex.
“What you mean is, how is Hux going to handle it?”
I sigh loudly. “That’s part of it. We’ve just finally gotten to this good spot. He’s started to let me in, and I’m just worried this will cause some issues.”
“Everly, if having friends is an issue for him, then we have bigger problems. You love them, and I am sure he will too.”
In theory, she is one hundred percent right, and it’s not that I am concerned Hux won’t like them; I’m not sure what it is exactly.
I stand at the sink, staring at my reflection while I try to pinpoint it.
When I come up blank, I drop my toothbrush into the holder and shut off the light.
Something is telling me this weekend is not going to go as smoothly as Alex thinks it will.
We climb into our king-sized bed and snuggle up together.
“I’m going to miss this, you know?” I stare up in the direction of the ceiling. I’m still amazed by how dark it gets here, completely pitch-black.
“Me too, Ev. I forgot how happy this place always made me as a kid. Years and years of my mother working as hard as possible to destroy any good memory of my dad eventually dimmed the magic of here for me. Now, being back years later, I’m starting to understand why my dad gave everything up to come back. ”
“I think I do too.”
“Spending this time with him, I am seeing him as a regular person for the first time, not this parental figure that we assume has everything figured out. He is just an average guy, an equal, trying to do his best and make himself happy. He is full of faults but also loves. I guess I never realized that maybe who we are now, at the core, won’t be all that different from who we become twenty years from now.
Situations will be different, experiences will have added up, but the emotions seem pretty much the same for everyone when I look around. ”
“It’s pretty wild what stepping out of our everyday lives shows us, huh?”
I’m no longer thinking about Mr. Croft, but instead, the whole plan for my life I have mapped out. Is that what I want? Will it make me happy? Or in twenty years, will I be in the same position Mr. Croft was, clawing to get out and run away?
“There I was, puking in the bushes, when some random naked guy comes flying out of them.”
“No way? This did not really happen!” Hannah has been sharing stories from her month in Italy as well as back home in Cape Cod. My face hurts from laughing.
“I legit puked on a naked guy passed out in the bushes!” She covers her face in mock horror.
“You haven’t even shared the best part yet.” Josh nudges her shoulder as she returns a scowl at him.
When it’s clear she’s not willing to give up the most embarrassing part, Josh goes ahead.
“She’s leaving out that somehow in this chaotic shitshow of a night, she ended up getting the naked bush napper’s number!
” He takes a bite of his burger, wiping a bit of ketchup that missed his mouth on the back of his hand.
“You did not! Hannah Elizabeth Rainer!” I screech.
“Listen! He ended up being a nice guy, and you know I was lonely after leaving Matteo back in Venice. We went out a few times. What can I say, this summer has been good to me.” Laughing, she winks at Alex and me.
“I knew you were my kind of girl!” Alex stands to lean over the table and high-fives Hannah.
When Hannah and Alex finally settle back down, I glance over at Josh.
“What about you, Josh? How has your summer been?” I don’t know why I feel uncomfortable in Josh’s presence.
I begin fidgeting with the collar of my Anderson’s polo.
I met them all for lunch immediately after finishing my shift this morning and hadn’t had time to go back and change.
“Boring in comparison to Hannah’s wild adventures.” He chuckles. “Been working at my dad’s law office a few days a week, playing a lot of pickup football with some of my high school buddies. Nothing too exciting.”
His million-dollar smile is directed at me as he returns the question. “How has it been up here? I bet you’re missing the city. Quite the culture shock, huh?”
I am about to answer when Hux walks through the back door. A layer of sweat covers his face and forearms as he leans over the bar, grabbing a glass and pouring a cup of water. He hasn’t noticed us yet, and I swallow hard, waiting for him to spot us.
He stands up and brings the cold water to his lips as he surveys the lounge, his eyes finally landing on mine. An uneasy smile on his face. Hesitantly, he places the glass of water on the bar and wipes his hands on his dirty jeans as he approaches our table.
When he and I had walked into the bar last night, Hux was immediately swamped with customers, so he never got the chance to meet Hannah and Josh. Well, at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself over the last twelve hours.
“How is everything?” Hux asks, referring to the food in front of us, a fake smile plastered to his face. Great, we got “on the job” Hux . His tone and body language are formal and unfriendly.
“It’s great. I don’t think I’ve eaten this much grease since my meal plan ended on campus.
” Hannah laughs. Her comment is meant to be a compliment—she’s the queen of junk food.
I know her mom, a born and bred socialite, forbids junk food when Hannah is home.
The way Hux tenses, I can tell he doesn’t take her comment that way .
“Guys, this is Hux Anderson! His dad owns the resort, and Hux manages the restaurant.” I introduce him to Hannah and Josh.
“Yup, that’s me, manager of this swell place.” Sarcasm drips off every word. I look up at him while silently sending a what the hell is wrong with you, message that clearly is not being received.
An awkward silence blankets the table until Josh chimes in, “So, you live here year-round? Man, it’s fucking beautiful, but I don’t know how you do it in the winter, dude. You must really love it.” Josh laughs, oblivious to the climate of the room.
Hux lowers his body so he is at eye level with the seated table. Very slowly, he pulls out our bill from his back pocket, never breaking eye contact with Josh. Forcefully, he slams the yellow slip down onto the table, making me jump a bit. He pushes it to the middle of the table.
“Let me know if there is anything else I can get you guys,” he says in an unnervingly calm and emotionless tone, then walks off, throwing the order pad down on the bar and disappearing to the back room.
“Woah, is that the guy you told me about when you first got here? You weren’t kidding, he is a grade-A asshole, isn’t he?” Hannah whispers.
After paying for lunch, we head into town for the rest of the afternoon.
I wanted to show Hannah and Josh around, and frankly, I was dying to get away from the resort for a little bit.
We left before Hux had come back out of the office.
I thought about following him when he stormed off, and even now, I find myself still contemplating if I should have.
I decided I needed to shake off the weirdness, and I hope that by vacating the premises maybe Hux will cool off.
I haven’t spent as much time in Silsby as I had planned. I had envisioned spending my afternoons perusing the used bookstores and wandering around some of the art galleries. I chuckle to myself, thinking about how the resort swallowed me up and consumed me.
“So, are you looking forward to getting back to the city?” Hannah asks as we walk a few steps behind Alex and Josh. The two of them seem to have become fast friends, falling into an easy banter.
“Yep!” The minute the word comes out of my mouth, I can tell I sound too eager. Hannah doesn’t buy it.
“Oh my God, you like it here! Is it a guy? I feel like it’s a guy. What else would have you trading in the modern amenities for this place? I mean, it doesn’t even have a movie theater, and the Wi-Fi is spotty at best.”
“DVDs! See, this is why I always tell you they aren’t going extinct. I swear I feel their comeback is on the horizon.”
Hannah rolls her eyes. “You are avoiding my question, which confirms my prediction that it is, indeed, a guy.”
“Ugh. Okay, it might have to do with a guy, but it’s complicated.”
“Spill! What’s his name? Why is it complicated? Can I meet him?” she stops walking and grabs my upper arms to hold in place so I can’t escape her intimidating stare down.
“Have you guys hooked up?” she whispers, excitement lacing her voice.
“So, that’s the thing…” My eyes dart around, looking for any possible eavesdroppers. We all know what they say about small towns.
“Hey, Everly!”
Across the street, Nick waves his arm in our direction before looking both ways and jogging over to greet us. Nick and I haven’t said much more than the normal, “Hey, how’s it going?” type of polite conversation whenever we bump into each other at the main lodge.
“What are you doing in town? I feel like I never see you away from the resort nowadays.” With his perfect smile, casual outfit, lightly tousled hair, and golden skin, he looks like he’s just stepped off a J. Crew photo shoot or a boat.
Then again, he probably did just step off a boat.