19. Lucian
LUCIAN
I drive us back toward Neesha’s apartment, stealing glances at her still-damp hair catching the glow of the moon through the window.
She’s leaning against me, bundled in my dry jacket with the blanket from the truck wrapped around her legs, but it’s the shy smile on her lips that makes me feel like I’ve won the lottery tonight.
“What?” she asks, her face tilting to look at mine.
“Nothing,” I murmur, focusing back on the road. But it’s not nothing. It’s everything —the way she laughs when she drops her guard, how she fits perfectly against my side, the fact that she just chose me over playing things safe. She’s so beautiful, I can hardly focus on driving.
Even now, I can still feel the way her body melted against me in the lake.
Okay, so maybe she was cold. But she also didn’t shy away from me—this girl who swore she’d never date a hockey player, who built her defenses so high I wondered if I’d ever break them down.
She just dove into freezing water with me and told me she wanted something real. Not practice. Real.
Part of me keeps waiting for reality to crash back in, for her to remember all the reasons this is complicated. But Grandpa’s voice cuts through the worry in my head. He used to remind me, Some things you just know, son.
I know I want Neesha in my life. More than that, I want her to be my life.
I don’t know if she feels the same, but I’m going to make sure she knows that for me, there’s no one else. There never will be.
When I pull up to her apartment, she’s half-asleep against my shoulder in the car, and I don’t want to wake her because she feels good against me, the perfect fit in my arms.
“We’re home, Neesha.” I brush a strand of hair from her face.
She stirs, rubbing her eyes. “Tonight felt like a dream.”
“If it was, we had the same dream,” I tell her, leaning over to press a kiss to her head.
We walk to her apartment, her hand warm in mine, and all I want to do is watch her fall asleep on my shoulder again. But Henry’s barking from inside reminds me that the real world is waiting.
“Someone missed you,” I note, as we reach the top of the stairs.
“He thinks I’m never coming back, every single time…” she says, fumbling with her keys as we stop in front of her door. “When I go to work, when I take out the trash…” She glances up at me, moonlight catching the cut of her cheekbones. “He’s a little insecure that way.”
“Smart dog,” I murmur. “I’d miss you too.”
Her smile makes my breath catch. After everything—the way she kept me at arm’s length and her arguments about dating an athlete—I never expected to feel so much hope about our future together.
“Thank you for tonight,” she says softly, turning to face me. “It was perfect. Just like you promised.”
“Even the freezing lake?”
“ Especially the freezing lake,” she says with a laugh.
We hold each other’s gaze, suspended in that moment that comes right before a kiss, when the tension feels like a rubber band about to snap.
I give her time to step back if she wants to, but instead, she rises on her tiptoes to meet me halfway, her hands sliding up my chest. I cradle her face in my hands, memorizing every detail so I can replay this moment when she’s gone.
I can’t stand the thought of her leaving Maple Falls.
Apparently, I have more in common with Henry than I’d like to admit.
“I see you two are out late tonight,” someone says below us.
We spring apart like startled animals at the sound of Mrs. Nelson’s voice. She’s standing outside in her slippers with her bathrobe cinched tight.
“Mrs. Nelson, hello,” Neesha says, her voice breathless. “We were just…” She looks up at me for help.
“Saying goodnight,” I finish.
Mrs. Nelson frowns. “In my day, we called it necking. But young people have different terms these days.” She adjusts her glasses and squints at us. “Your hair is wet. What happened?”
“We jumped into the lake,” Neesha answers, like this is the most normal thing in the world.
Mrs. Nelson’s eyes bulge. “In October?”
“Sometimes you just have to take the plunge,” I say, grinning at Neesha.
Mrs. Nelson looks at us as if we’ve lost our minds. “Well, maybe you should think twice about midnight swimming in October. What if you’d gotten hurt? Then what would I tell the book club ladies who are looking forward to the bachelor auction?”
I lean closer to Neesha and mutter, “I’m starting to think hypothermia might be preferable.”
“I know more than one of the ladies from the assisted living facility wants to bid on you,” Mrs. Nelson informs us.
Neesha bites back a laugh.
“One of them wouldn’t be Mimi Roberts, would it?” I ask.
“Perhaps. And Mimi won’t date a slouch.” With that parting shot, Mrs. Nelson shuffles into her house.
“Small town, zero privacy,” Neesha sighs .
“I don’t mind the whole world knowing how I feel about you,” I admit. “Though I am wondering how long she was lurking in the shadows before making her grand entrance.”
“Oh great, she’ll definitely tell everyone at book club.” Neesha covers her face with her hands.
“Perfect,” I say, gently pulling her hands away. “I want everyone to know I’m dating the incredible Neesha Gilmore.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “Really? You’re not embarrassed to be seen with the town baker?”
“Embarrassed?” I brush a wet curl away from her face. “Neesha, I’d shout it from the rooftops if you’d let me. You’re mine, and I’m proud of that.”
The way she looks at me, like she’s afraid to believe it’s real, makes me wish I could prove it to her.
She takes a reluctant step back. “I should probably go.” Her smile is soft, almost shy. “But I can honestly say this was the most perfect fall date.”
“Just so you know, our date’s not over. I expect you at my place for waffles tomorrow morning. Seven a.m.”
“Does that mean we have an open-door policy from now on?”
“Only for you.” I give her forehead a light kiss.
“Good to know you’re selective with your waffle privileges. Though I have to say, I’m not thrilled about sharing you at the bachelor auction.”
I catch her hand as she starts to step away. “Hey, promise me you won’t bid on me, okay? Save your money for that bakery.” I brush my thumb across her knuckles. “Besides, whoever wins me is just getting a very distracted date.”
She cocks her head. “Distracted?”
“Completely.” I close the gap between us.
“Because I’ll be counting down the minutes until I can get back to you.
” I cup her face with my free hand, memorizing this moment before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
“Plus, I’m pretty sure Mimi will lose interest when she finds out I’m terrible at bingo. ”
Several days later, I’m backstage at the Hawk River Lodge in Maple Falls, tugging uncomfortably at the stiff collar under my suit.
The bachelor auction was already on my calendar before Neesha and I stopped pretending this was just practice, and despite knowing how much the town needs the fundraising money for MacDonald’s legal battle, I can’t stand the idea of going out with someone else.
Ashlyn Thompkins steps up to the mic as the event’s emcee and welcomes everyone to the auction, giving instructions and introducing the first bachelor.
I unbutton my jacket, then button it again, needing something to do with my hands.
“Stop fidgeting,” Asher whispers, straightening his own tie as he notices me pulling at my collar again. “It’s just for charity.”
Clément steps next to us. “Well, I notice your girlfriend arrived tonight with her fabulous cupcakes, so if things go poorly, you can always drown your sorrows in…what do you call the icing on the cake?”
“Despair,” I deadpan.
Weston frowns and shakes his head. “No, I think it’s called buttercream.”
Asher peeks through the backstage curtains. “Neesha looks like she’s going to murder the girls in the front row—or maybe just poison their desserts.”
I try to peek over his shoulder, but with so many hockey players crowded around the curtain, I can’t see past their big heads. “Who are they?”
“Those rich girls from Seattle who know Noreen’s niece,” Asher confirms. “And then Brittany Beeson showed up fifteen minutes ago and befriended all of them so she could get a seat in the front row.”
“The Seattle gal pals,” Weston says. “Rumor has it they’ve got Daddy’s credit cards and instructions to spend big.”
Great.
I nudge Asher out of the way and scan the back of the room until I find Neesha, arranging cupcakes on a display table next to the cash bar. She looks stunning in a strapless, gold dress, her hair swept up in a way that shows off the delicate curve of her neck.
“Is Neesha bidding on you?” Asher asks, checking the audience to see if Mabel’s arrived.
“I told her not to. She doesn’t have the money since she’s saving for her bakery and paying off her mom’s medical debts.”
“Yeah, well, that was probably before Brittany showed up, looking like she’s dressed to kill,” Carson drawls. “And also, she conveniently just broke up with Nate.”
“When did this happen?” I scan backstage, but Nate hasn’t shown up yet.
“This afternoon,” Carson says. “He let it slip at the gym, and you know Nate. He tires easily of his playthings.”
I let out a frustrated sigh, hoping that anyone but Brittany bids on me. Not only would it complicate working with Nate if Brittany bought a date with me, it would also infuriate Neesha.
“This is going to be a long night,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck.
Several of my teammates go before me, and with each one, the bids are driven higher by the Seattle gal pals. These women are aggressive, throwing out numbers that make many of the locals drop out early, including Mimi’s friends at the assisted living facility.
All I can wonder is what Neesha must be thinking about all this. She’ll have to watch women fight over me while she helplessly stands in the back. And I’ll be hating every minute of watching her silently endure it all.