20. Neesha
NEESHA
I fumble with my keys as I approach my apartment, my mind still reeling over what just happened at the auction. Maple Lake might be gone and so is my money— seven thousand dollars of it—all because I couldn’t stand losing to Brittany.
I check my email on the way up the stairs and see one from a Seattle realtor whom I contacted months ago, asking him to keep an eye out for open storefronts.
I stop on the landing, staring at the screen. Ironically, the perfect Seattle opportunity opens up just hours after I spent my entire savings at the auction. Six months ago, I would have called immediately. Now the thought of leaving Lucian makes my chest ache—and it has nothing to do with money.
On the other side of my apartment door, Henry’s frantic bark grows louder.
“I’m coming, Henry.” But when I push the door open, Henry doesn’t bound over like usual. Instead, he’s standing frozen in the middle of the living room, a low growl rumbling through his body.
That’s when I see him, leaning casually against my counter, like he has any right to be in my space.
Nate.
A cold wave of panic rushes through me, as every instinct Mom taught me about men who don’t respect boundaries floods back.
My hands tremble as I slide my phone from my pocket, thumb flying across the screen as I text Lucian: Please come. I need you.
I glance toward Lucian’s house, but it’s still dark—he stayed late to help clean up. Which means I’m on my own with the man who spent months making me doubt my own worth.
And now he’s in my kitchen— uninvited —again proving that my boundaries mean nothing to him.
He’s scrolling his phone when I see him, the same phone where I discovered months of messages with Brittany, including photos of places we’d been together with captions like “wish you were here instead.” Screenshots of our conversations turned into private jokes between them.
But the message that destroyed me was from our last date night: “Just finished dinner with her. Can’t wait to see you later.
Every time I’m with her, I realize how much I wish it was you. She means nothing to me.”
I’d worn the blue dress he said he liked because I wanted to look pretty for him.
And I’d actually spent that whole evening thinking how lucky I was, while he texted another woman that I meant nothing.
All that ended after I confronted him at the restaurant where he was on a date with Brittany.
I remember the way his face went white when he saw me and how quickly he dropped her hand.
But the worst part wasn’t catching them together.
It was realizing, as I stood there frozen, that this was the same restaurant where he’d promised me we had a future together.
And when Brittany looked up at me and said, “Oh, you must be so surprised to find us out,” I knew he’d been lying to me the entire time.
I was literally a placeholder for someone else.
This man who thought my dreams weren’t worth anything, who thought I wasn’t worth anything is so different from the man who reminds me daily that I’m not only valuable in my own right, but that I’m worthy of love and he chooses me.
Lucian didn’t just show me what real love looks like—he helped me remember that I’m smart enough to recognize it. My judgment isn’t broken; Nate was just that good at making me doubt what I knew was true.
I drop my purse on the table. “What are you doing in my place?” I demand. Then, to make it clear I don’t approve: “I didn’t invite you.”
“I thought we were friends,” Nate says, flashing that smile that once charmed me and now sets off alarm bells.
I scoff. “Friends? There is no friendship after what you did to me. How did you even get in here?”
He shrugs lazily. “Mrs. Nelson still keeps the spare key in the same hiding spot. Some things never change in this town.”
The casual way he says it makes my skin crawl, like breaking into my home is just another Friday night.
“Breaking and entering. Classy.” I don’t hide the sarcasm in my tone. “You’re right: some things don’t change—like your complete disregard for boundaries.”
A year ago, I would have made excuses for his behavior, twisted myself into knots trying to keep him happy because I was so sad after losing Mom.
Henry circles to stand beside me.
“I saw you won a date with Lucian at the auction.” Nate smirks. “Ironic, isn’t it? After what you said about never dating another athlete.”
“First of all, Lucian is nothing like you,” I say. “And why are you here? I doubt you came all this way just to comment on the auction.”
“Brittany and I broke up,” he says. “That’s why she didn’t bid on me tonight.”
“It seems the Seattle women were only too happy to throw their money away on you,” I say, knowing Nate loves that kind of attention—the bidding war, the girls fighting over him—he eats it all up.
His mouth quirks. “Yes, they were very enthusiastic. But you know I don’t care about that.”
“Really?” I ask. “Because last I checked, you love anything that gets you more attention.”
“I miss seeing you.”
The words feel like fingernails down a chalkboard. “I don’t miss you, Nate. I miss who I was before I met you.”
He flinches a little. “I saw you with him at the festival and it reminded me how much fun we used to have.” His face twists, as if he finally understands what I went through—or pretends to. “It made me realize what I’d lost.”
“What you threw away, you mean,” I correct him.
He looks repentant. Almost.
“Still doesn’t explain why you’re in my kitchen,” I say.
He pushes away from the counter. “I miss you, Neesha. Breaking up with you was a big mistake.”
I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Wow. So now that Brittany’s done with you, you thought you’d just walk back into my life and, what? I’d welcome you with open arms? After you cheated on me?”
“I can’t help that so many women throw themselves at me,” he says, playing the victim card.
I roll my eyes. “Is that supposed to be an apology?”
“No. But seeing you with Lucian Lowe…” His expression hardens.
“Makes you realize what you lost? No, Nate. It makes you want to control something you can’t have anymore. ”
He narrows his eyes, realizing I’m not falling for whatever game he’s playing. “Did he tell you that I’m the reason for those bruises in our last game? I left him exposed.”
“What?” I whisper.
The look on his face tells me he knew Lucian wouldn’t reveal that fact. “You did that to him? You’re supposed to be his teammate.”
“It’s hockey.” Nate shrugs. “Just part of the game.”
“Targeting someone because you’re jealous isn’t part of any game,” I say, my anger surging inside me. “It’s pathetic.”
He pushes off the counter, his eyes narrowing as he strides toward me.
“Pathetic? I’m trying to protect you. Lowe isn’t the man you think he is.
Did you know his father runs Northwest Development & Real Estate, one of the biggest companies on the West Coast?
They build condos, commercial properties, entire neighborhoods—and then sell them through their own real estate firm.
His family is just like that MacDonald guy trying to take over Maple Falls—rich boys controlling things that don’t belong to them. ”
I pause, processing this. “Is that supposed to change how I feel about him? Lucian refuses to work for his father. That’s the difference between you two. Lucian cares about people, but you only care about yourself.”
It’s the most honest I’ve been with him, but it still doesn’t answer the question that’s bothering me all night. “And why did you buy Maple Lake?” I ask. “You don’t care about that place.”
“Ah, but you do.” Something almost cruel flickers across his face. “I’ve got a developer looking at how we could turn it into a commercial property. And guess who I hired to help me?” He pauses. “Northwest Development & Real Estate.”
Lucian’s dad’s company.
That’s when it clicks—Nate is no better than Alexander MacDonald. They see dollar signs where we see home, wanting to strip away everything special and replace it with profit margins. He takes beautiful things and cheapens them. He did it to our relationship, and now he wants to do it to my home.
“Imagine how things could be…” Nate continues, his eyes sliding over me in a way that makes me uncomfortable. “All the good times we had together. We could do it again. You and me. What do you say, baby?”
“Get out,” I say quietly.
“Neesha—”
“No.” I hold up a hand. “I spent months recovering from your betrayal. Months feeling like I wasn’t good enough, like I was something to be ashamed of. And now that I’m finally moving on, you think you can just take over my life again?”
A surge of confidence pulses through me, like Mom is here with me, telling me not to let him control me. “You don’t get to decide what happens to me anymore. You don’t get to manipulate or hurt the people and things I care about.”
“The people you care about?” he scoffs with a bitter laugh. “You barely know Lucian.”
“I know enough,” I say firmly. “I know he shows up. He helps without expecting anything in return.” I move closer, a new power fueling me.
“And I know that you never did. Which is why you need to leave. Now. Before I change my mind and call every single person in this town to tell them exactly what kind of man you really are.”
He stares at me for a second, clearly shocked that I’m not begging him to come back.
“Didn’t you hear me? Leave!” I repeat, louder this time. “Or I’ll call the police and report you for breaking and entering.” I pull out my phone to prove my point.
Nate’s eyes widen, clearly not expecting this new version of me. “You think Maple Falls Police will do anything?”
“If they don’t, I will. And I’m telling everyone what your plans are for Maple Lake.”
He looks livid that I would strip away his power. “What difference will it make? In a few weeks, it’ll already be mine. ”
“Funny, that’s the same approach MacDonald’s lawyer tried. And he was shocked when the town challenged MacDonald’s claims. We’ll do whatever it takes to protect Maple Falls from people who want to destroy its heart.”
I step closer, feeling a reckless courage I didn’t know I had, as if the whole town were rallying behind me.
“You don’t own me anymore, Nate. You never did—you just made me think I was lucky to be chosen by you, when really, you were the one who should have felt lucky.
But there are some things you’ll never have power over.
And I’m done letting men like you ruin everything important to me. ”
For a moment his jaw clenches, before he whirls around and leaves, the door slamming behind him.