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A fresh start in a new place.
With a few old faces.
And a snowboarding legend who stole my heart and then broke it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
WILLOW
A MONTH LATER
I stand in the doorway and watch the moving truck as it pulls away from the curb in front of my new place. The air is cool, and the sky is dark and gray. They say it’s going to snow tonight. But the movers were able to get everything inside before the first flakes fell.
I shut the door and look around. My new place is cute and cozy. There’s a fireplace in the corner. A couch in the middle of the room and a television mounted on the wall. The condo came furnished, which is what I wanted until I can find a house of my own here. I only brought my queen-sized bed with me, along with all my clothes and personal belongings. The rest of my furniture is in storage.
Wyatt and Benji are coming by tomorrow. They’re going to take me around Sullivan’s Way, pointing out all the good neighborhoods and potential houses for sale in the area. It’sgood to have those two here with me. I feel less alone, though the move is overwhelming regardless. But everything has been moving so quickly; I haven’t had time to drown in the enormity of it all.
I spend the next hour unpacking until I’m struck with the need to grab some fresh air. So, I lock the condominium up and drive by the coffeehouse for a latte. Then, I head out to Spring Lake. There are only a few vehicles in the parking lot when I arrive. I park, lock up the vehicle, and walk down the pathway that borders the lake.
It’s quiet today. It’s too cold to paddleboard or wade barefoot into the water like the last time I was here. I pull the beanie down over the tops of my ears and zip my coat up to my chin. I forgot gloves, so I nestle my hands inside my pockets for warmth. The wind is blowing, making it seem colder than it is.
I stop at the bench where Zane and I sat the day we paddleboarded here. Zane’s favorite bench. I sit down and start thinking about that day. I can’t be in this place, in this town, and not think of him. My mind scrolls through the memories we made over the course of those two and a half weeks. And how much fun we had. And I allow myself to miss him for a minute or two. He’s everywhere in these mountains, even when I can’t see him.
The clouds continue to thicken overhead as I gaze at the water and the trees spanning the mountainside across the lake. I don’t know how long I’ve been here when I sense that I’m no longer alone.
“Hey.”
I hear his voice before I see him. My spine stiffens as I turn my head.
“Hey,” I reply, wondering if I manifested him from my thoughts. But the longer I look at him, the more I realize he’s real.
Zane is standing a few feet away, looking like a photograph or a wet dream. He’s wearing a stocking cap on his head and a dark blue coat, the color of his eyes. There’s a layer of scruff across his jaw, making him look ruggedly handsome, like a mountain man. My heart rate ratchets up at the sight of him.
“Can I …” He motions toward the unoccupied seat next to me, oblivious to the effect his appearance has on me.
We haven’t seen each other since that night at Cowboy’s. The night that didn’t end well.
“Of course,” I say, scooting down an inch or two to make room. “I stole your spot.”
He chuckles, but it sounds apprehensive. His smile is still cautious. And I’m nervous.
“How are you?” he asks after settling beside me.
“I’m good,” I say honestly. “Things have been crazy lately.”
“So I’ve heard,” he says.
“What have you heard?”
“That you accepted the urgent care job. That you’re moving here.”
I nod, my eyes on the normally placid lake. The wind is stirring the surface of the water today, creating ripples in it. “That’s all true. I moved into my new temporary place this afternoon.”
“Are you staying in the rental cabin again?”
I shake my head. “No. A condo near the lodge. Not too far from you actually.”
We sit in silence for a few moments until I glance back over at the man next to me. His scent is on the breeze, conjuring up images of the days we spent together, including my time in his bed.
