“Love you guys. Let’s talk soon, okay? Enjoy the rest of your dinner. I’ll be sure to send some pictures from the hike tomorrow,” Jade said to wrap up the call.
“We love you, too, sweetie. Be safe and talk soon.” My mom smiled at Jade before hanging up the call and handing Lily back the phone. “I remember when you two and Jade would always be out on some sort of adventure. Hiking, camping, you name it,” Mom added as she looked at me and Cooper with a thoughtful smile.
“She was always looking for the next best thing, the next adventure,” Cooper muttered, grabbing his beer and taking a large gulp to finish the bottle.
I reached over and handed him a new beer, having a gut feeling he needed another drink. Although I couldn’t figure out why.
14
JULIETTE
By the timewe were wrapping up dinner, I was already looking forward to the next one. Even though I was the new guest, I was included and at ease the whole night. Well, at least once we sat down.
It was still hard to believe Wesley was Lily’s brother. Typical small town.
Wes and I didn’t exchange another word the rest of the night, but every so often, I’d feel the weight of his stare. I couldn’t figure out why we didn’t click, or why it wasn’t as easy to be around him as it was the rest of the Richards family.
By the end of the night, I’d even become fast friends with Cooper, who offered to buy me a drink when I stopped by Lake Ridge.
Lake Ridge.The words on the baseball cap Wesley had on that first day clicked into place.
I was slowly starting to see the inner workings of Golden Falls and the various connections between residents. Even though a lot of people passed through during the summer, it was the year-round residents who kept the town going.
Like Wes.
It was easy to see the impact the Richards family had in town. Cooper and Eliza, too.
I wanted to be on good terms with Wesley, but that meant figuring out why we weren’t on good terms to begin with. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get answers to that. Me just being here struck a nerve.
Tonight, I’d come to realize there were a few different sides to Wes. The grumpy side, which I wasveryfamiliar with. The natural, confident side I’d seen out on the dock. The caring side when he tended to my injury at Hal’s. And the quiet, reserved side from tonight.
He didn’t say much during dinner, but he was listening intently the whole time. His eyes softened when he was speaking with Jade over the phone. He refilled his mom’s water glass and got up when his dad needed something. He had that same fondness when talking to Hal.
He loved and cared about his family.
He loved and cared about this town.
Maybe we could have a restart.
I glanced around the yard and caught sight of Wesley walking through the sliding door into the house and carrying a stack of plates from dinner.
Mark was cleaning the grill while Lily and Laura chatted at the table with me. Admittedly, I’d zoned out as I watched Wes enter the house.
When Cooper said he was going to help Mark clean the grill, Lily batted her eyelashes, an angelic smile on her face. “Actually, Mom got ingredients for s’mores if you wanted to get the fire started, Coop.”
Cooper, Laura, and I burst out in laughter.
“Go ahead and start the fire, Cooper. I’ll go help Mark while Lily delegates.” Laura chuckled with a shake of her head.
“Your future husband is in for a treat, let me tell you,” Cooper said with an amused huff as he stood from his seat. I assumed he had a lot of years under his belt of being bossed around by both Lily and his own sister. He made his way down the wooden steps over to the stone firepit Laura and Mark had in their yard below the patio.
“If he even exists! At this rate, I’ll be single forever,” Lily called out, letting out a sigh. She turned her attention back to me. “I love it here, but the dating pool is slim to none. Most of the guys I’ve either known forever, went on a date and it didn’t work out, or they don’t like cats. And, yes, that is a dealbreaker!” Lily made a face as she shook her head. “I’ll have to visit you in Chicago after the summer. Maybe I’ll find a nice, hot city guy with a cat.”
I grinned. “Love that idea. I’ll see who I can find for you.”
“I’m holding you to it,” Lily said with a smile of her own. “I’m going to grab the graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.”
I quickly shook my head. “You stay here. I’ll go grab them. Need anything else from inside?”
