She looked to her father for an answer as he handed her a slice of the blueberry goodness.
“I’m not sure they’ve had it before,” he answered before divvying out his own piece.
“Well, it’s a great time to try something new then, since you’ve moved to a new town and all.”
The little girl looked skeptical as she squished up her face, distorting her features.
“Why don’t you eat your pie? If I can make something this good, imagine what I can do for dinner.”
It didn’t take long for them to fall into a sweet pie haze. Wordlessly, I cleaned up the mess I made while baking and slipped out of the kitchen through the mudroom. I’d kill for a chance to head to my parents’ house and work in the garden, but I needed to stay here and make sure the guests didn’t need anything.
I found my way over to the large oak tree. Autumn insisted the construction crew kept it in place during the restoration of the farmhouse. Amongst the fields, the tree offered a cool respite from the heat of Tennessee summers.
A small wooden swing dangled from one massive branch, and I settled myself onto it. It was just low enough that I could rock myself with the toe of my shoe. I rested my head on one of the ropes that held the swing up and closed my eyes. The only sound was the leaves rustling above me, and it transported me to heaven. It wasn’t often you could escape the noise and chatter of Ashfield, despite what people thought of small towns. Whether it was gossip or farming equipment, there was always some sort of racket, but here in this space, there was nothing but tranquility.
I could see why Autumn savored it so. After living in New York City for the previous five years, her mind must have been overloaded with noise.
After a while, I expected to hear the girls, but Nate must have put them to work unpacking.
Nate—or as I knew him, Nathaniel. That’s what he told me to call him at the bar, and though I thought it fit the well-suited man I met today, he seemed more like a Nate once he dressed down.
The man rocked my world that night and did things I’d only read about in the romance novels we chose for our town’s book club. But just as quickly as he followed me up to my apartment above the bar, he dashed away. I left to go close up the bar around 4:00 a.m., when I knew the staff was finishing their cleaning routine. When I returned, my bed was bare.
Normally, I was the one to kick them out before the sun rose, and maybe that was why his disappearance bothered me so much. It was just as well though. I only ever had one-night stands. The one and only time I committed myself to someone, it changed my entire life.
Subconsciously, I straightened my spine and tightened my core at the thought of Stephen. Someone who crossed my mind one time too many today. He was the end of all my dreams, all my happily ever afters. The man was a walking villain with the smile of a saint.
More minutes passed, hours, before I realized my bottom and shoulders ached. After a quick glance at my watch, I saw it was close enough to dinnertime to get it ready for the guests. At least it was something to keep my mind off Stephen, Nate, and all the ways I was lost in the world. My problem was that I knew exactly what I wanted. I just didn’t know quite how to get there, or if it was even possible.
It felt like I was walking in a haze as I approached the back of the house. Stepping through the mudroom, I saw there was no trace of the pie I made earlier on the kitchen counter, nor were there any dishes to be put away. It seemed Nate cleaned up after himself and his girls.
As I gathered the ingredients for dinner—nothing fresh, but I planned to change that in the future—my phone buzzed in my pocket.
Andrew: Everyone settled in okay?
It wasn’t until I read the message for the third time that I realized something catastrophic.
I slept with Andrew’s best friend, and I hadn’t even known it.
“Oh, shit,” I mumbled as my fingers shook over the keyboard.
Me: Can’t you ask him?
Andrew: He didn’t reply. He never has his phone. The girls usually steal it.
Me: He’s all settled. I made them Mom’s blueberry pie.
Andrew: No way! Any left?
Me: Doubtful.
Andrew: Mom and Dad want him to come over for family dinner tomorrow.
Me: I’ll relay the message.
The bubbles on the screen appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again.
Andrew: Keep an eye on him for me, all right? He’s been through a lot.
