Nights like these were among April’s favorites. Her friends were her foundation, that was for sure. She’d met Crystal first; it had taken too long to find an apartment, and she’d had to move the day before she was supposed to start work. She’d been exhausted by midnight, which wound up being the time of day she’d had to go grocery shopping so she could pack a lunch and have breakfast the following morning. But of course, she had forgotten her wallet. And of course, Crystal was there and kind enough to cover the cost for her.
April had thanked Crystal profusely and explained that she was new in town.
“So, what are you doing here in boring old Summit Falls?” Crystal had asked.
“I’m a nurse,” April had explained. “I transferred to the local urgent care clinic.”
“No way!” Crystal shouted, and the store clerk gave her a scathing look until she grabbed April by the arm and led her out of the store. “I work there, too,” she said. “What a mad coincidence.”
Later, Crystal introduced her to Nathan, telling him the story of how they met. He just shook his head. “That’s fate. Destiny even. There’s no such thing as coincidences. We’re either bound to be an all-star team, or we’re doomed to destroy each other. Either way, it’ll be way less boring around here.”
And that was how they became best friends. April couldn’t imagine her life in town any other way. If she hadn’t met them, she probably would have given up on Summit Falls and moved back to the big city just to stave off the loneliness. But she had met them, and they had become the all-star team Nathan predicted. Whether or not they were still doomed to destroy each other remained to be seen.
If she couldn’t even stand the thought of living in Summit Falls without her friends, how did Cal live in even more solitude without any friends at all? The thought made her so sad for him. But what if she was projecting her own feelings onto him? Not everyone was the same. Maybe he and Owen thrived in solitude. Then again, when she thought of Owen’s excited face from that day at the library, she doubted that could be completely true. Everyone needed a little friendship in their lives, especially children.
Crystal returned to the table after leaving to get them all a second round. In addition to the drinks, she had a whole sampler platter of appetizers. “It’s been that kind of day,” she said when Nathan arched an eyebrow at her.
Nathan shook his head. “A cheat-on-your-diet kind of a day.”
“What diet?” April said with a laugh as Crystal set the drinks and tray on the table.
“Yeah,” Crystal echoed, sliding into the booth, “what diet? We don’t need no stinking diets.” She pounded a fist on the table in dramatic fashion and grabbed a cheese stick. “Anyway, you’re welcome to share it, but if you don’t want to, I’m happy to inhale the whole platter.” That was far from true, they knew, but no one called her out on it.
April snagged a fried zucchini and dipped it in the sauce. “Oh, I’m sharing. Nathan can diet all by himself.”
“Attagirl,” Crystal said. “Show that man how we maintain our squishiness.”
April nodded. “It’s hard work keeping this figure so soft.”
“You’re both hilarious.” Nathan grabbed his own cheese stick and stuffed it into his mouth without any sauce at all. “Fine, but I doubt I’ll be able to put on any softness, being the born-cactus man that I am.”
“Ah, no, you’re not.” April leaned over and squeezed her friend. “You’re an absolute cupcake of a man, and you won’t convince me otherwise.”
Everyone at the table laughed, and Crystal added the question that April didn’t see coming. But honestly, she should have.“Speaking of cupcake boys,” she said with a wink, “how’s our sexy lumberjack and his adorable kid doing?”
April completely failed to fight her blush when she answered. “They’re doing really well. Owen, the kid, is feeling much better. I told them I didn’t need to come back again, and they invited me to lunch anyway. It was really sweet.” She smiled at the memory.
“Did you go?” Nathan asked.
“Well, obviously she went,” Crystal answered on April’s behalf. “If a handsome woodsman offers to give you free food, you sayyes. Everyone knows that.”
Nathan conceded. “Can’t argue with that.”
“So, we agree,” Crystal said. “You went to lunch, and how did it go?”
April sipped her beer and thought back. “It was fun,” she said. “They’re both really sweet. Their house is this cabin in the woods. It’s like… some kind of paradise. I wished I never had to leave while I was there. It was so relaxing.”
“Snag him and you can stick around,” Crystal suggested.
Nathan elbowed her. “Don’t be weird, Crys.”
“Who’s being weird? I’m just saying. A man and his property are a package deal. Grab one and get the other as a bonus.” Crystal had always been the edgy one in the group. April admired her candor, but she wasn’t entirely with her on this one.
“That place was great as a getaway,” she said, “but I don’t think I could live there. It was just so lonely, honestly. Beautiful but lonely. I mean, I don’t think that kid ever sees anyone. He’s happy enough and super thoughtful and smart. Can’t fault hisfather where parenting is concerned, but don’t kids need social practice? I always thought that was an important part of growing up.”
“It is,” Crystal agreed. “Is the kid going to be homeschooled?”
April shrugged. “I’d guess so, but I think it would be a mistake. He’s clearly an extrovert, unlike his father.” She paused to eat a little and couldn’t keep from smiling to herself. “I did convince them to go to story time at the library last week.”
