20. Nash

Chapter 20

Nash

O n my way back to town, I stopped at a pumpkin stand on the side of the road and picked up three good-sized pumpkins and put them in the back of my truck. I want to make everything on their bucket list happen. I wave at the owner as my mind drifts back to when Everly and I were thirteen and fifteen. Everly had the biggest crush on me back then, but she tried to hide it. I chose to redirect her as much as possible. As Hayley’s best friend, I never wanted to make it awkward for any of us. We had a good thing going, and I couldn’t handle not having her in our life. Hayley, Kincaid, Everly, and I were inseparable. We would go big and get into every holiday, and fall was no exception. We carved pumpkins, went to the fall festival in town, and snuck beer behind the beer tent. We all decided that beer tasted and smelled like pee and opted for apple cider instead from the antique apple cider press. We tried to play it cool, but we just weren’t. We would prank and scare each other at the corn maze and ride the floats in the fall parade and throw candy to the kids. The fall carnival was a favorite too. I don’t have many memories without Everly in them. When her dad was home from long-haul trucking, he would be at the pub every chance he got, so she’d end up with us most of the time anyway. I never did like her dad. Most people didn’t, and he wasn’t missed around here when he moved. But Everly has always been loved by just about everyone. A lot of people were happy when she moved back.

I remember Everly telling me when we were about twelve and fourteen that I’d be her boyfriend someday when we were swinging on the big tire out back behind the barn. It was hot, and we were all in bathing suits. Kincaid and I had made a makeshift swimming pool out of the water holes for the cattle. We would swing and try to land in the water. We were eating our Popsicles as fast as we could because they were melting.

I had told her no way and that I’d be single forever. She just looked at me, smiled, and said, “We’ll see.” Then she jumped into the cold water, shrieking. I can still see her smile that day as she was so carefree and happy.

She believed in us back then. It’s not that I didn’t. It’s that I just always knew she was special to me. And I didn’t want to mess it up. Because when you have something that special, you hold on to it with everything you’ve got and make sure you don’t ruin it. I never wanted to ruin things with Everly. I wanted to keep her safe and protected. When she left, I felt helpless, and watching her live as a shell of a person with Richie destroyed me. Now, I’m not leaving her unprotected. If Richie wants to come for her and make things hard, he’s up against me and this town. Because this town won’t let him do that to her—she’s one of us, and we look out for our own. I’ve been talking to as many people as I can about Richie and what he’s been doing, and people aren’t down with that. He’s got a battle in front of him, and I’m building my army. I wouldn’t just protect Everly and Willow, I’d go to battle for them. These past few months of having her back have been good for her and good for the town. She does good work at the library and brings the town together, and people love and respect her. That’s why it’s hard to hear her talk about herself in the texts about how she doesn’t think she belongs here and isn’t good enough. I wish she could see what everyone else sees when they see her.

Stopping by her house on the way to the pub, I unload the pumpkins and position them on her front porch steps so they see them when they come home. I had also grabbed a basket of random assorted gourds and squash that I left by her front door, too. They looked neat, and I thought she’d like them.

When I get back to the apartment, I shower and lean my head against the cool tile as I think of Everly. I hurry to get ready and check in with Marcus, who informed me that we’re having a slow night and that I should come back later to help close. Fine by me, I think as I nab my keys and head back to Everly’s.

I find myself on her porch examining one of the railings when the door opens, and I stand and say, “Porch looks good. ”

She beams, “Thanks, it’s new. Landlord just fixed it. He did a great job.”

I try to keep a straight face as I listen to her tell me about her landlord. I’m going to have to figure out how to come clean with her about this. I can’t keep doing this to her.

She crosses the porch to me, her hands coming up to cup my face as she kisses me softly.

Warmth spreads through me as she wraps her arms around my neck and buries herself in my flannel. “Mmm, you smell good.”

I pull her inside as I see a few of her neighbors out, and our show is not lost on them. Not that I care, but I don’t want to share what we have with anyone just yet.

“Nash!” Willow calls as she looks up from where she’s coloring at the table. The smell of good food hits me as I slide off my boots and pull up a chair next to Willow.

“How are you doing, kiddo?”

“Thank you for the pumpkins. Mom said we can carve them this weekend,” she says excitedly as she scoots her coloring book closer to me and hands me a crayon to join in.

“I thought you’d like that. I saw your fall bucket list and noticed you hadn’t yet crossed off carving pumpkins.” I lift the crayon to shade in a pumpkin on the page.

“I claim the fat round one. That one’s my favorite.”

I look over, and Everly is watching us. Her face is happy and relaxed, her arms are crossed, and she has a small smile on her face as she’s lost in thought.

“What’s for dinner? It smells so good in here,” I say as I meet her eyes, trying to look anywhere but her beautiful curves that make me want to reach out and hold her by the waist.

“Beef and noodles with homemade biscuits,” she says as she reaches for a wooden spoon and stirs the big red pot on her stove.

“Does my offer to come to dinner anytime still stand?” I tease as I watch her bend to put biscuits in the oven. I try to hold back a groan and fail. She turns to look back at me, catching the heat in my eyes and the devilish smirk on my face. Her cheeks flush with delight.

She grins and turns to set the timer, her smile wide as she repeats, “Of course it does. Anytime.”

I notice she has her kitchen decorated for fall and a wreath above her stove. Soft lights are on throughout the house, and a candle that smells like cider burns in the middle of the table.

“How was your day, Nash? What did you do?” Willow asks, her big bright blue eyes that match her momma’s on mine. She looks a lot like Everly did at her age. It’s surreal seeing a mini version of Everly.

“Well, I made some new horseshoes for a few of my clients. Then I had lunch with Hayley. And then I worked on a few horses. Then I picked up some pumpkins and ended up over here.”

“Who are your clients?” she asks, interested and waiting for me to continue as if I just offered the most fascinating information.

“Well, I checked in on Soupy, Sparky, and Batman today. Those were my clients,” I say as I reach for the green pencil to color the pumpkin stem.

“Soupy!” She giggles .

“Yes, Soupy. He’s a red horse with wild hair. I saw him last week, but I brought him a fresh shoe today. He keeps breaking his on his fence. He likes to try to jump the fence, but then he messes up his shoes. He’s a naughty boy.” I try to sound serious.

Willow giggles and colors, her hand knocking into mine. “You’re doing a good job there, buddy,” she tells me.

I chuckle and look over at her. “Thanks, you are too. How was your day?”

“Well, I got up, and Mom made pumpkin muffins. We ate them on the way to school. We got to ride in a new truck. Then I had music today. But I don’t like it. Then we played dodgeball after school, and this guy hit me three times with the ball. You only have to do it once, but he kept doing it. It hurt.”

I stop coloring and say, “What’s this guy’s name?”

“Jayce.”

“What else do you know about this guy?” I ask as I look at Everly.

“He’s eight,” she mouths, trying to hold back a grin. “Don’t kill him.”

“You know, when your mom and I were kids, there was a boy who bullied your mom,” I murmur as I reach for another color.

“What happened to him?” she breathes, her eyes widening in anticipation.

“I ended him.”

“Nash McCreedy, don’t tell her that!” Everly says with mock horror.

“Alright, alright. I didn’t end him. But I… had a talk with him, an d he stopped bullying your mom,” I say as my eyes meet hers over Willow.

It’s unsaid who we’re talking about. But Everly gets it. Her mouth turns up slightly, and she pretends to be busy setting out bowls.

“I’m glad. I don’t want anyone to hurt Mom,” Willow says seriously as she puts her hand on my arm.

“Me either. You know how to get back at Jayce?” I say to her as I hand her the orange.

“What?” she says as her tongue pokes out slightly as she concentrates on coloring.

“Pretend he doesn’t exist. People who are mean only do it because they want a reaction from you.”

“I can do that.” She decides.

“When you stop giving a clown attention, they stop performing,” I murmur.

This gets a giggle out of Willow.

“Yep. No attention for him.”

“That’s good advice,” Everly says, looking relieved that I didn’t teach her how to build a shiv or knock this Jayce kid out.

But the truth is, I hate hearing that anyone messes with them. We ate dinner together and had good conversation, and I could tell Everly was happy. She kept looking at us, and after dinner, I suggested we take a walk, and they agreed. It was a cool night, but it was not raining, so we put on our jackets and headed out.

I reach for Everly’s hand and hold it as we walk. Willow skips ahead of us, collecting various fall leaves and acorns. Her “ treasures,” as she calls them.

“You’re good with her,” Everly says as our hands swing, and I pull her closer to me.

“It’s not hard. She’s a good kid. I like her.” I shrug. I haven’t been around a ton of kids, but I like them.

“It means a lot. She doesn’t really have her dad, so it’s nice that you’re nice to her,” Everly says. She turns to check for coming cars as we cross the street toward the town center where the park is.

“Have you heard from Richie since the library?” I ask.

“Nope.”

“Good,” I say as we watch Willow running to play.

“He has never been there for either of us. I want to choose someone who will be there for us next time.”

“There won’t be a next time,” I told her.

Her eyes meet mine, confused.

“No more next time. This is it,” I say as I bring her hand to mine and kiss her knuckles.

Her eyes soften, and she leans her head on my shoulder.

“Are you going to let me in?” I press, and she knows what I mean. She’s holding back.

She takes a deep breath, and a small smile spreads on her lips. “My patience is basically like a gift card. Not sure how much is left on it, but we can try it.”

I laugh. “Okay, I’ll spend it wisely.”

“Do you remember what you told me that night?” she asks softly .

“What?”

“You said that he wasn’t going to turn around one day and suddenly realize what he has with me. You told me that if he doesn’t want to be with me, I shouldn’t waste my time hoping for him to come around. I didn’t listen, and he never did come around. You were right,” she says quietly.

“I hate that I was. But I’m glad we’re where we are at right now,” I say as Willow hands me leaves that she’s been having me carry for her “collection.”

We head back as the streetlamps blaze and porch lights light up. All three of us hold hands as we get back to Everly’s. I get them settled in and have to check on the pub. I don’t want to leave them, but I loved our time together. I realize that all these jobs I’ve been working will not work now that I have them in my life. I don’t want to work all the time anymore. I want to be with them and make memories. Maybe Hayley and I are both going to have a job realization here soon on what we really want to be doing with our lives. The pub was good for us for a season, but maybe it will be a new season for both of us.

“Thank you for coming and for the pumpkins,” she says softly as she kisses me on the porch.

“Thank you for dinner. Let’s carve them this weekend.”

“Willow will love that.”

She looks like she wants to say more, but I kiss her and say, “Text you later.” I boop her nose with my finger and shut the door softly as she steps inside. I wait for the lock to turn and head back to the pub.