Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

HALLIE

A week passed, and I figured it was a good time to find the waterfall again. Packing some snacks, a sketch pad, and a book, I thought I’d be prepared in case I needed to wait a little while as I hoped the mystery guy would show back up. My confidence in seeing him again was strong. Not that I could understand why I felt that way. I put one of my bathing suits under my shorts and t-shirt and grabbed a towel from the linen closet to stuff into my backpack.

It took me nearly two hours to find the clearing again. At one point early on, I’d taken a wrong turn, confusing myself, but I’d finally gotten on the right track. It was a relief when I heard the rush of water up ahead. Checking my watch, it was nearly 12 o’clock, and my stomach rumbled. Coming out of the trees, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight.

The clearing was silent and picturesque as it had been the first time I’d been here. The water cascading down the rocks was soothing and welcoming. Maybe I’d been too hasty in judging this place before. In so many ways, New York could not compete with the beauty of this place. My stomach rumbled again, and I decided even if I was going to be here alone, I’d make the most of it. I’d packed a light blanket in my backpack and placed it on the ground. Settling onto the cloth, I fished out two zip locked bags: one with a ham and cheese sandwich and the other with Kettle chips. Grabbing my bottled water, I crossed my legs and uncapped the beverage and took a large swig. The day was hot and sitting in the direct sun was not the best. I’d have to remember to bring my NY Yankees baseball cap and sunglasses. My maternal grandfather had given me the Yankees baseball hat when I turned 12. I’d never been a baseball fan, it was far too boring, but the hat reminded me of him. It was a blessing I’d remembered to douse my body in sunscreen, and I was happy I’d packed the lotion because I was going swimming. The Williams’ could just kiss my ass. I had no idea what criminal meant to my father because the Williams’ could have that label because of what happened to Flora or maybe they were into shady shit. It was anyone’s guess, but I could admit to myself that I’d like to see the beautiful boy again.

After I’d finished my lunch, I stuffed the trash back into my backpack. First order of business was to swim, cooling off would help me think of what to do next. Maybe I’d go to town tomorrow and ask around. Surely someone in Willow Springs would talk to me about the Williams clan. It occurred to me after I stepped into the heavenly water that maybe I should have waited an hour, but honestly, I wasn’t sure I believed in that anyway. The pool was so refreshing, and the noise of the water lulled me into a lazy haze as I floated on my back.

Was that why people lived in places like this? Was the tranquility what kept people out of the big cities? Before coming to this place, I would have never thought of living anywhere but New York City. I wasn’t completely convinced that leaving for good was really for me, but it took me a little by surprise that each day I spent here made me more open to the possibility. I’d have to call my mother soon. She was a firm believer in me checking in, but not necessarily willing to call me herself. When I’d first told her I’d contacted my father she’d been so upset, she’d taken to her bed for several days refusing to talk to me. One thing you could count on was Macey Chandler making a mountain out of a molehill. Her dramatics often made me wonder why she'd never pursued acting. Instead, she owned her own business, party planning for the Upper East Side. The Chandler’s were from old money, somewhere back in the past, my great x 2 grandmothers family had made its fortune in the shipping business. My grandfather further expanded the fortune as a stockbroker. So, between me announcing I was spending the summer in Willow Springs, and my mother dealing with the aftermath of whatever investments had depleted our family funds, I knew my mother was likely not a happy camper. Her poor staff were probably cursing me. Not only was I absent this summer, having worked in her office since I turned 14, but I always had a knack for distracting my mother, often diffusing her biggest rants. It took a lot to satisfy her.

Rustling caught my notice, and I stopped floating and maneuvered so I could touch the bottom of the natural pool.

“You lost?” His accented voice called to me, and I kept myself from smiling. The last thing I needed was him thinking I was here for him.

“Hardly!” I spoke. My tummy might be fluttering with nerves and my pulse pounded a little stronger in my neck, but no way was I giving away the fact that this boy was hot as hell.

“Before you decide to run off this time, can you at least give me your name?”

“What makes you think I’d bother giving you, my name? I heard we can’t be friends,” I said, daring him to tell me more about this apparent bad feeling between the Michaelson's and Williams clans.

“I’d rather not keep calling you “hey you” while we hang out!” The cocky boy smirked as he took off his t-shirt. I tried not to stare too hard, but it was difficult to make myself look away from him. I don’t mind saying I was disappointed when he didn’t take the shorts he was wearing off. As he got closer to the pool, I realized he was wearing swim trunks.

“Wow, isn’t that a little presumptuous, who said I wanted to hang out with you?” I said, starting to feel a little flirty.

“I come here almost every day and I’m guessing, even though you took your sweet time, you plan to come again too. I’m Dylan, by the way!” He said, fully immersing himself into the pool as I backpedaled my feet. I’d be damned if I was going to just fall at his feet.

“Well, I see no reason not to enjoy this place. It’s lovely. Besides, it feels pretty remote, and I can’t possibly be bothering anyone here,” I said, standing still as Dylan did the same.

“Oh, you definitely bother me, but not for the reason you meant,” he smirked.

I could feel my cheeks heat and hated that I was probably blushing a little at his suggestion. I bothered him in a good way.

“My name is Hallie Chandler. I’m from New York,” I said to steer the conversation to more mundane topics, my nerves were fluttering as if a gang of butterflies were warring in my stomach.

“It’s nice to meet ya Hallie, you’ve really turned up the gossip mill in town this summer,” Dylan said as he swam around me toward the waterfall.

“Oh really, that’s news to me!” I spoke.

“Well, what fun would it be if someone actually told you they were talking about you! You have for sure revived the place.” Dylan smiled widely as he continued to circle around me. I couldn’t say I disliked his penetrating gaze. How was I feeling so comfortable with someone I didn’t really know? It had to be more than how wildly attracted I was to him.

“Do you take anything seriously?”

“Only when I have to,” Dylan said, “so how long do you plan to stay? I heard your daddy was floored when he got your call.”

“How the hell would that detail have gotten out?” I frowned.

“Don’t fret, someone heard it and probably told that one person, etc. It’s small-town life.”

“I wouldn’t know, this is my first small town,” I said, backing away to sit on the ledge.

“Ah, yeah, city slicker, and to think I thought that was just in the movies,” Dylan laughed.

Rolling my eyes, I ignored that and said, “what’s the deal between our families?”

Dylan was quiet for a minute, for the first time looking pensive, which didn’t suit him at all. His smile lit up his entire face and without even a small lift of his lips, he looked strange, definitely not himself. Maybe I was just being weird, since how the hell would I know something like that about someone I’d never spent any time with. I shivered a little when I realized I wanted to know a whole lot more about him.

When he finally spoke, I wondered why he was being so vague, what was the big deal?

“Our families are rich in land and have been for a long time. There’s bound to be some misunderstandings in that past.”

“Okay, sure, but that doesn’t really answer my question, dude.”

“Dude, huh!” He laughed and got closer splashing water in my direction.

“Is it about Flora Michaelson Williams?”

“Look at you, Hallie, knowing your local lore!” Dylan smirked and came to sit near me, the ledge extending in a wide arc under the surface of the water.

“You don’t think David Williams killed his wife?”

“No idea! No one alive knows for sure. It’s not something I spend time thinking about.” Dylan said and splashed water again, this time close enough to get me in the face.

I slapped my arm down into the water hard and watched as it contacted Dylan’s front.

“Oh, the tigress wants to play, I see.” Dylan laughed and moved toward me, grabbing my calf and submerging me in the water.

When the let go, I kicked and got some distance, before I could turn around to face him again, I felt his arms come around me from behind. I tensed, but it didn’t dissuade him from letting go and he put his chin on my shoulder. The gesture was sweet and far too intimate given the short time we’d known each other. But before I could make a fuss, he’d moved away. He swam all the way across the pool to the shallower end and got out. My disappointment was strong and confusing considering I’d just wanted to yell at him to let me go.

“Where are you going?”

“Sorry lovely Hallie, but I’ve got things to do before I get to work.”

“Where do you work?”

“I manage the Boilermaker in Asheville. I like to bartend, so I work a lot of night shifts,” he said as he grabbed his t-shirt from the ground.

“Wow, that’s interesting,” I said, not really knowing what to say, but it was impressive, nonetheless.

“You look puzzled, what’s up?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, but I was thinking we were about the same age,” I said, feeling a bit unsure of myself.

“I’m 25,” Dylan said with an expectant look.

“I just turned 22 in May,” I answered.

“Stop by the bar if you're feeling it sometime.”