15. Nash

15

NASH

" I t's been a while," I say as I drag my thumb across my jaw, unsure of what else to say.

Keats has a smirk laced with confidence that makes even me uneasy, and I've had my fair share of rumbles on the ice. "It has, since you vanished as fast as a breeze after the funeral. Not sure you even spoke to anybody, including my grieving sister."

I take a sharp breath, tamping down the urge to snap back. "Summer didn't mention that you would be in town."

He hasn't blinked once due to his unwavering thoughts. "She isn't aware that I'm here. I thought I would visit to check up on her and my nephew. If I told her my plans, then she would just protest and say she's fine," he explains, and it feels as though we are already in a stare-off.

"I'm sure she'll…"

"A word." Keats indicates with his head to follow him as he brushes past me. Dread hits me, as nothing about Keats feels promising when it comes to me. He turns when we are out on the veranda with rocking chairs. "She mentioned that you moved in temporarily. "

"I did. It was Zac's request."

He scoffs. "I'm sure it's only causing more turmoil for my sister."

I stand tall, and my nose rises slightly to square off. "Why would you say that?"

He seems humored by me. "The thing is… Summer and your brother were always close. They made sense and had a good marriage with a beautiful baby. You? You're like a tornado rolling into town and uprooting my sister's life. So, I don't care what the fuck was in your brother's mind about this little arrangement, but I can guarantee that Summer is not getting space to process and grieve."

Gently I shake my head in disbelief. "What is it that you hate about me so much? You've made no effort to hide it."

Keats's eyes grow into saucers in surprise. "You were a cocky asshole already when you played varsity hockey, but that's not the issue. I'm not an idiot. Ever since the car crash when you were driving, my sister could barely muster your name for the past few years, and now suddenly you appear in photos of Bo with pumpkins. So yeah, sorry if brother bear is here to check up."

Licking my lips, I can understand where he's coming from, which is odd, as it's not exactly in my favor. "You're kind of being an ass considering it's my brother who passed."

Keats pauses for a second, a small dose of regret showing in his eyes. "I'm… sorry. I'm just worried about Summer. She's always been one to appear okay on the outside while breaking on the inside."

I couldn't agree more, and I hate that she and I are an unsettling feeling of right and wrong. Swallowing, I do my best to be careful with my words. "I'm doing my best to look out for her. To ensure she and Bo are okay."

There is skepticism written all over Keats's face as he leans against the pillar and crosses his arms. "I'm seriously wondering how that's working."

Glancing up, I'm still uneasy of what exactly Keats's theory may be in his head, but I'm going to bury it and do what is best for Summer. "I think it's a good idea that you let Summer know you're in town, and I'm sure you must be excited to see Bo, too."

"Very true." He tugs up his sleeve to peek at his watch. "Since you're living with my sister, then I'm sure you can confirm that Bo still goes to bed around seven, which means I need to get a move on to see them."

My jaw tightens. "Schedule confirmed."

Keats strolls away slowly, patting my shoulder in passing. "I'm only being an ass because it's my sister on the line, and I worry about her." There is honesty in his voice, which I do appreciate.

Still, just as he has doubts about me, I have misgivings about his presence.

Bo sits on Keats's knee, and they stare at one another. "You're getting big too fast. Slow it down."

I'm observing from the sofa with a beer in hand. Summer does seem happy as she sits on the floor near them. "Or you're just not visiting him enough, Mr. Bigshot Lawyer?"

Her brother gives her a pointed look in jest. "I'm not complaining about that title."

"Sure, but I don't see any women trailing behind you, so you may need to work on a few qualities," Summer teases.

Keats quirks his lips at Bo. "Did you hear that? Your mommy is being mean. "

"That's the whole point of being a sibling, to watch out and call you out when needed."

Keats's eyes sharply dagger my gaze. Summer's innocent sentence has way too much meaning.

Clearing my throat, I divert us. "The Chinese food should be here soon."

Summer skims a quick look at me before returning to wiggling Bo's feet playfully. "It's the easiest, plus you don't need to cook."

"Sounds like you two have a routine down to the T."

Summer slides her eyes between her brother and me, uncertain how to answer. "Kind of happens when you're living together." She shrugs.

"Well, I'm here for a few days while a crew finish renovations at my house in Everhope, so I can help you out if needed. Stock up on Halloween candy or something ridiculous. Do you need me to check out that sink you were complaining about?" her brother offers, even though he's probably the last person to be able to fix a sink. His life is law and overworking.

"Oh, well, Nash already fixed the sink and bought all the candy we need when we were at the store." Summer smiles, still unaware that her brother wants to roast me.

"All is well," I direct my sentence to only Keats, as Summer focuses on Bo.

His cheeks twitch with his eyes darkening. "Seems so."

"It's really great that you're back in Lake Spark for a visit. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen you," she mentions.

Keats bounces Bo on his knee and plays with his little arms. "I'll be around more as I will handling legal for the Spinners. Anyhow, you know I'm always just a phone call away, and I should have visited more, but you were kind of persistent that having space to return to normalcy has been helping."

Summer looks in my direction for a millisecond. "I thought so," she says softly.

A silence overcomes us as we all accept the fact that Summer had it all wrong.

Keats thinks she's admitting to needing more support.

And I believe it's because she needs me.

Keats wanders his eyes around him then picks up the stuffed monkey. "This is the weirdest monkey ever."

"It's a proboscis monkey," I clarify.

Summer snorts a laugh. "Nash got it for Bo when he was born, and Bo won't sleep without it."

Yet again, Keats shoots his eyes between Summer and me.

Luckily, I'm saved by the doorbell. "I'll get that."

"We'll head into the kitchen," Summer says and already begins to shuffle on the floor.

I head to the door and answer to collect the bag of food. I double-check the receipt stapled to the paper bag to ensure that we have the right order, thank the delivery man with a tip, and make my way to the kitchen where Summer is buckling Bo into his chair.

"Mashed avocado?" I ask her, and she throws me an appreciative look as I set the food on the table. Like our normal routine, I grab an avocado from the fruit bowl and get to work on getting Bo's plate ready.

"Oh, can you get his bib? I think the blue one is clean," she requests.

Picking up the bib by the sink, I raise it in the air. "Got it."

I can't help noticing that Keats is studying us intently as Summer and I work together in our new rhythm that is our evening routine. It's a minute later when we're settled at the table.

"Make yourself useful and unpack the boxes," Summer goads her brother.

They've always been close in their own sort of way. As much as Keats's sharp stare is unnerving, he's making Summer appear lighter today. She's smiling more than normal.

"How's Everhope?" I'm putting in the effort to make conversation.

At last, Keats seem to ease. "I think I like it. My house is almost ready, and right now my neighbor's house is empty, so I have extra privacy. Someone won't be moving in for another few months. There is a lot of space in my house, too. A few bedrooms too many, and I'm desperate for a houseguest with a baby. Hint, hint."

Summer is busy loading her plate and doesn't look up. "You've mentioned a few times."

"You already turned down my offer to move out of Lake Spark for a change of scene," he reminds Summer.

Her tongue darts to the corner of her mouth. "I have this house, and Zac would have wanted me to live here. I can't run. It won't change that he's gone."

The air evaporates from the room, and the only sound is in the background, Bo making muffled noises with his spoon.

I bring my hand to rest on the nape of my neck, realizing that when I least expect it something slices into me. It seems that this is one of those times.

"Summer." His voice is near authoritarian because he noticed that Summer's mood dropped. Keats places his hand on her arm to comfort her. "It's okay. It will get better." She rips her arm away from his grasp and abruptly stands to leave the table and flee the room .

Keats immediately sighs and realizes his error. "I should go fin?—"

"No. I'll do it," I cut in, and my palm indicates for him to stay put. To my surprise he seems to agree.

Leaving Bo and Keats in the kitchen, I don't need to search where Summer is as I know she's upstairs, probably pacing in front of Bo's room. That's her spot when she's upset. I skip steps to get to her faster, and despite her back to me, I already know when she turns that tears will be pooling in her eyes.

"Summer."

"Nash." I don't even get a chance to view her face before she buries into my chest with my arms looping around her.

"He was just trying to help."

Her quiet cry is killing me, and her puffy eyes that slides up to me don't help. "I know. He's always done everything to be there for me. I just feel guilty because the only thing that seems to be helping is..." She hiccups a sniffle. "You."

I soothe her back and bring her to my chest. Her favorite pillow, even if it's soaked in tears. Kissing the top of her head, I'm conflicted, too. "We're figuring it out," I assure her.

"He wouldn't see it that way. It's a constant battle of following what everyone expects but wanting to scream that there is another way that's helping me. Gluing tiny pieces together. It's fucked up too, because it's only been a few weeks since you've been here, and we were quick to fall into one another's arms."

My body tightens, reminding myself that I'm in this with her, and we'll unravel to where we are supposed to end up. "Summer, you just have to… Our little world, remember that, okay? For now, that's what helps, and in time it might make sense."

Summer reluctantly nods and grips my shirt to ensure she can't let go with our eyes, confirming that we need one another.

The sound of steps startles Summer, and she steps back to smooth her hair.

"Sorry." Her brother is holding Bo and seems to struggle with words. "Bo seems to need a new diaper."

Summer wipes away a tear with her wrist. "I'll just take him straight to bed. It's time anyway. Besides, I'd rather do that than listen to you grill me about why I'm crying."

Keats hands over the baby to Summer with sympathy etched on his face. "I was going to let you off the hook tonight. Plus…" His eyes brush a quick glance in my direction. "It seems you don't need me for that."

Protectively, Summer holds Bo tight to her body and kisses his cheek. "Just go downstairs and eat before it gets cold."

"Stop being a pain in my ass and not eating your dinner. It's not even peas, it's a warm eggroll calling your name," he rebuffs.

Keats is fond of her, and their back-and-forth is something that Zac and I used to have. Maybe a twinge of jealousy hits me that Summer still gets that with someone.

We both let Summer escape, and Keats and I share a look of understanding.

We even sit in silence while we attempt to eat. I guess we'll be adding more leftovers for tomorrow.

"Be honest with me. You and Summer are more than roommates." His eyes remain fixed on his fork, playing with his food. "It's obvious."

I collapse in my chair because apparently my body was tense walking on eggshells.

He continues, "Here's the thing. If it helps her smile again, then fine. But just remember that it's easy for her to be confused right now. Once the cloud clears, then what?"

Biting my inner cheek, I'm doubting whether I'm in the hot seat or being offered an olive branch. "What if she is the one also clearing my cloud?" I challenge.

It grabs Keats's attention, and he doesn't blink as our eyes meet. He doesn't answer me. Instead, he stands. "Tell Summer that I'll see her tomorrow morning for breakfast at the Dizzy Duck."

"Okay," I promise.

"Just her and me." His tone is short.

I stay quiet and give him a weak salute as he walks past me, before both of my hands come to my face, and I laugh bitterly to myself.

We sit in the middle of the bed with Summer's legs wrapped around me as she sits in my lap. I can't stop caressing her cheek, her scar, her hair, brushing kisses everywhere I can without breaking our embrace. We're naked and tied up with a blanket around our middle; it seems like we've been here for a long time, and perhaps we have.

Summer drops her head to my shoulder. "Tell me something happy."

"Hmm, where should I begin?"

"A memory."

My lips stretch as I recall one. "You used to love these chips, sour cream and onion. It was after one of my game days at the end of the season, and we were going to watch a movie on my couch. I think we were making out or something, but when you laid back, there was a bag of your chips, and you completely flattened them. Your back was covered in that sour-cream-and-onion smell. It was all over my sofa, and it took like weeks to get that smell out. Your shirt was completely ruined and had to go into the washing machine." I chuckle under my breath.

She smiles against my skin. "Then you gave me one of your shirts to wear and… it was the same one you gave me when I was eighteen. You didn't even realize."

"I guess I didn't. Just habit, maybe."

Her lips drag along the curve of my shoulder. "This is a horrible idea. Memory lane keeps us swirling back to the idea of a different road."

My fingers draw lazy circles on her back. "Fine. Holden suggested I apply to be the new hockey coach at Lake Spark Academy."

Immediately, she giggles a laugh. "That's funny," she sputters out. "I just can't see you hanging around your old stomping ground and dealing with high-strung parents. Besides, would you even pass the background check? You literally pulled a prank every week when you were there."

"Hey, filling the principal's office with a bubble machine was a smart idea… we just underestimated the soap residue not coming off wood so easily."

She squeezes and shakes my shoulder. "You got away with so much shit. No way were they going to get rid of you. They needed your skills to win regionals."

"When you have a gift, use it," I say cockily.

"I made a cake and dropped a beer bottle cap into the batter. Only realized that after it was in the oven."

I laugh. "Oh yeah, in high school. We decided it was either break the cake open or eat it and see who got the lucky piece. You ended up with the bottle cap slice."

"It was a good luck charm and saved my ass from my parents discovering it. I think Keats had a party or something. I'm not sure, but we said whoever got the piece was lucky."

"You are. It just seems blurry right now."

Summer's lips press together, but she doesn't answer. I shouldn't have said that. It's all wrong.

I take her with me when I lie back down. "You're going to be okay tomorrow with your brother?"

"It's fine. If things feel like they're going south, I will just shove a croissant into my mouth."

"Just stay clear of the pumpkin-shaped platter." Her face turns perplexed. "It means there is an edible ghost shape somewhere in the vicinity."

She seems to think that I'm being ridiculous, and I am joking, partly. Summer bops my nose with hers. "Aren't you cute."

"Some of the time. Others would say that I'm grumpy or an ass the rest of the time."

"That's okay. Only I get to see your other side, which is good, as it involves a lot of commands and lack of clothing." Her sexy look is going to get us in trouble, but her eyes soften. "You have a side that surprises me as much as you. You're not the same anymore. Just seeing you with Bo I realize that."

I wrap my arms firmly around her. "And when it comes to you? Am I the same?"

It's a long silence then a sigh. "No. We've been dealt a hand in life that has made us resilient, and it only works if we have one another. It's as exhilarating as it is scary."

"Tunnels. You go in one side and leave the other. Sometimes you don't know what's on the other side."

Except I do. And if Summer is scared, then she might be petrified.