Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

Josie

Professor job openings near Laurel Lake.

Nine days later, I found myself on Google, typing in words I couldn’t believe I was typing on an early Sunday morning. But after the incredible week Fox and I’d had, I was starting to think about the possibilities. What was keeping me tied to New York now anyway? Six months ago, I would have said my fiancé, Nilda, and my career. But with Noah out of my life and Nilda moving, the only real tether I had was my job. And even that I was no longer certain was right for me. I had a few good friends, but they either worked a lot like me or were starting a family. Even my best friend, Chloe, who still lived near my mom’s house in New Jersey, I didn’t see more than once or twice a year. Sometimes I went out for happy hour with colleagues from work, or a friend from my building, but none of those people kept me anchored to New York.

I sipped my coffee and scrolled through the search results. Halfway down the first page, after an absurd amount of ads for online colleges, was a link to Rehnquist University. They had a pharmacology program, so I clicked and maneuvered to the school’s job openings page. I scrolled to almost the end, stopping when I found an interesting post: Adjunct Professor of Pharmacological Sciences (Tenure Track). Reading the description, the position required candidates to have an MD or PhD, along with three years of research experience. It started in the fall, and there was still almost two weeks until the deadline to apply.

I stared at the screen for a long time. But when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, I promptly shut my laptop. Fox had been in the shower.

He walked over and kissed the top of my head before motioning to my Mac. “Something you don’t want me to see?”

“Uh, no. I was just looking at a job posting.”

Fox walked to the coffeemaker and opened the cabinet above it. He looked over at the mug in my hands. “You need a refill?”

“No, I’m good.”

He went about fixing his coffee, then sat down across from me at the table and raised his mug to his lips. “You’re changing jobs?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure. It’s something I’ve been thinking about.”

“Because of what happened?”

“No. Well, not entirely, I guess. I’m good at what I do, and I make a great salary, but I think there are other careers that might be more fulfilling. Ones with less stress, too.”

“Is there something specific you think you’d like better?”

“I’ve always toyed with the idea of teaching, being a professor. I was a TA for organic chemistry in college. It’s a subject most students really struggle with, so they resort to memorization rather than actually learning the subject. I loved when I was able to get students to dive in with me and fall in love with science.”

Fox smirked.

“What?”

“I would’ve tried to fuck you in college, if you were my TA.”

I chuckled. “Anyway, it’s just something I’m thinking about.”

“Where was the position you were looking at?”

Shit. Fox and I had definitely moved into relationship territory, but I wasn’t sure how he’d react to me looking at jobs down here. So I told a little white lie. “I’m not sure. I was mostly looking at the requirements.”

Fox looked at me over his mug as he sipped. From the way his eyes squinted, I got the feeling maybe he’d seen the website. But if he had, he didn’t say so.

A few minutes later, he set his mug in the sink. “I’m going to take a ride over to Lowell’s to pick up some new base moldings. The old ones are shit and don’t go with the new floor.”

Fox had spent his entire Saturday installing new flooring in my kitchen and living room. Well, technically not the entire day since we’d wound up having sex when he was halfway through. But I didn’t want him to spend Sunday working, too. He needed a break.

“You’ve done enough. You need at least one day of rest.”

“Won’t take long. Two or three hours, at most.”

“Alright, but I’m helping, and I’ll take the ride with you.”

“You wanted to take a walk around the lake to look for Daisy. Why don’t you do that while I’m gone getting supplies? It’s gonna be hot today, so you’re better off doing that early.”

I had wanted to look for her. I’d picked up a pair of binoculars earlier in the week and thought she might be near the state park, across the lake, but I wasn’t sure. Opal had told me about a trail on the other side that ran along the water. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Alright then.” I pointed out the back windows, to the lake beyond. “Do you know where the trail starts on the other side?”

He nodded. “It’s on my way. I’ll drop you.”

Twenty minutes later, I hopped down from Fox’s truck. I had my hand on the door to close it when he stopped me.

“Hey. Hang on a second.”

“Yeah?”

“Rehnquist is a good school, about a twenty-five-minute drive.” We locked eyes, and he smiled. “Knowing you, you’ll be doing some deep thinking while you’re walking on that trail. I think you’d like it down here. I know I’d like you down here.”

My heart went pitter-patter as I smiled back. “Okay.”

***

That evening, Fox walked up behind me while I stood at the lake’s edge. After my walk, I’d spent a few hours painting outside, using the supplies Porter had dropped off weeks ago. My half-finished handiwork was drying in the sun. He wrapped his hands around my waist, locking them in front.

“Wow. You’re good.”

“Not really. But I forgot how much I enjoy painting nature. I haven’t done it since college. My mom’s house is on a beautiful piece of property. I used to like to sit outside and paint the trees and stuff. I find it peaceful. Lets my brain unwind.”

He kissed the top of my head. “You should do it more often.”

I turned in his arms and clasped my hands around his neck. “I think I will. I don’t know what it is about this place, but I feel like it’s reminding me of who I used to be.”

“Maybe you should stick around.”

I pushed up on my tippy-toes and planted a kiss on his lips. “Maybe I will.”

A duck quacked behind us, so I twisted around to look at the lake. But it wasn’t my little buddy. I frowned. “I’m worried something happened to Daisy.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. What if her wound opened up again and she got an infection, or she was attacked by a bear?”

“I’ve never seen a bear around here. Maybe a coyote, though.”

My eyes widened. “You think a coyote ate her? They sense when another animal is injured and easy prey.”

“Didn’t say that. Was just telling you who the natural threats to ducks are locally. I’m sure he’s fine.”

“I think I’m going to go out on the lake and look for her. Earlier I saw ducks hanging out on that island in the middle. Maybe she’s there and she’s injured. Would you come with me on your kayak?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Fox looked over at his yard, to the water’s edge. His face was serious. “It’s dangerous.”

My brows shot to my hairline. “To kayak? I can swim, you know.”

When he didn’t respond, something dawned on me. “Oh my God. Do you not swim? Is that why you never go in the lake?”

“I can swim.”

“Are you nervous because it’s going to get dark soon?”

“Just…I’ll go take a look at the island and see if the duck is there. Alright?”

“Is it only a one-person kayak?”

“No.”

“Then come on…” I walked toward Fox’s yard. “The island isn’t far. We’ll be back in twenty minutes.”

At the water’s edge, I turned to ask where the paddles were kept and realized Fox hadn’t moved. I laughed. “Are you coming or not?”

He didn’t look too happy about it, but eventually he walked over. He wiped away a few cobwebs and lifted the kayak off the wooden stand.

“Paddles are under the back deck,” he grumbled.

“Okay! I’ll get them while you put that in the water.”

I jogged to the deck and ducked under, grabbing the paddles off the top of a pile of water stuff I hadn’t realized was under here. “You have a floating mat and paddleboards?” I said, walking back. “Why don’t you ever use that stuff? I’ve never tried a stand-up paddleboard. I bet it’s great exercise.”

Fox took a paddle from my hand. “Get in, and I’ll push us off.”

I took off my socks and shoes and left them on the dock. “Alright, thanks.”

Once I was seated, Fox climbed in. The narrow boat rocked back and forth a few times, which I thought was funny. Fox, not so much. He had such a serious look on his face as he started to paddle. We’d made it about thirty feet from shore when I realized my feet were getting wet.

“Was there water in here when you put the kayak in?”

Fox looked down. “What the fuck?”

Water was coming in from somewhere, and my end seemed to be floating lower. Not to mention, my feet were almost covered now. I leaned up to look at the floor behind me. “Oh shit. There’s a hole under this seat cushion!”

Fox started to paddle fast, attempting to turn the kayak around and head back to shore. But the hunk of plastic wasn’t going anywhere but down. The lake quickly filled up the hole we were seated on, and my side tilted down.

I stood, wobbling. “I think we need to abandon ship.”

Fox wrapped an arm around me, and we jumped from the sinking kayak together. He didn’t let go as he swam toward the shore.

“Fox, I’m fine! I can swim on my own.”

But he kept going, like he was a lifeguard and I was a drowning swimmer. The entire scene was pretty comical. He didn’t even let go a few strokes later, when I told him I could feel the bottom under my feet. After a few minutes more, we were back at the shore, and Fox finally released the death grip he’d had on me. Our clothes were soaked as we climbed to our feet, and I couldn’t help but laugh because—hell, it was funny.

“I’m going to call you Mitch from Baywatch,” I said.

“It’s not funny.”

“Seriously?” I bunched up the hem of my shirt and twisted, wringing it out. “It so is.”

Fox looked me up and down. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” I laughed. “Maybe a fractured rib from your death-grip rescue, but otherwise I’m all good.”

“Sorry.” He frowned. “I’m going to change.” He didn’t wait for me to respond before turning toward his house.

I yelled after him, still laughing. “I was joking. My ribs are fine. Come over when you’re done. I’ll put dinner in the oven.”

I figured Fox’s grumpy mood would be cured once I put the food I’d made earlier today in front of him. When I was at the Laurel Lake Inn with Opal last week, I’d mentioned that I’d love the recipe for the pork Fox loved so much. Not long after, she’d disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a sticky note and winked. Apparently, her sister’s best friend’s husband worked in the kitchen, so all she had to do was ask.

I put the roast into the oven and hopped in the shower. But when an hour passed and Fox still hadn’t come over, I texted him.

Josie: Hey. Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes.

I waited a few minutes, but no return text came in. In fact, my message didn’t even show as read. When the alarm I’d set for the roast went off forty-five minutes later, I took it out of the oven and picked up the phone to call Fox. Could he have fallen asleep? Or shoot—maybe his phone had been in his pocket when we jumped into the lake and now it was dead. His phone rang and rang, eventually going to voicemail.

I bet it was in his pocket. That must be it.

So I slipped on my shoes and walked out the front door. But I stopped short when I realized Fox’s pickup truck wasn’t in his driveway anymore.

Where the heck did he disappear to?