Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
I’m pouring more wine into Andrew’s glass just as the back door opens, and I flinch, startled by Nate’s presence. I didn’t even hear his car pull up outside. The headlights should have been a dead giveaway, but somehow I missed them, and now he’s here, standing on the threshold, frozen as he looks between Andrew and me.
Andrew’s neat appearance only intensifies Nate’s gruffness. His hair is mussed from his hands, and the scruff on his chin and jaw is a day past needing to be trimmed. His blue eyes are startling, icy and beautiful.
I jump to my feet, cognizant of how strange it must be for Nate to have one visitor in his cottage, let alone two. I feel weird being here with Andrew, and if there were any other place for us to stay, I wouldn’t be here right now, in his space. Andrew follows suit, standing up and coming to stand beside me, like we’re a united front.
“Nathaniel, wow. Huge fan.” Andrew steps forward, holding out his hand. “I’m Andrew Miller.”
Nate looks at Andrew with this pinched expression that’s hard to discern. Hatred? Anger? Annoyance?
It’s such a long, awkward moment between Andrew offering his hand and Nate actually reaching out to shake it that I almost laugh or say something to help ease the tension.
Differences between them leap out at me. I didn’t realize just how tall and broad-shouldered Nate is, masculine in a way that makes me feel for Andrew. He’s not so much smaller than him, just slender in a way that comes from spending most of his waking hours hunched over a desk.
“Great place you have here. Really cool location.”
Nate doesn’t respond to this, doesn’t even seem on the cusp of opening his mouth, and the longer Nate stays silent, the more Andrew feels like he needs to fill the void.
“My grandparents have a cabin in Upstate New York that reminds me a lot of this. Rustic and off the beaten path. We’d go up there a lot when I was a kid. Kayaked a bunch. Summer, you remember visiting?”
I nod, never taking my eyes off Nate, but he won’t look at me. His gaze is focused on Andrew, and he still hasn’t said a word! I’m getting more annoyed with him by the second. It’s clear he’s been alone in this cottage for too damn long because you can’t just be this way, silent and surly. I hate him a little for the way he’s acting. What has Andrew done to him? Absolutely nothing. He should be aiming those daggers my way.
“Where did you go?” I ask him, my tone a little rough.
It gets his attention and he finally looks at me, but his expression doesn’t ease. If anything, it hardens.
“I popped down to Alice’s shop.” He drops Andrew’s hand and brushes past us to scoop our bottle of wine off the table. “What are you two drinking?” He reads the label then his eyebrows lift with intent. “Romantic.”
He drops it back down with a heavy thunk and looks to me, his eyes hard and unyielding.
Oh yes, he’s furious.
I knew, of course, when I picked that wine that it’s Nate’s favorite. I figured Andrew would like it too. I didn’t realize Nate would feel so proprietary about it. I’ll buy him a new bottle. Two, even!
“There’s some left, enough for a glass if you’d like to join us,” I say through clenched teeth.
What I really want to do is lean in and pinch his ear and use it to yank him into the next room like a bent-out-of-shape grandma before hissing, What’s the matter with you!?
“I haven’t had supper yet,” he says by way of rejection before heading over to inspect the contents of the refrigerator.
Andrew clears his throat, looking to me for feedback before he speaks up again. “Well, I really appreciate you taking me in on such short notice. I didn’t mean to impose…”
Nate doesn’t say anything, just starts tugging things out and dropping them onto the counter: Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, basil.
I shake my head at Andrew, a subtle way to let him know to just stop trying. Clearly, Nate isn’t in a friendly mood at the moment, and considering we’re both depending on him for lodging, maybe it’s best we don’t test it. Or at least not Andrew. It seems I, however, can do whatever I want, because before I know it, I’m stomping over to Nate and grabbing his arm, leading him toward the stairs while ignoring his protests.
“I’m about to make food—”
“Yes, we’ll get to that in a second. There’s something upstairs I need you to take care of first.”
Either I’m the strongest human ever or Nate doesn’t put up much of a protest as I fist his shirtsleeve and drag him after me. Once we’re upstairs, I worry our conversation will carry if we stay out in the hall, so I push him into my room and shut the door behind me.