Chapter Fifteen

Kira

Outside in the driveway, gravel crunches beneath tires, and I glance out the window to see that it’s Khloe pulling up. I hurry to the back door to open it for her and tug my sweater around my waist. My smile falls as she darts toward me like the devil himself is chasing her.

“What’s wrong?” I ask when I see the worry on her face.

She glances over her shoulder. “I think there’s a cow following me. She doesn’t seem very happy.”

I laugh at that and usher her in. “That’s just Bridgette. She’s in love with Nate,” I say, matter-of-fact, and a part of me can’t believe how this all seems so normal now. “She doesn’t like it when strange females come around.” I was lucky enough that she took to me and didn’t chase me away.

Khloe tugs her hat off and shakes out her gorgeous red hair. “Ah, am I in the Twilight Zone or something because nothing you said makes sense to me.”

“I thought so at first, too,” I say, and then go on to explain about Bridgette’s crush.

“I definitely need to meet this Nate guy,” she says.

“Did someone just say my name?” Nate asks as he comes around the corner, tugging on his jacket.

“Nate, this is Khloe. I told you all about her yesterday.”

Nate smiles and reaches for her hand.

“I heard all about you, too,” Khloe says.

Nate arches a brow. “Oh yeah? What have you heard?”

I roll my eyes. “He’s always fishing for compliments.”

Sam comes skidding into the kitchen. “Who heard about who…whoa,” he says when his gaze lands on Khloe. “How come I haven’t heard about you?”

“You must be Sam,” Khloe says with a laugh.

Sam scratches his head. “Wait, how come you know me, and I don’t know you?”

“Sam, this is Khloe. She’s a grad student at Dalhousie working on developing quantum computers.”

Sam scratched his head. “Damn, I knew I should have paid better attention in school.”

Khloe chuckles. “It’s nice to meet you, Sam.”

Sam steps closer to her. “We’re out of rooms in this B&B,” he says. “But since I’m such a nice guy, I’ll let you share mine.”

“Oh my God, you weren’t kidding,” Khloe says, as she adjusts her glasses and we all laugh.

“Ignore him,” I say. “Come on, let me show you what I’ve been working on.”

I brush up against Nate as we pass, and he says, “I’m headed out on a few errands. Need anything?”

My heart jumps in my chest. I’m always so used to doing things on my own, and I’ve never had anyone think about me the way Nate does.

“No, I’m good. We’re going to head to town in a little while anyway.”

“Careful driving. Temperatures dropped last night, and we’re supposed to get a light dusting today. Lots of ice around.”

I nod, and Khloe follows me into my small den. “That’s Nate?” she whispers. “I mean, you said he was good-looking, but seriously…” She shakes her hand like it’s on fire. “Hot.” I blush, unable to help myself. “Are you two, well it’s obvious you’re sleeping together—”

My body stiffens. “It is?”

“Ah, yeah. But is there more going on?”

“No,” I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly, judging by the dubious look on Khloe’s face. Nate and I are not a thing, we’re just having sex, and it comes with a timeline. I redirect the conversation by booting up my computer. For the next hour, we review my research and don’t look up until Sam pokes his head in.

“Jason and I are headed to the fish shack. You guys want to join us?”

I glance at my friend. “Khloe?”

“Sure. I could use a bite.”

Oh no! As soon as she says it, my gaze flashes to Sam, grinning as he hovers in the doorway. No way is he going to let that go.

“Wouldn’t you know it. Biting is my specialty,” Sam jokes. “Just let me know when and where.”

“How many women have you picked up with that line, Sam?” Khloe asks, her green eyes sparkling, but it’s easy to tell she likes him.

He arches a hopeful brow. “One?”

She folds her arms. “Try again.”

“Zero?”

“Bingo,” Khloe says, and Sam hangs his head, and honest to God, he couldn’t look any more adorable if he tried.

“Don’t worry, Sam. I still love you.” I say.

“Yeah, only because I’m your brother and you have to.”

“Wait, what?” Khloe asks, glancing back and forth between the two of us.

“Twilight Zone,” I say like that explains everything, and Khloe just nods.

I power down my laptop, and Khloe asks, “Hey Sam, how do you feel about getting your hands dirty?”

Grinning, he opens his mouth, and she holds her palm out to stop him before he comes back with something crude. I can’t help but think he might have met his match in Khloe.

“I’m asking because I need to get gas on my way home, and my fuel cap keeps sticking. Would you be able to loosen it for me? I won’t make it home if I don’t fill up first.”

“Well, if you get stuck, the offer to share my room is still open. Black Friday is coming up, and I’m having a sale. Clothing, one hundred percent off.”

Khloe shakes her head. “How long have you been waiting to use that one?”

“All fucking year.”

“Worth it. It’s pretty funny.”

Sam grins. “Does that mean you’ve decided to stay?”

“Gas tank, Sam,” she says.

“Right.” Khloe tugs her coat on. “Speaking of gas, I think they should show porn clips at the pumps,” he begins, and I chuckle as they disappear outside. Once I get everything powered down, I grab my purse and coat and head out to meet them. It’s cold, but the sunshine warms my body and my soul.

“Was he able to loosen it?” I ask.

Sam flexes. “What do you think?”

As Khloe rolls her eyes, I lift my face to the sun. “Let’s walk,” I suggest. “Wait, where’s Jason?”

“Meeting us there. It would be my honor to escort you two beautiful women,” he says, holding his arms out for us to take them. He takes a step toward us, and the next thing we know, he’s flat out on his back.

“Motherfucker,” he mumbles.

“You okay down there?” Khloe asks and leans over him, but her feet go out from underneath her, too. She lands on him, and he slides his arms around her body.

“I am now,” he says.

“I leave the house for one hour, and this happens?” Nate says, coming around the corner.

I smile when his eyes meet mine. “Careful. It’s icy.”

“I bought salt,” he says and gestures toward his car. “You okay?”

“I am, but not too sure about these two,” I say and glance at Sam and Khloe. Neither one of them appears to be in a hurry to move.

“Hang on. Don’t move, Kira.” Nate disappears for a second and comes back with the bag of salt. He helps Sam and Khloe to their feet and sprinkles the walkway.

“We were just headed to lunch. Join us?” I ask.

He shrugs, and ignoring his ringing phone, says, “Sure.”

We leave the driveway, and Nate and Sam walk behind us. Khloe puts her arm through mine and whispers, “What’s Sam’s story?”

“To be honest, I don’t know. He’s funny and really sweet, but his personal life. He never really talks.”

“Interesting.”

“Do you mean, interested?”

She chuckles. “Maybe.”

We stroll toward the waterfront, and I spot Chester and Edna making their way toward Hazel’s coffee emporium. Her coffee is good, but I haven’t been able to convince her to add a mocha latte to the menu. She’s weakening, though, and if she does decide to buy the machine to make them, I’ll have everything I need and never have to leave Lunenburg again. Wait, what?

“When I was young, I used to come here for ice cream with Mom, Dad, and my brother Peter.” Khloe laughs and looks off into the distance as if she’s recalling those times. “Mom said Pearl’s had the best ice cream around. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but I think it was the drive and the family time with the ocean in the backdrop as we chowed down that drew her.”

We walk by Pearl’s, and I’m a little sad that I never had those kinds of memories with my parents. I spot my neighbors Martha and Jack, along with Brett and Liam inside eating ice cream from cups, and they smile and wave as we pass.

“We can get one later if you want,” I say, understanding her mother’s pull to this place. My happiest days were here. Were? Perhaps it’s more like…are. I never realized how unhappy I was until I came back and found my place with these people.

She grins. “I want a triple cone.” She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. “I forgot how much I liked this place.” My heart squeezes at the thought of leaving. “I wish you were staying longer,” Khloe says. “I’m just getting to know you.”

Nate and Sam rush past us to help Chester, who is having a hell of a time trying to close the door to Hazel’s. The wind keeps pulling it open on him. Nate grabs the door, but before he gets it shut, he gets a cane to the gut.

Nate lets out a loud oomph, and Sam laughs at him.

“Oh my God,” Khloe says, laughing. “Why did he do that?”

“That was Chester. He doesn’t like help. It hurts his pride, and right now, he’s working to impress Edna.” It’s funny how much I’ve learned about everyone in such a short time. I hurry to Nate and put my hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

“Never been better,” he grunts.

“Last time I tried to help him, he got me right in the nut sack,” Sam says and puts his hands between his legs. “I was singing soprano for a week.”

“Look,” Khloe says, and we all glance up to see a doe and her two fawns walking down the street.

“God, they’re beautiful,” I say quietly. Cars stop to let them pass, and one of the shop owners tosses out a few apples. We walk slowly, not wanting to startle the animals, but jangling bells reach our ears, and from around the corner, Eddie comes racing down the road, scaring the deer away.

Khloe grabs my arm. “What was that?”

“That’s Eddie,” I say. “He’s an asshole.” I point. “And that’s Doug, his owner, trying to catch him.”

Khloe starts laughing. “Here I thought city living was crazy. It’s got nothing on this place.”

“Lunenburg is one of a kind,” I say. “Lots of crazy things happen here. I actually sailed a pumpkin the other day.”

A news van speeds past us, followed shortly by another. We all go still and exchange glances.

“My first question would be, what has Sam done now, but since he’s with us…” Nate says.

“Come on,” I say. We jog to the corner, and after we round it, we find a crowd of people standing outside Ironworks distillery. I shade the sun from my eyes and spot Frank from the garage chatting with my realtor Phillip, as well as Izzy and Heather.

Nate frowns. “I hope it’s not a fire.”

“No fire trucks. No smoke,” I say, just news crew, who are setting up their cameras and interviewing the locals.

Sam points. “There’s Jason.” We all follow him as he zigzags through the gathering crowd. “What’s going on, man?” he asks when we reach him.

Jason scrubs his face. “Look for yourself.”

We follow his gaze, and my head rears back when I spot an image of Jesus on the side of the building.

“What the heck?” I ask. “Did someone paint that?”

“Nope, it just miraculously appeared overnight. People are saying it’s the second coming or something like that.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Nate says.

“Sam, did you do this?” I ask.

“Hell no.”

“Let me get this straight,” Jason begins. “Jesus comes back, and the first place he hits is a distillery?”

Sam nudges him. “He can turn water into wine, you know.”

As I stand there in disbelief, figuring this is some sort of small-town hoax, from behind someone taps me on the shoulder and says, “Looks like you’ll be going on that camping trip with us after all.”

I spin around and find Faith and Amber standing there.

“You did say something about the second coming, right?” Faith says.

I open my mouth to protest, but Sam wags a finger at me. “Keeping your word is a big thing around these parts.”

I plant one hand on my hip and glare at Sam. “Are you in on this?”

He holds his hands up, palms out. “Nothing to do with it.”

I turn to Faith and Amber, about to protest, give them the best excuse I can think of, but when I see the huge smile on Amber’s face, I only ask, “When and where?”