by Easton, Meg
He cleared his throat. “‘You said my Lego door was dumb, which made me mad!’”
“Stop it.”
“‘You told me sorry, but I wasn’t done being sad.’”
“Ian.”
“‘I am now, so go where I stuck my gum on that tree stump. Walk fifteen steps until you come to the grass clump.’”
She was laughing now.
“‘Then go left and run forty big, giant paces. Turn around and you’ll see where my hiding place is.’”
The pink was all across her cheeks now, and he could feel her laughing against his chest. “I cannot believe you remember that. That was the time I sat in my hiding place for thirty minutes and you never came.”
“Only because someone never said which direction to walk the fifteen steps, and I chose the wrong direction because that entire field was covered in grass clumps. And then Mrs. Walters got mad at me for running twenty-two of the forty big, giant paces through her garden.”
She laughed again, and the sound felt like home out here. Like birds singing in the trees.
“I took a poetry class in college. I think my professor would tell you that my skill in writing poetry hasn’t improved since I was a kid.”
“Suddenly, I want nothing more than to read your poetry written as an adult.” No, that was wrong. There was something he did want more. A smile spread across his face at the thought that he was much more likely to get an answer with her in his arms than he was in the path of a dog on a mission. “But first, a question.” A genuine smile crossed his face as he watched her expression. “When you left your aunt’s to head back to the airport that last summer and you kissed me, was that a new way of saying goodbye that you were trying out, or did you like me?”
Addi laughed and looked up at the sky, shaking her head. He wasn’t sure she would answer, until she met his eyes again. “I had a crush on you, okay? It was my first one ever, and I obviously wasn’t very good at it. The painted stone was so that you’d think of me often while I was in another state.”
He smiled doubly—for the fourteen-year-old him and the twenty-seven-year-old him—as he looked at the path ahead. “Well, I have to say that your plan worked.”
8
Addison
Addison had been helping Ian’s grandmother to organize her origami supplies in their family room for a grand total of about eight minutes when Ian got home from work. Based on the feigned surprise on the woman’s face at him being home and Ian’s confusion at her surprise, Addison had the distinct impression that the woman was playing matchmaker. It was too bad she didn’t have Addison come over early enough that she could’ve told the woman about her recent breakup and how she wasn’t ready for anything new yet.
And especially not with a guy who not only was recovering from his own breakup, but who was her next door neighbor.
Two weeks ago, as Ian had carried her, minus one shoe, back to her car, something had changed. Maybe it was from having their faces so close together that they could feel each other’s breaths as they talked. Or maybe it was from how perfect it felt to be held by Ian. Or to have her arm around his shoulders, holding tight.
Or the fact that he would offer to carry her in the first place. He could’ve just been a support, walking next to her as she hopped her way back to her car. Or he could’ve just left her at the side of the river while he drove to go get another shoe from her apartment. But he didn’t—he carried her.
But maybe the change she was sure they both felt two weeks ago was simply a product of proximity. Like when two magnets got close enough to each other, they stuck together. But it wasn’t like they searched each other out from across the room when they weren’t. They didn’t feel the pull whenever they weren’t close. It was nothing but proximity.
Because if it had been something more than proximity, it would’ve pulled him to her more before now. Because during the last two weeks, he’d been avoiding her as expertly as she had been avoiding him before the big deodorant debacle in the drugstore. They had accidentally run into each other, as neighbors do, several times. But each time, his small talk had seemed forced, like she was a long-winded neighbor with a differing political opinion or never-ending stories about her cats, and he was trying to get away to avoid hearing it.
Whether they had been acting like magnets for that half mile a couple of weeks ago or not, it wasn’t like that between she and Ian now, which was a relief. She wasn’t ready for a relationship. She didn’t know how long ago he and his fiancée had broken up, but it was obvious that he wasn’t looking for a relationship, either. Especially because she had been helping at his house several times over the past few weeks, and each time he’d suddenly had things he needed to do while she was there.
He underestimated his grandma’s ability to get him to help with this project, though.
Addison had brought several storage pieces that worked together to organize all Shirley’s colored paper squares and rectangles and all of her origami books. The biggest issue with organizing her hobby was what to do with all the unique origami creations she’d made that were currently living in cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other.
“Ian?” Shirley called out. “Can you come here for a minute?” When Ian walked into the family room at the back of the house, she said, “Addison has come up with a plan to show off my origami pieces, and since it’ll change the look of the room, I want to know what you think about it.”
“Grandma, you know I’ll be okay with it. This is your home, too. You can display your things how you’d like.”
“And it’s also your home. So zip it and listen to Addison’s plan.”
Addison hid a smile and told Ian about how she had suggested that they hang each of the paper creations from the ceiling using fishing line so it wouldn’t be seen. “We’ll do it at all different heights just in front of this blank wall, so it’ll be an art installation—a masterpiece that people can spend a while looking at.”
“I love it.”
“Wonderful!” Shirley clapped her hands together. “Because we’re going to need help installing it. You’re free tonight, right?”
Addison looked at her in alarm. She definitely hadn’t said anything about needing help. Ian’s expression was every bit as alarmed as Addison’s was.
“What?” Shirley said, trying to look innocent. “We do need help. Getting on a ladder without someone supporting it isn’t wise, and these arms aren’t as supportive as they once were.”
So, as Shirley was laying out each of her creations along the floor, adjusting which ones were where, and changing up the heights on all of them until she liked the way it looked on the floor, Addison and Ian sat on the floor, cutting lengths of fishing line and tying them to each of the pieces. Actually, it didn’t feel that different from when they were kids, sitting side-by-side, making Lego villages. It was fun. She imagined doing the same thing with Matthew. Unplanned. And on a Thursday night. She nearly laughed out loud. If she had gotten him to do a crazy project like this, there was no way she would’ve gotten him to sit on the floor to do it.
And there she was, accidentally thinking about her ex. Obviously, she should squash any feelings she had toward Ian right now before her heart thought it could get invested any more than it was.
Except Ian was so sweet to his grandma, and he was so patient. Every time he talked to her, while sitting on the floor, tying fishing line to a folded piece of paper with his big hands that somehow didn’t hinder his ability, it just made him that much more attractive. It made those eyes of his look more beautiful. Those eyes were going to be her undoing.
Seriously, Addison. Squash those feelings!
It took a while, but they eventually got the line tied to all four dozen origami pieces, and got the ladder out to start attaching them to the ceiling. While Shirley was chatting about how the summers weren’t the same when she stopped coming to Hidden Inn, and how sad it was for Ian especially that first summer when she wasn’t there, Addison put the ladd
er in place to hang the first couple. Ian dutifully held on to the side of the ladder, just like his grandma requested, even though it was probably plenty safe without him doing it.
As she stepped onto the ladder, she was acutely aware of how close they were to each other. So was her stomach, which filled with butterflies. She and Ian weren’t holding each other like they had at Chipper Creek, yet she swore the butterflies were flapping even stronger—like maybe they just drank caffeine instead of nectar.
And just like when he was a kid, Ian’s emotions were right there in plain sight, for everyone to see. He was feeling something, too. Just like he was on Chipper Creek Trail.
When she got the first fishing line attached with a cute little origami frog hanging from it, Ian handed her the second one so she wouldn’t have to get off the ladder to get it. And when she grabbed it from him, their hands brushed, and it sent a thrill across her skin. It was like Shirley had picked up those magnets from opposite sides of the room and put them next to each other again.
She so needed to get some distance from this man!
Especially because after she moved the ladder to the next spot—and the next four spots after that—Ian conveniently turned to say something to his grandma every time she was climbing the ladder and their faces would’ve been so close. And when he handed her the fishing line for the next one, he held it in a way that she could grab it without touching his hand. He clearly didn’t want their magnetic selves to be so close, either.
Or, what was probably more likely, he just wasn’t interested in experiencing any kind of mutual thrills with her.
When they had finished hanging the colorful creations about two-thirds of the way across the long wall, she heard the faint sound of her sister’s ring tone, so she quickly pulled out her phone to see if it was really her.
Still looking at the phone, her eyebrows creased, she said, “This is my sister, and it’s the middle of the night there. Do you mind if I take this?”
“You go right ahead,” Shirley said.
Addison answered as she was walking through the kitchen to the back door. “Chloe! Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s so good!”
“Isn’t it after two in Paris?”
“Yep. Dustin and I went to the most amazing fashion show and after party. I got to meet so many of my idols, too. When we got home, Dustin crashed in about four seconds flat, but I’m still too wired to sleep, so I thought I’d call.”
“I love that you are getting all these opportunities! Even if it does mean that you’re not in my same city. Or state. Or country.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely been the worst part. So how are things going with you? Have you seen Ian much since you went on that not-a-date coffee walk with him through the woods?”
Addison glanced back toward the house, almost like she was checking to make sure he couldn’t hear from where he was, which was ridiculous. “I’m at his house right now, actually. Just helping his grandma.”
“Interesting. Also, I still think you lost your shoe in the creek on purpose. If you’ll admit it, I’ll admit it was brilliant.”
“It wasn’t on purpose—they were really cute shoes, even. Uncomfortable as could be, but super cute. And brand new. Also, I’m not brilliant, or I wouldn’t be over here at his house, reminiscing about the creek with every glance or accidental touch. Especially when I know it’s going nowhere.”
“No. Don’t you be talking like that’s the most that’s ever going to happen between you two. He was your first crush, and it took fate to bring you together again. It’s practically meant to happen.”
“Chloe, he doesn’t want it to. He’s making it very clear that whatever we shared on that walk was a fluke. He’s not interested. And neither am I. We are both still in rebound territory, remember? I’m not ready.”
Chloe let out a long sigh, like she didn’t really agree with Addison, but was humoring her. “How will you know when you are ready?”
“The websites I saw said it usually takes a good three months before dating again wouldn’t be a rebound. Matthew and I broke up nine weeks ago. After dating for two years. So I’ve got a month to go. By the time I’m ready, Ian will have forgotten all about our walk in the woods.”
“Okay.”
“Chloe,” Addison said cautiously, “why were you smiling when you said ‘Okay’? Tell me.”
Her sister chuckled quietly. “I just can’t wait to see if fate agrees with your timeline.”
9
Ian
Ian walked into the bowling alley later than he had planned and looked around for the guys. He wished he’d been free on axe-throwing night—he enjoyed it more than bowling. But he also liked seeing the guys.
Garrett stood up and waved, and he waved back, and then he stopped at the counter to pay and get shoes. When he headed over to the lane the guys were already at, he saw Garrett’s wife Paige, Blake’s girlfriend, and a woman with Reece that Ian hadn’t seen before. When he got to the bench, Garrett sat down next to him.
“Is the Williamson house still giving you troubles? I was beginning to think you wouldn’t make it.”
“It’s been putting up a good fight, and I didn’t want to leave before I finished the trim. Was it date night tonight?”
“Yeah, sorry about that. It wasn’t going to be. Paige’s mom asked if she could take the kids tonight, so I didn’t want to come without her. I didn’t know that Blake was bringing Rachel, and the woman with Reece is someone he met here. Maybe I should’ve texted you.”
“No, it’s fine.” And it was. But he also knew that if Garrett had texted, he likely wouldn’t have shown up. He’d dated Zoe for long enough that he’d grown used to constantly having a date for things. He still wasn’t used to being the only dateless one in a group.
Since there were seven of them, they’d gotten both of the lanes that shared the seating area, and the other two guys and their dates were already playing in their lane, which left Garrett, Paige, and Ian in their lane. Paige finished putting their names on the screen, and the three of them started bowling.
Work today had been frustrating, trying to get everything perfect in some areas with some really unusual and intricate areas, and it was good to relax with the guys. They were a fun group, even if he often felt the pain of being alone. They were quick to laugh and joke around and Addi would probably love hanging out with them.
Where had that thought come from? He needed to get her out of his head better than he’d been doing.
On the third frame, he got a strike, and high-fived everyone as he walked back to the bench and sat next to Paige while Garrett got up to bowl his frame.
“So, what’s new, Ian?” Paige asked.
“Not much. How is everything with you?” He assumed the question was basic small talk, until she turned on the bench to see him better.
“No, I meant for real, what is new? There’s just something about you that’s... different.”
His first thought was Addi. Which was stupid, because it wasn’t like he was around her that much.
“I got a haircut last week.”
Paige raised an eyebrow and her lips quirked up in a smile. “Yeah. Haircut. I’m sure that’s it.” Then she gave her husband a double high-five as he walked back after getting nine pins down and waited for his ball to come back up through the chute.
The waiting got to be ridiculously long, though, so Garrett’s eyebrows came together and he looked toward the shoe rental counter. “I think my ball got stuck. I’m going to go let them know.”
Paige turned back to him. “Are you dating anyone?”
Ian scratched the back of his neck, looking away, embarrassed. Paige knew his whole sorry story—he and Zoe had double-dated with Garrett and Paige through the whole thing, so she got to see everything practically first hand. Him falling hopelessly in love. His proposal. The wedding plans. The invitations going out. Zoe breaking up with him just two weeks before the I do’s.
The fact t
hat Paige could see something different in him—enough to suspect he had feelings for someone new—felt like she could see how foolish he was being. That he was just setting himself up for another fall that they were going to be a witness to. He really had to get Addi out of his mind. Zoe was a good person. If she found him unworthy of marrying, it was probably a good idea to stay far away from any future relationships.
He turned as Garrett came walking over, the Lewis & Clark Lanes employee at his side. As they passed by, Garrett looked at Paige and motioned to the back of the furthest lane and said, “We’re going to go behind and get it!” with as much excitement as a ten-year-old about to go on his first rollercoaster.
He thought that Paige was going to press him for more information, but instead, she changed the subject. “Do you remember when Emmie was born, and I was trying to figure out life with a baby who cried nonstop and a toddler who destroyed the house nonstop?”
Ian chuckled. “I remember that when Garrett would come to a site, he had new stories daily of things like finding the milk in the pantry or the cereal in the fridge.”
Paige laughed, too. “I swear I couldn’t even have told you what six plus three was for that first couple of months. And with the amount of sleep I got with a baby like Emmie, my maternity leave was over way too soon.”
“I bet.”
“So one day, I’m at the hospital, working a twelve hour shift, and I went into a patient’s room to do all the discharge teaching. I told him he needed to be on a liquid diet for the next week, what doctor to follow up with, what medications to take—all of it. The guy was just so happy the whole time, which is my favorite thing to see when I’m discharging a patient. Thirty minutes after I sent the man on his way, I found out that I had gone into the wrong patient’s room!”
“You sent the wrong guy home?”