Page 13 of Forget Me Not

I can’t help but chuckle, shaking my head. We drive down Main Street, past the small businesses that line the sidewalks. I’ve got to say, the town is fairly self-sufficient, but I think the dead winters out here are probably part of that. Boats don’t come out this way as much, and without their supplies, the island would starve to death.

I feel Nova’s gaze on me as I drive. It lingers on my arms, my face. I feel her fucking everywhere and my cock grows hard in my jeans. This woman is dangerous. Innocently so and I’m kicking myself for ever letting that nagging voice in the back of my head convince me to help her.

I just . . . I don’t know. I saw her struggling. I know how to do it. I don’t have anything better to do. Why not help out? It’s what Dad would have done. You know, before he became a drunken bastard.

“Stop staring.”

She sputters for a moment, and I can see her cheeks burn, even out of the corner of my eye. “I’m not staring. I’m looking for the store.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Little liar.

“Funny. We passed it already.”

Under different circumstances, I might have laughed at the expression on that face. It’s then, with some humor, I realize that Nova would be shit at poker.

Pulling the truck around, I come to a stop in front of the only hardware store on the island. It looks like it’s as in bad a shape as the inn, ironically enough, as I follow Nova through the front door, careful not to get too close

“Hi, Nova,” a kid, probably Nova’s age, stammers from behind the counter.

She doesn’t seem to notice the way his eyes linger on her like he’s seconds away from coming in his khakis the moment she comes to stop in front of the counter.

“What brings you in today?”

I step up behind Nova. Too close. Don’t ask me why, but I like it when the kid’s eyes widen as he sees me, towering over her head.

“Hi, Crusty. We just came for some sheetrock,” Nova says proudly, completely unaware of what’s going on over her head. “I don’t know what that is, but we need some.” Nova jumps, like she’s just remembered I’m behind her. “Oh, Reid this is Crusty. Crusty, this is Reid.”

Apprehensively, Crusty reaches out to shake my hand. His palms are sweaty and I’m not sure if it’s from Nova’s presence at this point, or mine.

“Uh, it’s nice to meet you,” he murmurs, looking anywhere but at me.

“Sheetrock,” I remind him.

“Right. This way.”

He leads us to the back and he and Nova dissolve into conversation while I look through the very limited selection of shit this island has to fix any one of its crumbling buildings.

“Have you thought about my offer?” Crusty asks and I strain my ears to listen. Not that I care, but it’s not every day you get to witness a kid get friend zoned.

“Well,” Nova starts, laughing nervously. I can feel her gaze on my back, so I pretend like I’m reading a label. “It’s karaoke night at Tom’s Saturday. We’re all going if you want to join us. You know, hang out as friends.”

Ouch. That’s got to hurt. Though, she did invite him and not me.

Something about that pisses me off.

And that, in turn, pisses me off again.

“Okay, great. What time?”

“Eight.”

Not that I would go, anyway. I barely know this girl, and so far, she’s been a pain in the ass.

“I’ll be there,” Crusty says, just as the door chimes from the front. “You guys just bring that up whenever you’re ready. I’ll be at the front.”

Dickhead.

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