Page 41 of Forget Me Not

She stares down at a strawberry in front of her. “What’s in Alaska? Besides snow?”

“King crab. I was hired to captain a ship. Need to be there a month early to get ready for the season.”

She shakes her head. “Wait, a whole ship?”

I shrug. “Six or seven guys. Nothing huge, but . . . those waters are rough. Lot of people don’t come home at the end of the season.”

Something about the look on her face pisses me off. Like she’s concerned.

“You look worried, Nova.”

“Well,” she stalls. “I would hate for something to happen to you. It sounds dangerous.”

I don’t like the idea of her worrying for me. Like we’re suddenly the best of friends. Platonic. “It is dangerous, but I’ve been through worse.”

“Okay, like what?”

I don’t get a chance to answer before our pizza is delivered. I recognize the woman who brings it as one who hit on me outside the hardware store last week when I went in for some nails.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s beautiful, but by that point, this obsession with Nova Fischer was already well underway. And I hadn’t even made her come, yet.

“Nova, Reid,” Sophie greets, setting the pizza down in front of us. “Nova, how are Gran and Pappap?”

“They’re okay,” she smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Old.”

“Lord, your grandpa scares me. I saw him get on a rickety old ladder the other day and couldn’t believe you’d let him do that.”

Nova winces and I study her for a moment. Something is . . . off between these two.

“Well, the inn won’t fix itself, you know?” Nova jokes, but Sophie’s not paying an ounce of attention to her.

No, unfortunately, that attention has been turned to me.

“You should hire Reid to do it. He’s a strong man, right, Reid?” Sophie asks, hand on my shoulder. I must admit, watching the fire flare for a brief second in Nova’s eyes does something for my ego.

And my cock.

“I’ve got it,” Nova snaps, cheeks darkening.

“Oh, come on, Nova. You can’t possibly do it all.”

I don’t miss the look Nova shoots at Sophie, who deflects it with a bright smile. Almost like something unspoken passed between them.

Women are fucking weird.

“Why not?”

“Nova, you need help.”

“I do not,” Nova argues stubbornly. “I can handle it.”

“We’re working on it,” I interject before the girls can fucking maim each other.

“Well, what still needs fixed?”

“Nothing—”

“The whole damned building is crumbling,” Sophie rolls her eyes, cutting Nova off. “It’s old.”

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