Page 48 of Forget Me Not

Looking over her shoulder, I see Reid watching me and I pause. I’m still annoyed with him, but after a couple seconds when he looks away, I can feel myself softening for him, wanting his attention. His touch.

I’m just as bad as Sophie.

Bad idea, Nova. Really bad idea.

“What about supplies?” I ask, turning back to Judy, my cheeks burning hot. “I can’t afford to pay for those.”

“We have those and what we don’t have, we can get. I’ll even pay you.”

“You’ll pay me?” Port Nova is just a small fishing town. We aren’t known for our money around here.

“Yes, well, the art teacher at the school passed earlier this year, God rest her soul, and the kids haven’t had anything remotely creative all year.”

I bite my lip, struggling. I got out of teaching because it wasn’t what I wanted. I love kids, but the parents . . . the parents were awful. Not to mention, after the accident, things just got . . . harder.

But . . . if they need me . . .

“Fine.”

“Wait, you’ll do it?”

“I guess,” I shrug. “But you have to get all the kids together. I don’t have time.”

“Consider it done,” she beams, clapping her hands together. “Here.”

She shoves her bucket into my arms and runs off.

“Judy!” I call and she just spins and waves.

I’m not a jealous man.

I don’t get possessive over women because I never stay in one place long enough for it to matter. People come and go and I never get hung up for too long.

I’m not obsessive.

At least, not until now.

The Founder’s Day party is held at the inn and everyone files either into the gardens or the restaurant to dance, talk, and eat. Coincidentally, everyone wants a chance to talk to Nova.

She’s across the room, chatting about something with Tara and the sound of her laugh carries to where I sit at the bar. I’m proud that she was able to pull today off without a hitch. I’m also a little pissed off she hasn’t even glanced my way in the last half-hour.

She’s angry. Jealous. Normally, such things would annoy me. I don’t care for territorial women because I don’t do relationships.

Seeing Nova pissed because Sophie was hitting on me, though? I’ve been rock-fucking-hard since.

I want her.

She’s been avoiding me for the last two days. I’ve tried to warn her away from me, but every time she comes at me with her fire, I want nothing more than to put it out and have her softening under my fingers. I just can’t stay away, even if I have to.

As if she can feel me watching her, Nova’s eyes meet mine. She pauses for a moment, attempting to appear cold, but she’s anything but. Slowly, a smirk forms on her face that has me questioning everything right now.

She knows exactly what she’s doing.

I chuckle, tipping back my beer and finishing it. It’s not the frilly blueberry or peach shit Nova likes. Just the same old beer you can get anywhere, only made at the brewery down the road. I have to say, though, it’s a bit better than you’d find on the shelves of your local grocery store.

“Women.” Manto steps up beside me, following my gaze across the room to where Tara and Nova are.

“Trouble in paradise?”

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