Page 50 of The Light We Lost

Satisfied, he gave me a smirk, and despite the fact we were in a community center, surrounded by folks three times our age, neither of us made a move for space. “Hey, peaches?”

“What?” I breathed, heart racing as he glanced at my lips.

His gaze lingered there, and he waited until I was on the damn edge of combusting before he whispered, “I like fighting with you.”

I let out an airy laugh, my voice quiet. “I like it too.”

His lips lifted in a small smile, and I didn’t protest when he slipped his fingers through mine. He gave them a soft squeeze as he led the way to his truck. Though it was a short walk, I couldn’t help but think that even though we were fighting, it felt so good to hold on rather than let go.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Indy—Now

Overnight, it was like I was seventeen again.

I was hustling tables, jotting down orders in between washing dishes and checking out customers. Dad was at the stovetop, humming the sweet, familiar tune of Johnny Cash and pretending he didn’t notice when I snuck in a bite of his famous chili. It was like a trip down memory lane, a glimpse into how life used to be. And just like when I was seventeen, I did it all with one thing on my mind.

One man on my mind.

I hadn’t heard from Nolan since last night, when he’d dropped me off at my parents’. Our drive home had been quiet, no mention of the speed dating or the things we’d admitted to one another. Had he meant what he said? Or was it another game to him?

Clearly, I didn’twantto think about him. He’d practically forced me to. Even when I’d stopped by the school earlier this morning to tell Lisa about the fundraiser and to see if she and her soccer team would like to help plan—her students practically screamed at the idea of meeting Calder Rohan—all I could do was think about Nolan. And it didn’t help that his sister-in-law, Shay, was sitting in the corner booth of the diner, watching me like a hawk.

To be fair, she’d tried to be sneaky about it. But after her fifth cup of hot cocoa and the way she kept opening her mouth like she had something important to say, only to hide behind her menu each time I walked by, I’d grown suspicious.

After confirming with Dad the woman with pink hair was her, I went to her table. “Did you want anything to eat? Another cup of hot cocoa?”

She glanced at her empty mug, fidgeting with the friendship bracelet on her wrist. She wore a white tee and jeans, a navy flannel tied around her waist. Her hair was cut in a bob, the pink strands falling below her chin. “I probably shouldn’t. I’ve already had five cups—that’s a lot of sugar.”

“I won’t tell anyone.”

She bit her lip, seeming to consider it. But then she blurted, “Do you want to come to my house for dinner?”

My lips twitched. Was that what she’d been doing the entire time she’d been here? Building up the nerve to ask me to dinner? I didn’t know her, but I wouldn’t have guessed her to steer on the hesitant side. She was married to Brooks, and her hair was literally bubblegum pink. “I don’t usually accept food from strangers.”

“Right,” Shay said in a rush, “except I’m not a stranger. I mean, we’re practically family.”

My mouth dried, her words a blow to the gut. We weren’t family. But there was something about Shay, the way she’d sat here for hours despite her nerves, that had me not telling her otherwise. “Dinner at your house?” I scratched my head. “Is Brooks okay with that?”

She scrunched her nose. “I told him I wanted you over, and that was that.” I raised my brows. That statement alone was enough to make me like her. “Look . . . I know the town hasn’t been the most welcoming, and I’m sorry for that. I know our situations are different, but your parents once took a shot on me, and I’d like to give you one. You deserve that.”

My throat swelled. “Did Nolan put you up to this?”

“Nope. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”

I closed my mouth, searching for the words to turn her down. I appreciated her offer, but it felt like I was crossing too many lines. Even worse, putting down roots.

She must’ve sensed my hesitation. “Honestly, this invitation is entirely selfish. Besides my daughter, I’m surrounded by testosterone all the time. You don’t even have to talk. We can just sit in silence and absorb the ovary goodness. And I don’t know if Nolan told you this, but I’m the one who sent you those letters and blew up your guys’ lives, so I kind of owe you—”

“Dinner sounds good,” I agreed with a laugh, mostly to put her out of her misery. Nolan had told me Shay was the one who’d found and sent the letter Wayne addressed to me, but I didn’t care. Besides, I was curious to know her. If I was being honest, I’d like to catch up with Nolan’s family. I’d already missed out on too much, and if I was here, I wanted to behere.

After giving me a time, Shay ran out of the diner and hopped into a red truck parked out front. I huffed a laugh as the truck pulled away, realizing Brooks was driving. He’d been waiting for her the entire time. Shaking my head with a smile, I stepped through the back door and into the alley, just as Mom’s car pulled up. She and Dad were flying to Texas tonight, so she’d taken the day off to pack. I wished I’d gotten more time with them, but I was glad they’d get to see Auburn.

Assuming her frown had something to do with the flusters that came with traveling, I decided to give her a bit of good news. “Guess what?” I asked, not giving her a chance to respond. “Mr. Walsh came in today, and he only investigated his tomato sandwich once before eating it. Once! And he left me a tip—”

“Do you mind giving me a clue as to what’s going on?”

I furrowed my brows, taken off guard. “What do you mean?”

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