Page 53 of Broken-Hearted

He drives down to Hardin for our promised lunch. Along the way, he points out which land belongs to which local, and I realize just how lucky they are to have so much forest to roam in with no possibility of running into any locals.

Hardin is quiet as Nathan parks up near the diner.

It’s also small. I’m not surprised I missed it, and I understand why Nathan wanted to stop at a mall on our way up here. There’s the usual stores anyone would need: a bank, grocery store, boutique, doctor, dentist, and hairdresser. Other than a couple of stores too far to identify from where Nathan parks, it’s a one road town.

Most locals must live out of town or there’s a suburban part of Hardin I’m just not seeing.

As we get out, the grocery store door swings open and a guy in his mid-twenties hauling a massive hiking bag emerges.

His smile is bright, and he has dark brown curls and sparkling blue eyes. He has a lean build with long ropy muscles, so either he works out more than he looks like he does or there are more light things in his bag than there are heavy for him to be managing it.

“Oh, hey! You’re new.” He grins at me.

I slam my car door. “I am new.”

His eyes flick from me to settle on Nathan, who’s stepping up beside me. “Hey, Nathan.”

“Hey, Fisher. Going for a hike?”

Nathan stops close beside me as Fisher throws his bag onto his back and yelps when he nearly goes down under the weight of whatever is inside.

Laughing, I grab his arm before he can fall and straighten him. “What have you got in there?”

“Thanks. Supplies.” He grins. “Probably too much, but I’d rather have too many than not enough. You didn’t tell me your name.”

“Clara.”

“I’m Fisher.” He points his chin at the grocery store. “I work there with my dad, so if you stick around Hardin, you’ll see me around more often than not.”

Nathan is quiet as I shake Fisher’s hand. As I pull my palm free, I glance at Nathan. His expression is blank.Tooblank. I can only think of one reason why it would be.

He can’t possibly be…

No.

“So, are you staying in Hardin, Clara?” Fisher asks, distracting me.

Nathan moves so close, his shoulder bumps mine, confirming what I suspected but hadn’t wanted to believe. He’s jealous. He thinks Fisher is in to me and he’s jealous.

“For now. Nathan is showing me around.” I lean my shoulder against his.

Nathan gives me a searching look and his shoulders relax, then he’s back to smiling again. “I promised her lunch and I aim to deliver.”

“Well, have fun,” Fisher says, waving as he turns away.

“And have fun on your hike,” I call back as Nathan leads the way to the diner.

“So…” he drawls.

“For one second back there, I thought you might’ve been jealous.”

He stops and looks at me. “DidI have a reason to be jealous?”

“Of Fisher?” He was cute, but I have no interest in him. I shake my head. “No.”

He holds the door open with a flourish, enveloping me with the sweet scents of baking and tart cherries. “Then how about I introduce you to Trick’s cooking? He owns the place, and he makes just about the best cherry pie in the state.”

I brighten. “And I get to pick whatever I want?”

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