Page 5 of Nicky

My chest tightened. I didn’t know if it was because of the compliment or because I was still stunned by how effortlessly he’d gotten through to Beverly. I couldn’t trust myself to respond immediately.

“I don’t want us to get off on the wrong foot,” he continued. “I know I’ve been... a little distant since starting here. The truth is, this move has been more of an adjustment than I expected.”

I nodded, feeling the tightness in my throat. “Yeah, well, this place isn’t exactly easy to warm up to.”

He chuckled, low and quiet. “No, it’s not. But I’m glad you’re here. The residents are lucky to have someone who cares as much as you do.”

The words hit harder than I expected. The flush that crept up my neck made my skin feel too tight. I glanced away, hoping the fluorescent lights didn’t give away the fact that I was actually feeling something—something I didn’t want to feel.

Before I could even think about responding—maybe say something smart, maybe flirt outright—his phone buzzed.

“Sorry, I need to take this,” he said, his brow furrowing slightly as he glanced at the screen. “But thank you, Nicholas. I look forward to working with you.”

He walked off without another word, answering the call with that same confident stride, leaving me standing in the hallway, wondering what the hell just happened.

What was he doing to me?

CHAPTER 4

Markus

Leah’s voice, firm and insistent, filled my ear as I leaned against the kitchen counter. I’d made the mistake of answering her call between unpacking boxes, and now I was trapped in her endless monologue of concern.

“You can’t just bury yourself in some tiny town and think that’ll fix everything, Markus.” Her tone was exasperated, with just enough warmth to remind me she cared. “Running away doesn’t solve anything. And leaving me to deal with Mom by myself? Rude.”

I pressed the phone tighter against my ear and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I didn’t run away, Leah. I moved. People do it all the time.”

“Bullshit. You moved because Josh dumped you for some asshole in a Tesla and now you’re hiding out in—what’s it called again? Juniper Hollow?”

“Juniper Hollow isn’t hiding. It’s... quieter,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the half-unpacked kitchen. The town was small, less than ten thousand people, nestled in the shadow of the Cascades and just a short drive from Seattle. It was the kind of place where the air smelled cleaner, where neighbors stillborrowed sugar and waved when you passed on the street. The kind of place that could let me breathe again.

“You went from San Francisco to a town where I’m betting there’s, what, one coffee shop? Maybe two if you’re lucky? That’s hiding.”

The truth of it stung, but Leah’s ability to cut straight to the bone was nothing new.

“You know what your problem is?” Leah’s voice carried an edge of teasing, but I could hear the affection underneath. She didn’t wait for me to respond. “You have this habit of falling for guys who need you to take care of them. How old was Josh again? Twenty-five?”

“He was thirty.”

“Barely. And probably the most selfish, pretentious thirty-year-old I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.” Her voice softened, the teasing giving way to something warmer. “Markus, you deserve someone who’ll love you foryou. Someone who’ll meet you halfway, not just take and take until there’s nothing left. You’ve got this big heart, but you need someone who’ll take care of it, too.”

I sighed, the weight of the conversation pressing down on my chest. “This isn’t about Josh.”

“No, it’s about you. You’re a catch, Markus, and you’re wasting time moping over someone who didn’t deserve you in the first place.”

“I’m not moping.”

“You’re absolutely moping. And let’s not even start on the fact that you haven’t tried to put yourself out there. When was the last time you even went on a date? I’ll tell you when—two years ago, with a guy who turned out to be a complete tool.”

Her words grated, not because she was wrong, but because she had no idea how complicated the reality was.

“Maybe I don’t want to date right now,” I said, softer this time, hoping she’d let it go.

“Or maybe you don’t want to deal with the risk of rejection.”

My stomach twisted. Leah had no clue how close to the mark she was, but it wasn’t something I could explain to her.

“Look, I know you mean well, but I’m fine. I’ve got a new job, a new place. I’ll figure the rest out eventually.”

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