Page 92 of The Likelihood Of You

“Yeah, but we better go now so we don't get trampled on by the people heading to the Rockefeller tree.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

We headed out the door shortly after, Nanna’s arm linked in mine, as we strolled out into the bittersweet chill of the lavender hour.

Chapter thirty-four

Florence

It didn’t take long to reach the ‘KEEP OUT’ sign that I’d ignored all those months ago, and much to Nanna’s enjoyment, we stepped over the rusty thing and began our walk to the lookout. I had to lift my head, not wanting to watch my steps, ignoring the memories that were stomped into the phantom path below me.

Instead I brought my eyes up to appreciate how the sky was morphing into a whimsical midnight blue, violet fusion. It seemed like the only easy thing for me to focus on. And I wasn't sure why I was so hesitant to put one foor infront of the other.

Memories, I suppose.

I pointed out the sunset to Nanna, who said it was utterly breathtaking, and like me averted her gaze onto it. We talked about how England was deprived of such gorgeous skies and how maybe if we had more of them, people would like each other.

Then we made it to one of my favourite places on earth.

“Oh my God.” Nanna gasped as she rushed ahead of me, placing her feet on the very edge of the lake’s tiny shoreline. “It’s like something from a winter fairytale, Flo.”

As Nanna wandered further toward the edge of the lake, I took that as my opportunity to take a spin and absorb everything I was getting reacquainted with.

It looked just the same as the last time I was here, although the bright orange hews of the wildflowers were coated with a dusting of frost, as were the blades of grass. The thick trunk of the oak tree was sparkling as though it were gift-wrapped with snowflakes, and the shoreline was slightly iced over, too.

As much as this place thrived in autumn and came alive with the splashes of auburn and chestnut, there was something extra magical about it in the winter.

As I finished my slow twirl I halted my heels to face Nanna again, who was still looking over the frosted blue water of the lake, when I noticed her sigh. “What’s wrong, Nanna?”

She zipped around on her feet to face me, a half-sad, half-gleeful impression resting on her face, which made those panic receptors tingle again. “It looks like I’m on a losing streak this week with these bets.”

My eyes bore into her blankly before shifting them to the left for a second, then putting them back on her, which hopefully told her how confused her odd confession just made me. “What are you on about?”

She reached into her pocket, pulled out her wallet, which was shaped like an owl, and began digging. “I swear I’m going to have tostart dishing out British notes if I keep losing, " she said, her words directed toward the oak tree.

“Nanna, what are you—”

“Come get your money, you pain!” She hollered to the tree, which would have had me Googling, ‘What does it mean when a relative starts talking to trees?’ if he hadn’t appeared a second later.

And when my eyes landed on him, my heart stopped beating. Time froze like the shoreline, and my body iced over.

“I tried to warn you, Dorothy. Hand it over.”

The familiar huskiness of his voice sent warm shivers down my body so quickly that I couldn’t stop them. My already cold feet became iced to the ground beside the bench, as I watched Jacob walk from behind the oak tree, wearing dark blue jeans and a chunky cream sweater thrown over his torso. His hair was sitting in that freshly tussled way I liked so much.

And his rich brown eyes, which made me fall deeper in love with him every time they looked into mine, glanced at me as he made his way over to my Nanna.

“You kids are going to bankrupt me.” She sighed, reluctantly handing Jacob his money before her head swung over to face me. “I bet him this place wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful as where your Granddad took me on our first date.” She chuckled to herself. “Put it this way, the beach at Southend-On-Sea is no match for this place.”

My face remained frozen, like the rest of my body, apart from my lips, which twinged in the corners and forced a lazy smile out of me. I didn’t know what was happening. Why was Jacob behind the tree? When had they made this bet? What was he doing here?

I had to hold onto the bench to stabilise myself; the number of questions and no answers running through my head almost made me topple over.

My attention sprung back onto Nanna and Jacob, who had just released each other from an embrace, as they chuckled at something Nanna had whispered to him. When she did, Jacob side-eyed me again, his lips curving into a smirk, before hunching his tall frame almost comically enough to reach down to Nanna, before holding both her hands.

“Dorothy, if you head back that way, Nate is waiting for you; he’ll walk you back to Flo’s apartment.” He said, pointing her in the direction of the phantom path.

“Thank you, dear. For everything. I hope to see you soon.” I watched her squeeze his hands slightly before releasing them and heading to me. As she reached me, the tips of our shoes touched, and one of her hands rose up and cupped my cheek. “Hear him out, Flo. I’ll see you at home.” She sent a wink my way before heading off to find Nate.

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