Page 14 of Wild For You

“Ah, the family talent,” I chuckled, imagining generations of Nico’s tossing a ball back and forth under wide-open skies. I brushed a lock of wavy blond hair behind my ear, feeling the warmth of the setting sun on my face. “You know, I used to play a bit myself. Backyard games with my brothers.”

“Is that so?” Nico's eyebrows rose playfully. “You'll have to show us your skills sometime.” He shifted closer, his shoulder almost brushing mine as we both turned our attention back to the field.

“Maybe I will.”

Nico was watching me, a question forming behind his dark gaze. “What brought you to photography?” he asked, his voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity amidst the noise of the game.

“Moments,” I said, my tone taking on a reflective quality. “Capturing them, preserving them. Life is fleeting, but a good photograph can make a memory last forever.”

“Sounds like a heavy responsibility.”

“Perhaps,” I admitted, “but there's beauty in that weight. And love—I believe in capturing love in its purest forms.”

“Love, huh?” For a second, Nico's muscular frame seemed to relax, the edges of his rough exterior softening. “That's something I haven't allowed myself to think about for a long time.”

Our eyes met. It was clear that beneath his protective shell, Nico harbored a depth of emotion that matched my own romantic spirit.

“Never too late to start again,” I whispered, half to myself, half to him, as another cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Isn't that a scary prospect?”

“Terrifying,” I confessed. “But maybe worth it?”

“Maybe,” Nico echoed, his glance lingering on my lips before returning to the field, where the players were high-fiving their latest victory.

“Game's over,” Nico said, reluctance lacing his tone as he released my hand. “But maybe we could…”

“Walk you home?” I ventured, my pulse racing with boldness.

A smile ghosted across his face, a silent promise that hung in the air like the afterglow of the day's last light.

“Maybe,” he started, but the roar of the crowd swallowed his next words.

“Josie!” A familiar voice called out. It was my best friend, waving frantically from across the bleachers. “We need you! It's an emergency!”

With a final glance at Nico, I hesitated. My heart raced, echoing the pounding footsteps of the departing fans, leaving me breathless with wonder and uncertainty at what might have been—and what might still be.

“Go,” Nico urged, his hand briefly touching my back. “I’ll be here.”

As I rushed away, the crowd's jubilation fading into the background, I couldn't shake the feeling that life in Lawson Ridge was about to change—in ways I couldn't yet imagine.

10

Josie

My sneakers crunched against the gravel, keeping time with the rhythmic chirping of the crickets nestled in the gardens we passed.

“Did you see that home run, Daddy?” Haley's voice chimed, her small hand enclosed within Nico's larger, calloused one.

“Sure did, pumpkin,” Nico replied, his voice rich and smooth like aged whiskey, laced with pride. “You're going to be hitting them just like that soon.”

I watched the pair, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth. It was impossible not to be charmed. I let my gaze wander over the quaint houses lining the street.

“Lawson Ridge really turns into a fairy tale this time of evening, doesn't it?” I mused aloud, my eyes catching the delicate dance of fireflies among the blooming hydrangeas and roses. My heart swelled with an affection for the town I called home—a place where every neighbor was a friend, and every passerby had a wave or a kind word to share.

“Seems like it,” Nico agreed, glancing around with a hint of wonderment, as if seeing it all for the first time through my eyes. “Makes you appreciate the simple things.”

“Like daisies!” Haley piped up, pointing to a cluster of white petals cupped in vibrant green that sprawled along the sidewalk.

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