Page 30 of When Fate Breaks
A take a sip of the soda, my teeth instantly chattering from the cold temperature at the same time a strong cold breeze blows through. My body shudders reflexively as I wrap my arms around myself, my shaky breath coming out in a misty cloud.
“Here,” Blake says, standing up to shrug off his flannel.
“No, it’s okay–”
“Shut up,” Blake cuts me off. “You’re shivering.”
He steps towards me, wrapping his flannel around my shoulders and adjusting the collar to cover my neck. The boat rocks suddenly and Blake lurches forward. I reflexively lean back as he stumbles, my hand that’s not holding the soda can shooting up to fist his blue T-shirt. Blake catches himself on my bench seat, his hand landing just to the side of my right thigh at the same moment my hand pushes against his chest, the only thing keeping him from knocking me off backwards.
“Crap, sorry,” Blake grunts. When he raises his head, our faces are only inches apart. His turquoise eyes search mine. Chills spread all over my body, but I’m not entirely sure they’re from the cold this time. A strange feeling flutters low in my belly.
“Thanks,” I breathe, releasing his shirt from my hand and wrapping the flannel tighter around myself.
Though I’ve let him go, Blake doesn’t move away. He blinks, something in his eyes changing, and he swallows. “You’re going to get everything you want in life, Evangeline. I’m sure of it.”
I open my mouth to respond, but the sudden tightness in my throat won’t let any words come out. Blake pushes on to his feet and steps back, retaking his seat. His eyes finally tear from mine to look at the shore in the direction of his house. “We should probably get back.”
“Yeah,” I agree, picking up my oar.
We row back without another word.
PRESENT DAY
Blake
Agrunt escapes me as I kick the rotting piece of wood for the third time. I don’t have a spare second to celebrate when it finally gives, however, my hands shooting out to grab the panel of glass before it shatters against the stone floor. I shift the panel to one hand, using the back of my other one to wipe the sweat from my brow as I walk out into the yard, leaning the glass up against the wall of the house with the twelve or so other panels I’ve managed to salvage already this morning.
I glance up at the sun when I feel another drop of sweat trickling down my forehead, realizing it must be nearly 9 a.m. This is why I start early. And why my internal clock had me up and out here by six this morning. The heat gets frustrating enough in Lake Placid, but this southern humidity is a whole new element my body isn’t used to.
I make my way back into the greenhouse, starting in on the next panel. All day yesterday was spent planning and prepping, which is my least favorite part of the job. It’s not that Idislikethe planning phase, it’s just that I’m an antsy freaking human being. I love transforming landscapes and structures like these and deciding what plants will be added in to bring new life to the space, but, the problem is, I just want todoit. The second a singular idea comes to mind, I just want to see it in action. You can sit and plan a project for weeks, but, most of the time, you won’t even know for sure that something will work until you see it in real life. Luckily, with the experience I’ve gained over the years, I tend to know what will work and what won’t, but this greenhouse is a whole new ballgame. A very unique structure…
And a very unique client.
Thankfully, that very unique client had made herself very busy most of the day yesterday with errands and other things I didn’t pry into. I didn’t mind the space. In fact, frankly, I needed it. My head has felt like it’s spinning since the moment I stepped off the plane at Montgomery Airport. Actually, I think it’s been spinning for well over a week now. Since I got that phone call.
That damn phone call.
I’m pretty sure my brain and chest are still trying to work through all of the emotions that hit me at once the moment I realized who I was speaking to. As if I could forget that voice.
No matter how hard I might have tried.
And then there was the second round of visceral reactions once I learned why she was calling. Why she needed the greenhouse fixed. How it was attached to a home not just owned by her.
It was such an odd sensation. In a matter of one minute, feeling as if you’ve been transported to a new world–No, not a new world. An old world.
Home.
One you forgot you had. Just barely stepping foot in the doorway. Being hit with a wave of feelings and thoughts and sights and sounds and smells that you forgot existed because you locked them in a safe within the deepest levels of your mind. Being reminded that things you have grown to think of as dreams were actually once a reality.
Thinking for justonemillisecond thatmaybeyou just got lucky enough that those dreams could be a reality once again. This entire world and life flashing before your eyes so vividly for one minute until the entire picture suddenly shatters. All because of one word.
Fiancé.
And yet, I agreed.
I agreed to come here and fix this beautiful godforsaken greenhouse. Because I had to. Because I was in too deep.
Though it had only been a minute, that was the first minute I had allowed myself to think of Evangeline Jacks in over five years.Trulythink of her. Her face. Her laugh. The freckles sprinkled across her nose. Her round golden brown eyes that were somehow the exact same shade as her long wavy hair. Her massive brain that was her greatest strength yet also her biggest hindrance in life. Her desire for adventure. Her quick wit. The way she drove me absolutely freaking insane.
