Page 24 of Lucky in Love
After Nick left, Brody finished his sandwich, wrote a few notes on his current project, and packed up his laptop. He exchanged friendly nods with a few of the patrons on his way out, already feeling more included.
On the drive back to Whispering Pines, he noticed the turnoff to the state park and diverted, thinking maybe he’d take a short hike.
Nature would soothe his battered soul. Whether it was the rhythmic waves of the ocean, the heavy, humid blanket of the jungle, or the wide open, windy cliffs of Scotland, the sights and sounds of Mother Nature always calmed him.
He found the trailhead for the falls and parked. The trees were gloriously stoic. Bright, vivid leaves would soon wither, leaving them naked and vulnerable. But even in the face of losing everything, their spines remained straight and proud.
Okay, perhaps he was being a little dramatic. But the metaphor did sort of fit his situation. And if the trees could survive total exposure, so could he.
He double-timed it up the hill. Blood pumping and breath heavy, he crested the last part of the trail before it broke out to the falls. He heard voices and slowed, recognizing Alex’s right away.
She and a man he assumed to be Drake faced the falls, their backs to him. Drake’s arm hung around Alex’s shoulders, her arm around his waist. She stared intently and commented on how beautiful it was. Drake nodded and agreed, but discreetly checked his watch.
Alex said something about being all alone. So, not wanting to startle them, Brody cleared his throat loudly before approaching.
“Ahh,” Alex gasped, turning to face him, but relaxing once she saw him. “Oh, it’s just you. You scared the crap out of me.”
“Hello to you too,” Brody greeted.
“You guys know each other?” Drake asked.
“He’s staying in one of the cabins,” Alex explained.
“Ah. Hey, man.” Drake lifted his chin in greeting.
“Sorry to intrude,” Brody said. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just grab a quick picture and then head out.”
“No worries,” Drake said over the top of Alex’s, “Okay.”
“We’re done here anyway,” Drake continued. “Take your time.”
Alex looked up in astonishment, as though this was news to her.
Brody glanced between the two of them, landing on Alex. “You sure?”
“Yeah,” Drake answered. “Let’s go get a beer, hon. All this hiking’s made me thirsty.”
Alex pursed her lips, clearly biting her tongue about something. But she didn’t protest when Drake reslung his arm over her shoulders and pushed her toward the trail.
They collectively mumbled goodbye, and once they were out of earshot, Brody found a place to set up his tripod. The sunlight came in like a perfectly placed spotlight on the falls, causing the water to shimmer and glow.
It was soothing and therapeutic. He could spend all day up here, but eventually a small family popped through the trees. Kids yelled, ran, and took turns throwing rocks into the water,killing the moment. He loaded up his stuff and headed back down the trail.
Now that he was in town for a solid few days, he stopped by the Kitchen Kart grocery store and stocked up on meat, cheese, bread, and apples.
Coming out, something in front of the hardware store next door caught his eye. He put the groceries in the trunk and crossed the parking lot to The Tool Shed.
A sturdy pine-wood rocking chair was what had snagged his attention. He sat down to give it a test drive. It was perfect. Totally impractical—it’s not like he could take it back to New York—but he had to have it.
When he entered to inquire about it, a kid in a red vest was talking with an elderly gentleman.
“Tyler went home sick today,” the pimply-faced teen said. “So I’m the only one here until closing. I could come by after work, but that’d be late. How about tomorrow?”
“That’s okay, Danny. Just sell me the parts and I’ll see if my granddaughter can help me out. I’d do it myself, ’cept for this stupid arthritis. Won’t let me hold a drill straight anymore.”
“Anything I can do?” Brody asked, approaching the duo. “Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear. I got nothing but time on my hands if you need assistance with something.”
Both men gave him a cautious once-over.
