Page 53 of Show Me How
“Men are the worst.”
“They are. But with a little elbow grease, you can get the right one trained just how you want him.”
I choke on a laugh and try to tame it with a sip of the iced tea. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and bitter, so I take another drink.
“I don’t think all of them are trainable.”
“Are you talking from experience there? Was he too stubborn to change or too wild to tame?”
“Yeah, and it was more like he was too arrogant to consider anyone besides himself. Let alone me.”
Her nose crinkles. “It wouldn’t be all that bad if you stayed here a while longer, then.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Well, for the record, even the wild ones can settle a bit. And I’m speaking from experience this time.”
I pause, taking in her wistful expression. “Chadwick isn’t wild. I don’t think he had a wild bone in his body.”
“Mm. It’s a good thing I’m not talking about thisChadwick, then,” she sings.
“Shelly.”
“What? I’m just putting in my two cents. Shade’s a good one. I’ve known him since he was tiny. His parents used to bring him here for summer camp every year. Little shit-disturber, that boy, but he had manners in spades. He used to offer to scrub the kayaks for my husband and bring the clean towels to every cabin for me.”
“You sound like a matchmaker.”
She lifts her feet onto her stool and smiles. “I’ve been called far worse, doll.”
“Shade’s a nice guy. We’re friends,” I explain pointedly.
“I’ve been trying to get him to come back here for years, but he was always just too busy. Turns out he can make the time when it comes to driving you home.”
It’s impossible not to enjoy her pushing. Every attempt obviously comes from a place of kindness, and I’ll take it if it means we can keep chatting for a bit longer.
“You were telling me about when you first came here. Want to continue that?” I ask, grinning.
Shelly frowns, tapping her chin. “Oh, I was? My memory is a bit spotty tonight.”
“Where did you move from?”
“Fine, fine. I was born in Saskatoon and left on my thirtieth birthday. I’m not sure what it was that drew me here exactly. Not without getting all misty-eyed on you. But in what felt like a blink, I was pulling up outside of this place. I met my husband that night.”
“What happened then? Did you ever go back home?”
“No. I left for a reason, and I knew I couldn’t ever go back. That was my choice. Each person I hurt and betrayed has been left in my past. It’s the only place we can’t hurt each other anymore.”
“I’m sorry, Shelly,” I murmur.
She shakes her head, smiling. “Don’t apologize. I’m happy where I am, and I’ve never regretted my choice to leave or the one I made to stay here. I met the love of my life at this place, and with our beautiful family we’ve raised here, how could I wish I’d done anything differently?”
“You have kids?”
“Two!” Leaning forward, she drops her feet to the porch. The sleeves of her flannel top are too long and hang to the tips of her fingers when she holds her knees. “Tilly and Ash. You’ll see our son around here every once in a while. Ash lives in town, but Tilly’s off in Nova Scotia with her husband.”
“I’ve always wanted to go out East,” I say.
“It is beautiful. We flew there for her wedding, and I had a hard time coming back. If it weren’t for this place, maybe we would have stayed.”
