Page 90 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

Nash blocks me. “He just left to go out on the lake with Raine. Why don’t you hang out here with Elle for a while? I’ll go down and make sure Mateo leaves.”

I nod as Nash pushes us inside the room and closes the door.

“Butch went canoeing with Raine?” I say, turning to Elle. “I swear they have something on the side.”

“They don’t.” Elle unwraps the pie and hands it to me. “They’re just friends. Like you and Nash. You love each other, but you’d be miserable together.”

I crawl into bed and take an enormous bite of the pie. “I don’t know.”

“I do know,” Elle says, pulling the covers over us. “Forget about everyone else and concentrate on you right now. What do you want?”

“Butch,” I say, sitting up and looking down at her. “I really like him.”

“Obviously,” she says, motioning to the condom wrappers that are now all over the floor. “I’m seeing at least four. Were you guys trying to break some kind of record?”

“Shut up.” I put my head on her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter now. I think I’ve fucked everything up.”

“You haven’t fucked anything up and it’s not too late. He likes you. Get through this drama and try to get to a normal place with him. You remember how Nash and I started. I had to leave him for a month to get my head straight after I walked out on Steve. There’s no way I could have started a relationship with Nash right away. He was patient. He gave me space. I needed that.”

“Yeah,” I say, wiping a tear off my face. “I know you needed that, but I don’t want space.”

“Maybe he does, though.” She grabs the tissue box off the table and puts it between us.

“Are you crying?” I sit up and look at her face. It’s completely wet. “What did I tell you about crying about my stuff?”

She points at me. “You told me I couldn’t cry about your stuff unless you cried about it. You wiped a tear off your face. I saw it. I have a green light to cry as much as I want.”

“Fine. I probably need a good cry, anyway.”

I leap out of bed when I hear a knock on the door, hoping that it’s Butch. It’s Nash.

“Mateo left.”

I crawl back into bed. “Okay, thanks.”

“I’m going back home,” Nash says. “Sam and Alex are still over there trying to figure out the stuff with the town. Elle, do you want to come with me?”

“Yes, she does,” I say, pushing her shoulder. “Please take her before she starts crying any harder.”

“I don’t think I should leave you.”

“I’m fine,” I say, hugging her. “I need to sleep. I’ve been up since four. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

“Are you sure?” Elle says, frowning. “I can stay here while you sleep.”

“I’m sure. Go. I’ll be fine.”

I close the door and wait a few minutes before I leave to find Butch. I walk onto the inn’s patio and find Mason sitting alone.

“Where is everyone?”

“Millie’s getting ready for our hike. Raine and Butch went canoeing. I guess Alex is still with Sam. Nash and Elle just left. They said they’re coming back over tonight for one last cookout before we leave tomorrow.”

I nod and sit down next to him. “I guess Butch is pissed at me.”

“You need to ask him that.” He opens the cooler next to him. “Beer, water, or wine?”

“Wine, please.” I point to the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc buried halfway into the ice. “Your friend is a very complicated man.”

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