Page 45 of Wanted You More

Bailey perks up. “That’s what happens when you fall in love with someone. You know what works best for them.”

Love.He’s never said anything about loving her. Then again, he doesn’t like talking about Bailey to me. For obvious reasons, I guess.

I’m tooyoungandrecklessto know the personal details of his life. What would I understand about love?

Wetting my lips, I slowly nod. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

***

I leave myphone at home tonight and head toward my favorite spot after everybody falls asleep. It’s a small, wooded area that’s elevated enough to get a decent overview of Cherry Cove. It’s especially pretty during the summer when the trees are green and the water in the distance glistens from the moonlight.

It’s not nearly as pretty now. The trees are naked; the air is nippy, and the water is half frozen over from the cold temperature that’s brought snowstorm after snowstorm. The one thing consistent about Meyer’s Peak is that it’s always peaceful.

The first time I ever came here was when I was thirteen. I’d snuck out of the house in the middle of the night because I couldn’t sleep and walked until I found the signs for the trailhead. It was summer, warm, and I’d had no fears. The worst that could have happened already did at that point, so why be afraid?

Dad used to hate it when I wandered off to explore when I was little because he and Mom were terrified something would happen. As if getting kidnapped or something was their biggest fear. Nothing bad ever happened here. Ironically, the middle of the woods is one of the safest places I’ve ever been.

“You’d like it here, Mom,” I say aloud, closing my eyes and leaning back as I let the cool air nip at my cheeks. She used to drag my dad hiking to random places because she loved being outdoors. I remember her saying nature gave her the space she needed to think and process whatever was on her mind.

When she had bad days at work or was stressed about something, she’d always drag us out for a nature walk. I always complained, but now I’d give anything to do that with her again.

I wish I could do a lot of things with her.

A twig snaps behind me. “Do you always come out here and talk to yourself?”

My body twists toward the new person and sags when I see who it is. “What are you doing here, Nick?”

I’ve barely ever encountered anybody out here whenever I’m hanging around. Mostly because nobody would want to sit on the peak in the cold in the middle of the night.

He comes over and sits beside me. “Chill. I’m not stalking you or anything. I come out here to get away from my family sometimes. Smoke a little. Think.”

“Why do you want to get away from them?”

He pulls out a joint and a lighter. “Dad opened a new bottle of scotch since he already went through the vodka, which means he and Mom are going to spend the night fighting and fucking. I wasn’t interested in sticking around to hear.”

“Shit,” I murmur, watching him light up and take a drag. “Guess I can’t blame you there.”

He offers me the joint, which I take. “Do you come here to talk to her?”

Her.Mom. I’m not used to him asking me about my personal life. He seems…normal tonight. It’s strange. “Sometimes. She never talks back though.”

“Pretty sure if she did you’d be crazy,” he remarks casually, blowing the smoke out.

I pass his weed back, trying to hide my amused smile. “True.” There’s a momentary pause between us where we stare at the view. It’s me who decides to break the silence. “We haven’t hung out like this in a while. I’m not used to you being around me and not asking to shove your tongue down my throat.”

Nick snorts. “Well, a guy can only take so many rejections.”

There must be boys your age that you’re interested in, Bailey had said.

My eyes go to Nick, studying how he sits and smokes and breathes. He doesn’t have a care in the world right now.

I envy that.

Swallowing, I shake my head when he holds the joint out to me. “What if I said you wouldn’t be rejected this time?”

His eyes widen. “What?”

I lift my shoulders. “I had a bad day.”

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