Page 34 of The Lie of Us

“And how did that really work out, Kai?” Nico questioned me with a hint of disapproval in his tone as he stepped on the gas. “Sure, she went off to Vermont and built her own life, but you know damn well she never recovered from whatever happened between the two of you.”

Propping my elbows on my knees, I dropped my face into my hands. I didn’t know what I was doing. The only thing I had planned on was winning her back, but I never fully thought my plan through. All I had known was, I was willing to do whatever it would take.

I lifted my head and stared out at the green as Nico stopped the cart again. “She gave me a library card.”

“What?” Nico angled his head as confusion passed through his expression.

“She works at the Orchid City Library,” I told him as we both grabbed our putters and walked together. “I went in and saw her and she gave me a card.”

Nico’s eyes filled with curiosity. “She works at the library?”

I nodded. “I overheard her talking about it at the charity event at the country club. I stopped by there the other day and she was there.”

He stifled a laugh and shook his head as he walked over to the hole and pulled the pin out for me to make my putt. “You showed up there without knowing she would be there?”

“How was I supposed to know she would be there?” I questioned him with a blank stare.

“Um… I don’t know? Maybe asking her like a normal person would?”

I stared at him as I toyed with the putter in my hand. “I don’t have her number and she wasn’t really happy to see me the last time I showed up at her house uninvited.”

“Dude, what is wrong with you?” Nico looked at me like I had lost my mind. “No wonder things are a mess between you both. You can’t just keep showing up wherever she is like that if you want her back.”

“Why not? She never minded it before.”

He gave me a dumbfounded look. “Well, that was before you broke her heart, man. Shit’s changed since then.”

I was stalling from putting and I was genuinely needing his help. I wasn’t inept when it came to interacting with people. My parents taught me how to behave appropriately, not that I ever did anyway. Nico was right. I was going about this all wrong, but I didn’t know where to start with her.

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“For starters, I would suggest getting her number.” He paused for a second as he motioned with his head for me to take my shot. “Start there and maybe try taking her out or something. I don’t know. Just stop being a fucking creeper and showing up everywhere unannounced.”

I mulled over his words and nodded. He was right. Crouching down, I studied the greens for a moment before positioning my shot. I pulled back just enough and slowly brought the putter to the golf ball. All of my doubts hit me like a ton of bricks, causing me to hit the ball at a shifted angle. My breath was held in my lungs as I watched it hook to the right. I let out a sigh of frustration as it came to a stop just beside the hole.

“Do you have her number?”

Nico’s eyes followed me as I walked over and simply grabbed my ball. It was right beside the hole so there was no sense in hitting it in. If I missed a shot like that, there would be no sense in me ever golfing again. I grabbed the pin from him and he went to hit his in.

“No,” he said slowly as he shook his head. “I haven’t personally talked to Winter in years. I just know what I know of her from Giana.” He paused for a moment. “She probably has her number, but I suppose it would be better if you got it from Winter directly. You know, to make yourself seem less like a stalker.”

I watched him as he lined up his putt and made it without any issues. This hole was one I shouldn’t have had any issues with, yet I scored worse than Nico. His words continued to float around in my mind as we packed it in and headed back to the clubhouse. My brain was making me question everything. The logical and emotional parts were definitely waging a war on one another.

He beat me on that last hole, but I still ended up winning the round. As he pulled the golf cart up to our cars, we both hopped off and started to load our bags into our trunks. I turned to look at Nico once more before we parted ways.

“How do I get her number without seeming like a stalker, since that’s how you seem to view me now?”

Nico chuckled softly. “Jesus, Kai. You really have no idea what you’re doing, do you?” He let out an exasperated sigh. “You have that library card, right?” His lips slowly lifted into a smirk. “I think it’s time to put it to good use.”

He wasn’t wrong. I had no idea what I was doing. This felt like unfamiliar territory, yet Winter was the most familiar thing in my life.

“You’re right,” I agreed with a nod. “Thanks, Nico.”

“Of course,” he said with a smile and a wink. “I’m always right.”

I shook my head at him and bid him farewell before climbing into my car. I glanced at the clock and saw that the library would still be open for another two hours. It felt like an irrational decision to go there now, but there was so much lost time between us that I would never get back.

I had already wasted six years without her.

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