Page 16 of By Your Side

A shadow blocks the sun as Elise comes to stand next to our blanket. “Sorry I’m late. I wanted to make us lunch.” She holds up the basket she carries before dropping down next to me and handing out sandwiches.

I haven’t spent much time with Elise, but we’ve gotten to know a little about each other during my frequent coffee stops at Perk Up. There’s a softness about her that immediately puts you at ease in her presence.

“How’re the house updates going?” She sits crisscross on the blanket, peeling back the wrapper on a sandwich.

Swallowing back the bite of sandwich, I grimace playfully. “It’s coming along. I had to give up my delusion of tackling it all on my own and hired Owen Callahan. Since then, things are progressing, but I feel useless.”

Elise nods. “I understand how you feel. When I bought the farmhouse, I had to change a lot to set up the coffee shop and had the same idea I could do it on my own. It didn’t happen.”

She and Raelynn chuckle as she shares some of her own renovation mishaps.

“I opened up the ceiling to replace it and had a snake fall on me.” She shudders. “Thank goodness it wasn’t a big snake.”

“Well, now I feel better about my plumbing system attacking me, at least it wasn’t alive!” We all laugh.

“You’re right, but somehow I managed to not have any mice. I will take a single snake over those critters any day.” She shudders.

Grimacing, I reply, “I don’t want any of them. And so far the exterminator did the trick. He thought he pinpointed where they were coming in and sealed it off, so I’m just hoping he’s right.” Crossing my fingers, I hold them up.

It doesn’t take the three of us long to polish off the meal, conversation flowing easily. Even though they’ve known each other their entire lives, I never feel like a third wheel. Their friendship giving me a sense of belonging I didn’t realize I needed so much until I had it. Soon, Elise and Raelynn sprawl on the blankets, soaking up the sun.

Standing, I stretch and yawn. “If I keep sitting here, I’m going to fall asleep. I’m cooking, I’m going to go for a swim.”

They mumble something, both zonked out as I wade into the water.

It’s heavenly.

Sinking into the cool water, I swim out to the buoys warning about the end of the swimming area and back, ducking underneath the surface for a moment. Everything is quiet, including my thoughts.

Surfacing, I sigh. Everything feels light as I roll onto my back and float.

I hear Raelynn and Elise chatting, so I head back to shore, stumbling a little when I see Owen standing next to them. He’s wearing shorts with his t-shirt tucked into the back pocket. His skin glistens with sweat, showing off the hard lines of his stomach.

Tearing my gaze away, I give him a small smile as I join them. “Hey, Owen.”

He nods, his gaze tracking down my bikini-clad body, leaving a wake of heat in its path. “Adeline.” His voice is gruffer than usual.

Adeline and Elise smirk at each other as they invite Owen to join us, which he accepts, dropping down to where I had been sitting.

Picking up my beach wrap, I stretch and say, “I think I’m going to explore the trails a little.”

Owen watches me a beat, then stands. “I’ll join you.”

Raelynn and Elise grin at me as he heads toward the trail around the lake.

Shaking my head, I turn and hurry to catch up to Owen. He matches his stride to mine as we head down one of the many trails surrounding the lake. The heat of the sun is dampened as it sifts through the trees.

We walk in silence for a bit, but the air feels thick and tight.

Breathing deeply, I sigh. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but there’s no reason to dwell on it. Finally, I break the silence. “This town feels like home. Something that I haven’t felt since November. The air feels cleaner, fresher. I actually feel like I can breathe.”

I want him to know his initial assessment of me leaving was wrong, I don’t know why it matters, but in this moment, I want him to know whatever timeline he bet on me giving up and going back, he will be wrong.

“Why did you leave your old home?” Owen’s voice is cautious.

“I needed a fresh start.” Shrugging, I attempt to act casual. No way in hell am I going to unload all the shit from the time Scott passed until I moved on to him.

The look in Owen’s eyes tells me I’m failing in my act, but he doesn’t press me.

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