Page 49 of Off the Trail

“We’ll start tomorrow. We gotta keep ahead of the weather,” Luis says. “My guys are willing to work overtime.”

“Sounds good.” Then I remember I’m building this house for someone who doesn’t want it.

I walk a few dozen feet back from the house, taking it in with fresh eyes. The clean lines, the view down to the lake—it’s going to be sensational. I built it thinking someday Brooke might want to raise a family here, but it seems she has other plans.

Once I finish building the house, I could rent it out, recoup the construction cost.

Or I could live here myself. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom floor plan seems too much for a single guy rattling around. But what if I shared it with someone? We could each have an office and keep one bedroom for guests. And then there’s the possibility of having my own kids one day. I don’t hate the idea, hypothetically. I’ve already raised one teenager to adulthood, but that’s not the same.

Who knows what the future might hold? All I know for sure is right now.

My gaze snaps to Shawn, bent over a toolbox as he trades one hammer for another. He straightens and sees me looking at him. He smiles, tips the brim of his absurdly sexy hard hat in my direction.

We could live here together, my brain whispers. The horrible, wonderful idea burrows into my heart against my common sense. I can’t be thinking that about someone I’ve known for a couple of weeks. Someone whose real life is hundreds of miles away.

Someone I’m falling in love with.

I close my eyes against the unfairly vivid dream of living here with Shawn and head to my truck without saying goodbye.

Chapter 20

Shawn

Everything hurts by the time Luis calls an end to the workday. He drops me off at the retreat, telling me he’ll have tax forms for me to fill out tomorrow, and I tumble into my shower. It’s been a physically demanding day, but I’m used to pushing my body beyond its limits. I have thirty minutes to get date-ready before Blaze is supposed to pick me up. I hope he’s okay with staying in, because my intention to plan the most epic, wonderful date ever went sideways almost immediately this morning.

I’d woken up to the crushing pressure of wanting to woo a person I care a lot about and having no idea how to start. I’m not exactly known for my dating prowess. It was all so much easier when I’d subconsciously set up our first date.

I decided to seek out inspiration. I went to the lodge, but I couldn’t very well ask Marika what hot date spots her employee might enjoy. Instead, I asked for a ride to Laketon. We’ve already been to one-third of the restaurants in the tiny town but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something else on offer. A concert or a movie theater, perhaps? I brought my phone along, desperate enough to get back online. The damn thing went berserk with notifications the second I got in service range. Texts from Jett, a few from some of the other guys on the team, the usual spam, and a message from Dr. Russell reminding me he was back from his trip and I’d missed our standing weekly appointment, which I ignored. Nothing from my dad.

While at the coffee shop, I overheard the guy in front of me asking the cashier if her brother was in town because he needed more people to work on a construction project on the lake. I butted in, confirmed he was talking about Blaze’s house, and introduced myself to Luis Conejo as someone with two hands and a modicum of know-how.

He’d looked me up and down skeptically, but he must have been desperate because he gave me a shot. I thought maybe pitching in with the house would mean more to Blaze than driving two towns over to see a movie.

It was hard to read him when he stopped by the construction site. He seemed a little taken aback, but I was having too much fun to care. Yes, I hammered my thumb half a dozen times. But I also saw the progress we made in a few short hours, and man, it felt good.

I stay in the shower as long as possible to give my muscles a chance to relax. Maybe I should have called Dr. Russell back. It probably wouldn’t be the worst thing to talk to my therapist about some of the things I’ve been contemplating, plus my new relationship, but meeting with him would force me to think too much about the world outside of Sanctuary Lake. I want to stay in my bubble for a little longer.

I’m dressing when I hear a knock. My one trump card has arrived: Nolan’s cooking. I’d put in a call to the kitchen when I stopped by my cabin to change into work clothes and get my tool belt, gloves, and goggles. I asked, okay, I begged the chef to put together a dinner for two, and I showed my hand when I told him to make all of Blaze’s favorites.

I open the door to Nolan’s sous chef carrying a tray of covered dishes. “You are a lifesaver, thank you,” I gush, making a mental note to tip everyone excessively when I leave the retreat.

Whenever that is. It’s harder and harder to remember what I have that’s worth going back to.

I don’t have time now to fall into an angst spiral. Instead, I set up the collection of fragrant, appetizing dishes on the little kitchen table. There are drinks in the fridge, and I dim the lighting. I’ve thrown on a casual button-down and hope my hair looks okay. It’s grown out a bit since I arrived. I might let it grow down to my ears at this rate.

It’s five minutes past when I finally hear Blaze’s truck and see the headlights arc across the cabin’s windows.

I open the door, and Blaze is there. My heart, honest-to-god, skips a beat.

“You didn’t bring Misty?”

He shakes his head. “Wasn’t sure what the plan was. Brooke said she’d take care of her tonight.”

I still don’t know what Brooke told Blaze to trouble him yesterday, but I figure he’ll open up to me when he’s ready.

He puts his hands in his pockets. “So, what is the plan?”

“Oh, right.” I inexplicably feel shy. “We’re eating in, if that’s okay.” I hold the door open, and he looks around for a moment before walking inside.