Page 19 of The Quiet Rebuild

“Did you do tour guide stuff?” Jake asked. “I’ve always thought about putting together a bird-watching tour. Maybe when the journalism dries up, I’ll get into it. People-to-people stuff is the way forward, I think. I never know what will happen with the rise of artificial intelligence. That, and it almost feels like all the birds have been written about already.” He smiled.

“You’re probably right. In-person stuff is the future. I never would have thought of it that way when I was down in Costa Rica, but we weren’t so keen on technology.”

“What kind of work were you doing down there?” Jake asked.

Lindsey’s cheeks burned. “I was a scuba diving tour guide and instructor.”

Candice’s jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon?”

Beside her, Frank laughed. “Lindsey, you’re a woman of so many secrets!”

“That’s what I keep telling her,” Candice said under her breath.

“What was that?” Jennette and Claire turned, and now, all attention was on Lindsey, whose single greatest mission since she’d arrived on Nantucket was not to tell anyone anything.

Why had she given herself away like that? She felt like she was swimming in the deep, the light from above just a single dot, far, far away.

“It wasn’t a big deal. I’m not doing it anymore.” Lindsey shrugged.

“There isn’t great scuba diving around here, I guess,” Jake said.

“Good birds, though,” Lindsey said.

“Lindsey, come on,” Claire begged. “Tell us more about your adventures!”

Lindsey ached with sudden nausea. “I really don’t want to get into it.”

“Uh-oh. Are you a spy or something?” Hunter asked.

“No, Hunter. I’m not a spy. I’m nothing. I help my sister organize our mother’s library and go for long runs. That’s about it. What else do you want from me?”

There was a moment of silence. It was clear that Lindsey had made a mess.

“But you’ll tell us someday?” Jennette asked.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Lindsey said, lowering her gaze.

A moment later, the server appeared carrying platters of burgers and chicken wings, and everyone got distracted and fell into other conversations. Ketchups were passed. Lindsey could feel her sister’s gaze on her, assessing her, until she, too, focused on her cheeseburger and boyfriend. Candice had decided to let her off the hook for now.

“Is that something you liked?” Jake asked suddenly, yanking Lindsey’s eyes back to his. “Birding?”

“Oh! I mean, like I said, I love being outside,” Lindsey offered, clasping her hands.

“Because you could come with me. If you want,” Jake offered.

Lindsey’s cheek twitched with surprise.

“No pressure if you’re not into it,” Jake said. “But I’m heading out tomorrow morning around six or seven. Usually, I bird for about three or four hours, then have a huge breakfast. Do you like breakfast?”

Lindsey laughed. “I love breakfast.”

She thought about her original plan for tomorrow: a ten-mile run to nowhere, followed by some sad oatmeal in her kitchen. What if she went birding with this adorable stranger? What if she did something besides race herself across the sands?

Was it dangerous—to involve her heart in something like this? Then again, she saw no reason she’d fall for Jake. He was a nerdy birder. He’d leave the island in a few weeks and never come back.

“So you’ll come?” Jake’s eyes were enormous.

“I’ll go,” Lindsey said, shrugging. She avoided Candice’s burning gaze, which seemed to try to dig into her, to see what on earth her little sister was about.