Page 59 of At First Catch

Hadley turns toward me beneath the firelight.

“Nolan.”

My gaze drops briefly to her mouth, which is a huge mistake, because suddenly, I can remember exactly how she tastes.

And judging by the way her pulse jumps visibly in her throat—she remembers too.

I lean closer, and Hadley does the same.

One inch. Then another.

And just before my mouth reaches hers, the back screen door slams open.

“HADLEY,” Claire yells cheerfully. “Did you hide the brownies again?”

Hadley jerks backward so fast she nearly drops her blanket.

I close my eyes briefly.

Across the yard, Holt goes very still, watching us from beside Rook.

Whatever is happening between Hadley and me is becoming impossible to hide.

Chapter Eight

HADLEY

Ido not sleep well after almost kissing Nolan Pierce beside a firepit while my entire family sat twenty feet away.

This feels important to establish.

Because technically nothing happened.

No kiss. No touching. No scandalous declarations beneath the stars.

Just Nolan leaning toward me enough that every nerve ending in my body woke up at once before my mother interrupted us to ask about brownies.

Which makes it worse.

And now my brain has decided to replay the moment on an endless loop all night long like it personally hates me.

By seven thirty the following morning, I’ve already made coffee, forgotten to drink the coffee, stared at my phone six separate times, considered driving to the marina, talked myself out of driving to the marina, put on mascara for no reason, then took it back off out of principle.

Outside my cottage window, Otter Creek Farm wakes beneath soft spring sunlight. Wind moves through the pecan trees, while the distant hum of tractors drifts from the fields. The whole farm carries that peaceful early morning quiet before everyone fully starts moving.

Usually, I love mornings here, but today, my stomach feels like it’s hosting a cage match. I keep thinking about Nolan’s face right before he almost kissed me. The way his eyes dropped to my mouth. The way his voice roughened when he said, “You make this place hard to stay away from.” The way the entire world narrowed down to one suspended breath between us.

And worst of all?

I know he would’ve kissed me if Mom hadn’t interrupted.

Every time I close my eyes, he’s there again. Close enough that I can still remember the warmth of his breath.

My phone buzzes against the kitchen counter, and every cell in my body lights up.

Pathetic.

I snatch the phone too quickly and pretend Rook didn’t just witness that.