Page 37 of What We Break
REID
"Ican't believe you've never been to Hendricks Park," I say, practically walking backward so I can watch Laine look around like she's seeing something amazing instead of just a bunch of trees and walking paths. "This is criminal. You've been here how long?"
"I've driven past it, but I never had a reason to stop." She's got her hands shoved in her jacket pockets, and her cheeks are pink from the cool air. "It's beautiful."
She's beautiful.
"Wait until you see the rhododendron garden. It's not the right season for blooms, but the layout is pretty incredible."
"You're like a tour guide."
"I'm trying to impress you with my local knowledge." I spent twenty minutes on Wikipedia this morning memorizing flower facts. I sure as hell didn't know what a rhododendron was before today. But I didn't want to come off like a clueless meathead. "Is it working?"
She grins and bumps my shoulder with hers. "Maybe a little."
"I'll take maybe." I bump her back. "By the end of this walk, I'm shooting for 'moderately impressed.'"
We've been walking for about twenty minutes, and I keep finding excuses to stay close to her. Help her over a fallen log that she couldhave easily stepped over herself. Point out a bird that requires me to lean in and talk quietly—I have no idea what kind of bird it is, but I'm committed to the bit now. Touch her elbow to steer her around a muddy patch. Stupid shit, but she doesn't seem to mind.
I'm like a golden retriever who found his favorite person. It's a little embarrassing, honestly.
But, I can't fucking stop.
"So," Laine says, "tell me more about this house you and Blake are fixing up. You mentioned it the other morning but didn't give me details."
"It's a 1920s craftsman, about ten minutes outside town. Previous owners let it go to hell, but the bones are good." I'm already getting excited talking about it—I can't help it. The house is going to be amazing when we're done. At the rate we're going, though, we'll both be in our fifties by then. "Original hardwood floors under all this ugly carpet. A fireplace that Blake says is worth more than my truck. The works."
"What kind of work are you doing?"
"Everything. Plumbing, electrical, painting, landscaping." I kick at a pinecone on the path, sending it skittering into the trees. "Blake handles most of the detailed stuff—he's got an eye for that kind of thing. I'm better at the grunt work. Demolition, hauling, holding things while Blake tells me I'm holding them wrong."
"Sounds like a huge project."
"It is. But it's nice, you know? Working with your hands, seeing things come together." I glance at her. "Plus I get to swing a sledgehammer, which is very therapeutic. I highly recommend it."
"You guys really are a team."
"He's family. We've been through a lot together."
Laine's lips curve into a small smile. "It's nice that you have that. A lot of people don't have anyone they can really count on."
"What about you? Anyone you can count on?"
She's quiet for a moment, thinking about it. "My parents are amazing. If I needed them they'd drop everything. But they're halfway around the world most of the time. Bethany, maybe, but we're..." She pauses. "We're different people than we used to be."
Bethany. The temporary nurse. "Different how?"
"She's all about going out, having fun. She's not big into responsibility. And I used to be great with that. But since I moved here, I'm wanting different things."
Before I can figure out how to respond to that, my phone buzzes. I ignore it, but then it buzzes again. And again.
"You should probably get that," Laine says.
I pull out my phone and see Danny's name on the screen. "Sorry, let me just..."
"Reid? Thank god." Danny sounds stressed as hell. "Are you busy right now?"
Yeah. I really am. I'm busy charming the prettiest girl I've ever met. "Kind of. What's going on?"
