Page 36 of First Bride to Fall
“So the chargers?”
He shook his head. “Don’t match up. You can use my phone if you’d like, though?” He didn’t see the harm in that. It wasn’t like he kept state secrets on it or anything.
“That would be great, thanks. I want to tell my sisters my phone’s out of commission so they don’t worry.” When he nodded, she asked, “Do you think we’ll be out of here by tomorrow?”
“Hard to say about the bridge, but the road could clear. We can check in the morning.” Inwardly, though, he hated the idea of leaving the cabin. “Why don’t you prop your foot on a pillow on the coffee table, and I’ll go grab your favorite vegetable cold pack.”
“Thanks, Grant.” She propped up her foot like he instructed and stared around the room. “So, what do you do up here when you’re not fishing?”
He returned with the frozen peas and also handed her his phone, which he’d grabbed off the kitchen counter. He entered his password and gave it to Nell.
“I don’t know. Relax. Read.” He eyed the selection of dog-eared paperbacks he kept on a bookshelf in the corner, then the stack of magazines he’d given her. “Play solitaire.”
She wrinkled up her nose. “Sounds a little lonely.”
He hadn’t exactly felt lonely in the past. After having Nell here, though, he might think about things differently in the future. Grant was used to spending a lot of time alone. While he enjoyed leading his adventure groups, he found it a little taxing to be socially “on” all the time, so he liked having his down time. “It’s all right.” He shrugged. “I’m used to being on my own.”
She grimaced. “Sorry to intrude on your solitude.”
He laughed and set his hand on the doorframe. “No worries. I like having you here.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Maybe we can play cards later?”
“I’ve got other games, too.”
“Oh yeah?”
He pointed to the coffee table, which was actually an old wooden blanket chest that had belonged to his grandfather. “Everything’s in there if you want to take a look.”
…
Grant shut the bathroom door, and Nell glanced down at his phone. She should probably send her text message first, then browse through some of his magazines so she could bone up on her vocabulary. Grant was asking a lot of questions about her camping expertise, and she was failing every one of them. He’d already suspected she wasn’t a hiker. The price stickers on her jacket and boots hadn’t helped, either. If she could at least cling to the camping illusion, he’d have some respect for her as an outdoorsy sort of woman.
Even though he claimed that didn’t matter, maybe it did. His past girlfriends were probably all super athletic with healthy natural glows from spending so much time outdoors. Like swimsuit models or movie stars—the kind who starred in action films. Just because Nell wore a one-piece swimsuit and had a cushy bum, that didn’t mean she wasn’t attractive. She liked her body very much and owned every minor curve. Okay, some of the slightly more major ones, too. And her cellulite. Each thigh dimple was very special to her, almost like a child. She’d even named a few of them. Not that she’d ever tell Grant that.
She glanced down at his baggy sweat clothes, thinking they didn’t do her figure any favors. When she dressed well, she looked great, and she knew exactly how to dress for her body type. Which was why the hot pink Lycra running pants hadn’t exactly worked. They’d pinched her tummy, waist, and thighs, and other uncomfortable places. It had been a huge relief to take them off. If Grant wound up taking her to Mariner’s, she’d pull together her prettiest outfit ever.
She couldn’t wait for that date. But for the moment, she had to.
She needed to text her sisters. She knew their numbers by heart because their parents had gotten them all cell phones at the same time, and the ending of each phone number was just one digit off from the others. Nell had started driving, so she’d clearly needed her own phone. Charlotte only got one because she’d argued that her sports coaches required one for contact purposes.Like, honestly? They couldn’t have texted Mom or Dad, or called the house?
Misty had basically whined and cajoled her way into getting her own phone, declaring it was necessary for her personal safety.Yeah, from her cool tween friends, who’d razzed her for lagging behind technologically.She’d only been twelve. And so she’d received her first cell phone four years earlier than Nell, who’d had to wait until her sixteenth birthday like it was this huge deal. And it had been, but Charlotte and Misty had benefited, too. It was always that way with her sisters, but this time, Nell was racing out ahead of them. She was determined to find happiness first.
She sighed, recalling Charlotte’s and Misty’s precious kiddie faces. They’d been so adorable as babies, and she’d been really protective of them growing up, defending them from bullies and showing them how to tie their shoes. She’d also taught Charlotte to read and Misty how to bake cookies. Later, she’d helped them with their homework and had served as an advisor when they’d begun dating boys. It was sweet that they trusted her judgment, despite her lack of experience.
She’d been their leader. Their mentor. Their shepherd.
And they her cute little lambs.
Her heart seized up.
And now I’m throwing them to the wolves.
Factually, it was more like a lone wolf named Aidan Strong.
This didn’t make Nell feel any less guilty, though.
She rolled back her shoulders, redirecting her energy.
