Finn asked him a million questions about the festival, and then the conversation turned to the old inn. A couple of buyers were engaged in a bidding war over the property, and it was the talk of the town. Reopening would help reestablish Lovewell as a tourist destination, which would, in turn, dramatically change things here. Lovewell had declined as the timber industry did, but lately, our community had begun to level out.
“Have you heard from Noah?” Finn asked Jude. While Noah had been distant for years, he and Jude had that strange connection that only twins shared. Noah had headed out west at eighteen, and he rarely visited.
Jude shook his head. “It’s been a couple of weeks. I’ve been feeling off, like something might be wrong.”
“Should we be worried?”
“Not yet. It’s wildfire season, so he’s dealing with a heightened level of stress. That could be it. He’s off the grid a lot, and reception is tough. I’ll give him a few days and then call his unit chief if I need to.”
Noah was the family daredevil. He’d never met a risk he wouldn’t take, and he’d followed those instincts out west. In the winter, he worked in wilderness search and rescue, rappelling out of helicopters to rescue people from avalanches. In the summer, he fought wildfires. I was proud of him, but he still scared the shit out of me.
After a second round of beers and a pizza delivery, Finn decided to butt his nose back into my business again.
“Can we circle back to Gus, guys?”
Cole and Jude looked up from where they were stuffing their faces.
Finn raised his brows. “He has an ex-wife.”
I kept my mouth shut and focused on my own pizza.
“And he’s clearly still in love with her,” Jude added.
“How does that even work?” Cole mused.
Despite my attempts to ignore them, the three of them stared at me. Fuck them for knowing how to get under my skin. Even baby Thor loudly sucked on his pacifier, waiting for my answer.
I did not want to talk about this anymore. I thought we’d just shoot the shit, and I’d go home.
“Gentlemen,” I said simply. “It’s not complicated.”
“Yes, it is. She’s back. What does that mean?” Finn asked. “Are you interested? Is she?” His questions hit me rapid fire and I wasn’t ready to even begin to think about the answers.
Annoyed, I gritted out, “I don’t know, okay? All I know is she’s here. And I want to find out. See what could be.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us you were married?”
I ran my hand down my beard. The shorter hair was strange. I liked it, though. As always, Becca was right. I’d needed to clean myself up.
“I was twenty. I was in technical school in Heartsborough.”
Jude nodded. “I remember that.”
“Dad thought it would be helpful to have an electrician on staff. Said it would be a way for me to contribute to the company.” I’d been living in the tiny apartment above Dad’s garage, trying to learn how to be a man and mostly failing. “Chloe worked at the coffee shop. I’d go there every day just to stare at her, working up the courage to talk to her.”
The baby fussed in Finn’s arms, distracting me.
“She-Ra,” Finn said, using the nickname he’d given Adele. He stood and bounced his son. “Thor’s hungry, and you need to hear this story.”
A minute later, Adele appeared, her tiny dog nipping at her heels, and cooed at their son, who was fussing a little louder now. “Go get my chair. I’ve got to feed him.”
Finn passed the baby off to her, then hustled out of the room. A minute later, he was back, carrying the rocking chair I’d made when the baby was born.
She settled in it and pushed off gently with one foot. “I love this chair,” she said, beaming at me. “It’s this little guy’s favorite. I make Finn move it from room to room for me.”
Finn stroked her hair, his eyes warm and fixed on her. “She was carrying it herself a few days after giving birth,” Finn grumbled. “Wouldn’t let me do anything.”
She tilted her head back and patted his bearded cheek. “He needs a job. So now he’s my chair guy. My hero.”
Finn pulled a thin blanket off the back of the chair for her, and she draped it over herself. We all looked away politely as she latched the baby.
“Okay. Continue,” she said as she rocked.
The memories rushed me, along with the thrill that always hit me when I saw Chloe. How I’d rearrange my entire day just to drop by that coffee shop. The ache in my chest went away as soon as she smiled in my direction.
“We hung out. Her mom was sick then. Cancer. And Chloe was taking care of her. She was so sad and so beautiful. I made it my mission to make her smile every single day.”
“You?” Jude guffawed. “But you don’t believe in smiling.”
“Maybe not for myself.” I chuckled. “But if you knew Chloe, you’d realize just how spectacular and rare her smiles are.”
“I’m so confused.” He took off his glasses and squinted at me. “I’ve been out working in the woods for a week and now you’re a different person? Were you abducted by aliens?”
“Nah, I’m focused, that’s all.”
“Dude, we’ve worked together every day for the last ten years. I’m your goddamn brother. I want a DNA test to confirm you haven’t been body snatched.”
Finn just laughed, “I get it, dude. She’s your person.”
