Dew still coated the grass, making my shoe slip as I swung a two-foot section of tree trunk onto my shoulder. My heart jumped in my chest as I caught myself, and I sighed with relief. Getting injured because of the damp ground would be inconvenient and embarrassing. It was a good thing I'd throw a tarp over what I'd planned to burn to keep it dry.

Stepping carefully across the yard, I dropped the wood onto the giant burn pile. Dusting my hands, I scanned the area, making sure I hadn't missed anything. Granny's wood for the fireplace had been cut and stacked high, and the rest of the property was clear. All that was left was to burn what Nate and I had trimmed the other day.

After arranging the branches into a more efficient shape, I pulled the lighter from my pocket and lit a few places, letting the flames crawl across the kindling and connect to each other. Before long, fire covered the six-foot circumference of the pile.

Opening one of the two folding chairs I'd brought outside with me, I set it at the edge of the heat and made myself comfortable. As the fire crackled, I let my mind wander to the time Nate and I had spent in Savannah. Smart and funny, sometimes even a little flirty, Nate made my pulse race just by being himself.

Returning to Granny's last night, I was sad for the day to end. But then Granny appeared on the porch, excited and ready to play poker. It was one of her favorite things, and having a new player at the house thrilled her.

With Liv still slightly drunk from her hours at the bar, and me being a terrible player no matter what, it was a good thing Nate was there. He was the only one that was even the least bit of competition for Granny, and he'd still lost thirty dollars in quarters.

I chuckled, picturing Granny shaking her big plastic souvenir cup full of quarters in victory, saying, "Looks like it's time for me to have a spa day!" Of course, for Granny, that meant she'd get a manicure.

The backdoor squeaked as it opened and I peeked over my shoulder, spotting Nate crossing the grass with two mugs in his hands, and the sun shining on his dark waves, highlighting them. He looked amazing in jeans, a white tee, and a thick jacket.

Don't stare, I told myself as I hopped from my seat. "Morning," I said, opening the other chair and setting it beside mine.

"Good morning." Nate held a coffee out for me, letting me take it before he sat close enough for me to smell his delicious cologne. "I said I'd help, but you did everything without me."

"There's still plenty to do." I sipped my drink, letting the steam heat my face. "I can't just leave a fire going out here, so someone has to watch it burn."

Nate grinned before sighing dramatically. "It sounds tough, but I guess I can sit here with you for as long as it takes."

Contentment flowed through me in a warm wave. "Great. I was hoping you'd say that." I leaned back and tried not to react to the way his expression softened as he watched me.

"This is a beautiful way to spend the day." Nate relaxed in his seat as I nodded in agreement.

While we stared quietly at the fire, I took occasional glances at Nate, impressed by the way he fit in no matter the situation. He seemed just as at home in a plain T-shirt as he had yesterday in a dressy sweater and on Christmas in his suit.

God, that suit. The image of him wearing all black except for his deep red jacket filled my mind, and tingles covered the back of my neck.

Whatever he wore, confidence flowed from Nate in a way I envied. What must it be like to be so comfortable in your own skin?

He turned toward me with a smile. "You should've seen Liv this morning."

"As drunk as she was last night, I imagine she was a delight." I chuckled, remembering her giggling and forgetting the rules to a game Granny had played with us our whole lives.

"Nah." He laughed. "She was okay. Mostly. I got her a drink and stuff before she woke up. That seemed to help."

"That was thoughtful." Kind, handsome, funny, smart, the man was almost too good to be real.

Nate shrugged, ignoring the compliment. "Andre already texted her today, and she's thrilled. She seems to really like him. I hope he's as wonderful as she thinks he is."

"Me too. I can't believe he's the man Laurel made an appointment with. What are the chances?"

"I know. It feels meant to be."

Fate wasn't something I'd ever given much thought. Facts were easier for me to focus on. "He always seemed like a nice person, but that was in high school."

"Liv deserves a good guy."

"Yes, she does." My stomach twisted with guilt as I remembered the jealousy I'd felt when I thought Nate was that guy. I'd tried to be happy for her. I wanted to be. But mostly, I'd felt an overwhelming sense of loss, which was crazy.

"We're hard to find." Nate nudged my arm with his elbow and smirked.

I glanced at the house, struck by the oddness of someone knowing who I really am while I'm with my family, and pride straightened my spine at the realization that he was including me with the good guys. "I'm glad you're here."

The words slipped out before I'd given them any thought and embarrassment prickled my scalp, but Nate only smiled. "Me too."

I'd never known anyone so easily accepting of everyone around them. It made me want to know him better. "Did you already fill your family holiday obligations, or is that still waiting for you when you leave here?"

"Oh, no. That's all taken care of for this year." He took a deep breath and blew it out through tight lips, making me think I'd hit a nerve.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"You didn't. It's a normal question, especially while I'm spending the holiday with your family. My family's Jewish, so things were over before I came, but I was finished even before that."

He brushed his fingers through his waves and they fell perfectly into place. I crossed my arms to stop myself from reaching out to see if they were as soft as they looked. "Ah. I understand family tension. You've seen these people." I pointed my thumb toward the house, and he grinned.

"My family's drama isn't nearly as interesting as yours. This time of year, my parents focus on the fact that I'm not a practicing Jew. How could I do this to them?" Nate's voice grew rough in an imitation that must've been his father.

"Yikes. Sorry about that. My parents don't mention church. That way Liv and I don't have to remind them we don't go." I shrugged and finished my drink. "You know, if nobody talks about it, then you can pretend it's not true."

"Sure, yeah. Imagine your kids are the way you want them to be and don't give them the chance to contradict it." He nodded. "It might not be the healthiest way to handle things, but it'd be easier. I think I'd prefer wilful ignorance."

For a few minutes, we were quiet as we watched the flames flicker and grow. Nate's heavy gaze caressed my skin as he studied me, and I froze in place. My heart pounded against my chest and if I turned my head, there was no way I could hide how flustered he made me with only a look.

"Tell me about your job." He shifted in his seat to face me fully. "It must be interesting living at a hotel."

"I guess. It's different, that's for sure."

"Different how?"

I met his eye and the genuine interest I saw there surprised me. He wasn't just making conversation; he wanted to know me too. "Well, I rarely cook. I have a tiny kitchen, so it's easier to just grab my meals and eat at my desk. Our restaurant is fantastic, so I'm not complaining, but sometimes, I think it would be nice to go through the process of shopping and cooking."

"I love to cook. I don't always have time though, so I buy a lot of ready-made meals I can throw together."

"Even that would be a nice change. Something simple I could do for myself. Privacy would be nice too."

His brow furrowed. "Don't you have your own rooms?"

"Yes, but my apartment is right off my office. So if an employee is looking for me, they just come through and expect me to be ready for them, day or night."

"That's unrealistic." Nate scoffed, but rather than sounding annoyed, it was cute. "Aren't you allowed to have a life?"

"I can do what I want as long as it's considered fitting for someone representing Peachtree and Kings. That means I rarely leave my door without wearing a suit and my best manager's smile." I curved my lips in a polite imitation of friendliness and he laughed.

"Very professional. And exhausting, I'm guessing."

"You guess right. So, now I lock my office door at night to keep people from my apartment and give myself at least eight hours to sleep and not be in a suit."

"I think I'd have to lock the door a lot longer than that."

"It's what's expected of the hotel manager." I shrugged. "And living there for free, I can't complain."

"You might not pay in money, but you're definitely paying."

"I suppose you're right." There was a cost. The main one being the ability to live my life however I saw fit, but changing at this point seemed like more work than it was worth. "Still, I'm so used to it, it's not really an issue for me. It's just life."

"It seems like you live most of your life for other people."

My brows pressed against my hairline and his nose wrinkled as he shifted his gaze to the grass. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

My stomach twisted as his words hit home. "It's okay. You're not wrong."

"Still." He peeked up at me and shook his head. "Enough of that. Tell me something lighter." His soft smile eased my tension. "What's your favorite movie?"

I hummed in thought. "I'm not sure I have one."

"What? How?" Nate rolled his eyes. "Everyone has a favorite."

"I have a few go to movies, depending on my mood. Does that count?"

"Absolutely. Tell me."

For the next hour, we talked about movies. We both liked a few older, cheesy westerns, including The Quick and the Dead—that was something we'd both watch if it came across our screens. We agreed that those few seconds of My Girl, when Vega says Thomas J can't see without his glasses, were enough to make us cry. And my lack of more recent movie knowledge appalled Nate.

"How can you not have seen Barbie? Are you more of an Oppenheimer guy?"

"I haven't seen either. I don't have a ton of time for movies. Most of those others I saw when I was still in school. I can't even remember the last thing I saw in a theater."

"Make time for movies. Books too. Escapism." Nate patted my arm. "Give your brain a break."

"I should. I mean, how could I not have seen the Barbie movie?"

Nate held his palm over his heart. "Seriously. Margot Robbie's a gem and Ryan Gosling as Ken?" He clicked his cheek and winked. "I'd let him play guitar and sing at me. You know what I mean?"

"I don't think I caught the reference." But I couldn't stop my grin.

"You don't have to. The image is enough." He chuckled, and the deep sound sent tingles through me.

The backdoor squeaked open again, and I frowned at the interruption, but waved along with Nate when we spotted Liv coming our way.

💜 Thanks for reading!!

Do you have a favorite guy so far?

Barbie or Oppenheimer, what's your favorite? (And aren't these bizarre movies to be comparing? lol!)