That Thing You Do (Crystal Lake 2)

“Guess I’m in the same boat as you. Too busy to think about that kind of stuff.”

“And you’re single.” She said the words lightly, but her eyes were serious.

He didn’t know how to answer that. On one hand, he sure as hell didn’t feel single. Not with Molly in the picture. And that was where the problem lay. His picture was going to change in about forty-eight hours.

Molly slid off the counter and walked over to him. “When are you headed back to New York?” Molly asked. Nate felt her words as if a sack of stones had just been draped across his shoulders.

“My flight’s early Sunday morning.” In the space of forty-five minutes, things had changed between them. He saw it in the way Molly’s eyes were too shiny, her voice too bright, her smile too wide.

“Right. Okay. We’ve got a lot to do today, with the rehearsal later, and I need to check on the puppies, and I know you’ve probably got stuff to do.”

“I told Link I’d drop by to chat, but that’s about it until tonight. I could come with you to check on the puppies. I bet Petal misses me.”

“That would be nice.” Molly pressed herself against him and slid her arms around his waist. “I told Raine I’d drop by around eleven, so that means we have about an hour.”

“To do what?” He groaned when she began to move her hips against him.

She didn’t answer because he didn’t give her a chance. Nate had her on the kitchen table and then once more in the shower. By the time they got to Raine Edwards’s, he was hungry again—and it wasn’t for food.

The old Wyndham estate had been snatched up several years back by Jake Edwards. Not far from Molly’s place, it was a historic home set back from the lake, not unlike the place his brother had just finished restoring. Surrounded by trees thick enough to ensure privacy, with exquisite grounds meticulously kept, it was beautiful. An old carriage house had been converted into a guest quarters, and a fancy BMW was parked in front of it as Nathan drove past to the main house.

Jake was a few years older than Nathan, so the two men hadn’t socialized all that much, but he’d been friends with Beck. Jake and his twin, Jesse, had gone overseas to fight the bad guys. Sadly, only Jake returned.

“I love this place,” Molly said.

“It’s impressive.”

“It’s not just the size or the grounds. It’s the history, you know? They don’t make homes like this or the Manchester place anymore.” She turned to Nathan. “Is Beck really going to sell it?”

“It’s kind of what he does. Fixes them up and then turns a profit.”

“I wish…” Her voice trailed off.

“What?”

She shook her head and laughed. “It’s not like it would ever happen. I love the Manchester home and if I could afford it I’d snap it up. I could run the shelter from that property and I could…”

The front door flew open, and a petite woman with inky-dark hair and big blue eyes smiled down at them widely. She was obviously pregnant and rubbed the small of her back. “You’re just in time. They’re all awake and wanting to eat, and Jake had to run up to his father’s place for something, so I’m here alone.”

She stood back, let them inside, and, after Nate introduced himself—he’d never met Raine personally—she led them to the great room at the back of the house. The puppies moved around, rolling this way and that in one big ball of fur, yipping and nudging each other, looking for food.

“I’ve got the formula ready.”

Nate grabbed a bottle and found Petal almost immediately. “There you are, little girl,” he murmured, cuddling her close as she nudged around looking for a nipple. He had the bottle ready, and she began to suckle, making content little noises. Her eyes still weren’t open, but Nate was pretty sure she knew him. Or he liked the thought of that, anyway.

When Raine found out he was a sports agent, she asked a lot of questions. Turned out she was a huge fan of the Rangers and was interested in the up-and-coming superstar Chad Mason. They spent some time discussing sports and music and the cravings she had for fried chicken and pork rings. The chicken he understood, but the pork rings? Hell no.

Molly was noticeably quiet, but Nathan figured she was tired and had a lot on her mind with the wedding and all the last-minute stuff that entailed. When she nodded and said they had to get going, he gave Petal one last cuddle and put her back with her littermates.

“You should keep her,” Raine said with a smile, staring down at them. “She’s adorable.”

Nate flashed a smile and shook his head. “That would be a disaster. I’m pretty busy in the city with the job, and I’m not home a lot. Pretty sure I’d have next to no time for a dog, and they’re a lot of responsibility.”

“I get it,” Raine repl

ied with a chuckle. “A good-looking guy like you, I’m sure you’re out every night with a different woman.”

“Not every night.” He winked.