Lovely Darkness (Creeping Beautiful)

Nick grunts. “I can see it.”

“Believe it. Indie is… a lot of things, but easily controlled is not one of them.”

“Then how do you explain Nate?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nate? He controls her. Totally.”

“No.”

“No? Seriously? You don’t see it?”

“I mean, they’re friends. Lovers, whatever. But Indie’s mission in life is to defy people. Including Nathan St. James.” When I glance at Nick, his mouth is open, but no words are coming out. “What?”

“Take a step back, Adam. Then look at it again with fresh eyes. Nathan St. James is controlling her. And she lets him.”

“Same way you’re controlling Wendy?”

I expect him to balk at this accusation, but he doesn’t. “Yeah,” he says. “It’s exactly like me and Wendy.”

Just as those words come out, Nathan and Indie appear on the dirt path that leads from the lake house to Old Home. They were over there, on his side of the woods. They are holding hands and smiling. Looking around to see where everyone is.

That’s when I notice that Maggie is up. She’s on the porch with Sasha, chatting like old friends.

Nick notices too. His eyes narrow a little as he watches Sasha.

“You still love her?”

“Who?” He doesn’t look at me when he answers.

“Sasha.”

Her name, spoken out loud in the hot summer sun, breaks whatever spell he was under and he looks at me. “She’s never been anything more than a friend.”

I look at Sasha too. She’s like Indie and Wendy in the looks department. Same below-average height, same lean body, same blonde hair, same blue eyes. If you were to line up Sasha, Indie, Wendy, and Maggie you’d know what you were looking at.

Family.

They were bred.

Even Sasha. Even Maggie. Though that’s not something I care to think too hard about.

“Do you know why she’s here?” I ask.

Nick doesn’t answer right away, and I appreciate that. It means he’s not sure and he’s not gonna lie to me about that. Finally, he says, “I think she’s worried about me. Not like… worried about me like I’m in danger or something. But worried about me showing back up. Like I’m gonna fuck up her life.”

“Are you gonna fuck up her life, Nick?”

“No.” He looks me straight in the eyes when he says this. “Lauren knows I’m alive. I never lied to her. I explained what I was doing and why I was doing it. And she was mad, but she understood. One day, Adam, my girl might come back to me. I hope that happens, I really do. But it’s never gonna be the other way around. I will not be tearing her life to pieces just to heal the hole in my heart. When she’s ready, she’ll find me.”

I let out a long, tired breath. Because there are some similarities between Nick and me in this respect. But then again, it’s totally different.

I think.

Indie and Nathan are now heading our way. “Hey,” I say to Nick. “Will you do me a favor?”

Nick shrugs. “Depends.”

“I know you just asked me for a favor about Indie, and I’ll do my best. But I need to ask you one in return.”

“What is it?”

“Will you just keep your eye on Indie tonight while McKay and I are gone?”

This actually makes him laugh. “Adam, I will never take my eye off that girl.”

“Yeah,” I say, still watching Indie and Nate. “That’s good.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - INDIE

By the time Nate and I walk hand in hand back to Old Home, the place is alive. Maggie and Sasha are on the front porch playing hand-slapping games, laughing out loud like they are old friends. Wendy comes through the front door and joins them on the porch just as their giggles die down. McKay is doing something in his workshop, because the sound of tools drifts out of that place like an old familiar song. And Adam and Nick are walking in the gardens, talking quietly.

The gardens are especially lovely this summer. We’ve all been taking care of them, making sure the weeds got pulled out and the irrigation systems are working properly. So it’s blooming like crazy. Even the pebbled pathways are neat. Adam rakes them almost every evening just as the sun is going down. It’s like therapy for him. This garden has always been his therapy.

When Adam sees us, he raises a hand and waves us over. “Indie,” he calls. “Come here.”

“Now what?” Nathan grumbles under his breath.

“Just be polite.”

“I’m always polite.”

It’s true, too. Nathan St. James has more manners than any man I’ve ever met. But he and Adam have never liked each other. Even before that day Adam caught us kissing in Nate’s old house and punched him in the face. Adam tolerates Nathan because he has to. I would not say that McKay likes Nathan, but at least he’s polite back.

Adam smiles at me, and only me, when we meet up in the garden.