Page 18 of Reclaimed Roots

I tossed my gear in the truck bed with a little more force than necessary then paused to wipe the sweat from my brow. It was hot as shit, sticky heat that had me longing for a dip in the lake. I considered stripping off my shirt then decided against it. The last thing I needed was Natalie taking another impromptu walk through the orchard, catching a glimpse of me and getting... ideas.

Christ, I was an arrogant prick sometimes.

I climbed into the truck and fired up the engine. Mom would be expecting me for lunch soon, which meant I had only another hour or so to make a dent in my to-do list.

As I pulled out onto the main road that wound through the orchard, I glanced in the direction of the Choi Accounting building on Main Street. It was an old habit I'd never been able to shake no matter how hard I tried. Even after all those years, some deep-rooted part of me still scanned for any sign of Natalie, that familiar dark hair and bright smile.

But the sidewalks were empty, the building silent and still in the midday heat. Just another ordinary day in Sable Point.No trace of the girl who once lit up my world and then plunged it into darkness just as quickly.

I tore my gaze away, grinding my teeth against the bitter flare of resentment. I didn't have time for that bullshit. Natalie had made her choices, and I'd made mine. We were different people then. If she wanted to stick around and play at being a small-town girl, that was her business. But I wasn't about to get roped into whatever fresh drama she'd cooked up this time. Been there, got the scars to prove it.

No, I was going to stay focused on what mattered—my family, this orchard, preserving the legacy that had been carefully nurtured by Dad, Papa, and every Everton before them. It was what I was born for, what I'd been raised to do.

And if that meant avoiding Natalie Choi like the plague, so be it. I couldn't miss her any more than I had for the last seven years, right?

I shifted into gear and pulled out onto the main road, leaving the ghosts of my past behind in a cloud of dust and exhaust. Sable Point might have been a small town, but there was more than enough space for me to give Natalie a wide berth until she left.

At least, that was what I kept telling myself. But a nagging inner voice told me that the simple fact that she wasinSable Point would be more than enough to get under my skin.

Chapter Nine

NATALIE

A rainbowof ripe fruits and vegetables gleamed around us as Mom and I stepped into Harbor Pantry. Like everywhere else in this town, the kitschy little grocery store had been frozen in time since I left. I was struck anew by the homey touches—hand-written price tags, local artwork on the walls, even a small bookshelf near the checkout filled with well-loved paperbacks for customers to borrow or swap. It was so different from the sterile atmosphere of Chicago's big-box supermarkets.

"Natalie! Marie!" Mrs. Henderson, the owner's mother, called out from behind the deli counter. "How are you holding up, dears?"

Mom managed a wan smile. "One day at a time, Dot. Thank you."

I watched as Mrs. Henderson bustled around, insisting on packaging up some of Dad's favorite potato salad. Herkindness was so touching that my throat tightened and my eyes swam with tears.

When had I become the kind of person who breaks down at the grocery store?

Mom and I wove up and down the aisles, chatting, discussing meal options. It was like I was a kid again and we were shopping for family dinner. The squeaky wheel of our cart should have annoyed me. Instead, it was a comforting soundtrack to a familiar errand. Sable Point had infected me with nostalgia. I found myself lingering over displays, marveling at the variety of local products. Homemade jams, artisanal cheeses, even small-batch kombucha—all proudly bearing "Made in Sable Point" labels.

"Remember when you and Jasper used to sneak candy from this very aisle?" Mom asked, a hint of mischief in her voice.

"Mom! We were ten, and we always paid for it... eventually."

"Youdidn't pay for squat. Your father had to come by the store and take care of it—with interest." She laughed, and the sound warmed my heart. Sure, times had been tough lately, but Mom had a love for life that I envied most days.

As we rounded the corner to the baking aisle, I spotted Jasper's grandmother. She was frowning at a shelf of flour, muttering to herself.

"Hey, Nana. Everything alright?"

She turned, her face lighting up. "Natalie! Oh, thank goodness. They've rearranged everything, and I can't find the self-rising flour. These old eyes ain't what they used to be."

I spotted theelusive item on a high shelf and reached up to grab it for her. When my fingers closed over the packet, I was instantly struck by a vivid memory of baking cookies in her kitchen, Jasper and I covered in flour and giggling like lunatics.

The buzz of my phone in my pocket instantly knocked the smile off my face. Mom and I said a quick goodbye to Nana before I pulled my phone from my back pocket. Liam's name flashed on the screen, accompanied by a message.

LIAM

When do you think you'll head back to the city?

My thumb hovered over the keyboard and guilt gnawed at me.Why couldn't I just tell him the truth?

"Natalie?" Mom's voice cut through my thoughts. "You okay, honey? You look like you're ready to hurl."

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