Twigs and branches crackle as I ride down the track, and I can’t help but get excited. Will Joey be happy to see me?
When I emerge from the thick bush, a breathtaking clearing unfolds before me, causing my breath to catch in my throat. The vibrant greenery is punctuated by the sight of Joey seated in front of a sturdy easel and large canvas, paintbrush in hand. The river glistens to her left, while the wide entrance to Moonstruck Bay looms to her right. Despite the bright sun shining down on us, the leafy canopy of trees on the river bank acts as a shade from the harsh rays.
The scene is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the centrepiece is Joey. She’s such a beautiful part of the landscape that I’m compelled to pull my phone out and take a picture of her. Damn, my whole body itches to hold her.
I will for my heart to calm down before I approach, the lush grass and the sounds of nature muting my footsteps.
“Joey,” I say when I’m right behind her.
She lets out a gasp as she turns her head. “My God, you scared me.” She places a palm on her chest.
“Sorry.”
“How did you find me?” she asks flatly.
“I went to your studio but you weren’t there. And someone suggested you might be here.”
“Someone?”
I don’t want to throw Josie under the bus when she’s been so helpful. “Yes. Don’t ask me who.”
She smirks in the way she used to do when we were still enemies.
“What’s going on, Joey?” I ask in a low voice.
“What do you mean?” She pretends to go back to her painting.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
“Who says I’m avoiding you?”
“It’s obvious.”
Looking up to the heavens, she lets out a sigh. “Look, Brax. We had a really good time. But I’ve just been so busy. Besides, you’ll be back in New York in three days.” She returns her attention to her painting, effectively dismissing me.
She’s clearly mad. Have I done or said something stupid again?
“Hey.” I gently touch her shoulder. “If I annoyed you or angered you, could you please tell me? I’d hate to leave when something between us is not right.”
Joey’s shoulders rise with the heaving of her chest, as if she’s trying hard to keep herself in check. But she doesn’t say anything.
“I’m going inthreedays,” I remind her gently.
“And you’ll be able to scratch your itch back in Manhattan. You don’t need me,” she snaps, the tension in her voice betraying her.
My jaw slackens and my heart races.
“Are you going to miss me when I’m gone?” I find myself asking.
“Sure,” she says breezily. “But it’s Ollie I’m gonna miss like crazy.”
I think she’ll miss me a hell of a lot more than she’s willing to admit.
And that’s why she’s keeping her distance. She’s protecting herself.
My heart compresses so much that I find it hard to breathe.
What can I do, though? The fact remains that Ollie and I have to go back to New York. No matter how quickly my feelings for Joey have developed, my life is not in Moonstruck Cove.