Page 33 of Don't Forget Me
“She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
Nick jumped at Stephen’s voice. “Don’t do that.” He looked sideways at his brother.
“Did you say something?” Liz glanced back over her shoulder at him from where she stood on the dock.
He hadn’t realized what he was doing when he’d walked from the deck and down the small hill to where she watched the water. It was the closest he’d gotten to those depths in many years, and his lungs squeezed. “No, I’m...”
Her brow furrowed. They’d barely spoken since he kicked her out of the study days ago, which was a feat considering they were the only two people in the world.
“You’re what?”
He hadn’t realized he was still staring. Clearing his throat, he looked to the water. “What are you doing?”
“Going for a swim. That okay with you or did you buy the lake too?”
“I deserved that.”
“You think?” She pushed a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry. This situation is weird. I don’t know you, but you’re always there. We’re not dead but not really alive. I don’t mean to take out my frustration on you. I just miss my family, and I don’t know if I’ll see them again.”
Her family. Right. Nick understood that feeling more than she knew. He’d missed his family for years now. “I’m sorry too.”
Her lips curved up, and he couldn’t get Stephen’s words out of his head. “She’s pretty, right?” More than pretty.
“What?” She laughed.
Had he said that out loud? He cleared his throat. “I’m not exactly… uh… an easy guy to get along with.”
Her smile widened. “Well, for starters, you could try to look like apologizing wasn’t the worst kind of torture.” She took a step toward him and stuck out her hand for the second time, offering him a handshake. “Let’s be friends, Nick Jacobs.” She laughed again. “Words I never imagined I’d utter. Don’t leave me hanging. Shake my hand, and tell me you’ll be my friend. This whole thing will be a lot easier if we get along.”
Friends. Nick wasn’t sure he knew how to be a friend. He’d never exactly been good at making them. Yet, he couldn’t help wanting it to be different with this woman, the one with the smiling eyes who could act like it wasn’t killing her to be trapped here.
He took her hand, his fingers curling around hers. “Friends.”
Liz’s eyes lifted to his, her hand gripping his tighter as they stayed locked together for one beat, then two.
“Nick.” His name was no more than a whisper on her lips.
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry about your marriage.”
He didn’t take his eyes off her. “I let go of that marriage a long time ago.”
“Still, it can’t be easy.” She shifted her gaze to their locked hands. “Um, are you going to let me go?” One corner of her mouth hooked up. “The water looks way too good not to take advantage of it.”
He released her and stepped back. “You can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
“The water… it’s dangerous.” Images flashed through his mind. Stephen trying to convince him to take the boat out. Nick throwing a pillow at him as he tried to get back to sleep.
Liz didn’t laugh at him, not this time. Concern creased her brow. “It’s only lake water. I’ve been in it more times than I can count.” She tipped her head back, forcing him to meet her eyes. “I’ll be okay. You know that, right? I mean, what can happen to us that’s worse than what already has?”
There was always worse, but he didn’t say that. He swallowed his fears, aware of how they didn’t make a lot of sense to anyone who didn’t know his story. “Just… be careful.”
“Of course.” She smiled again. “I’m going to make it back to my family, Nick. Don’t worry about me.”
Reaching back, she pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a small black tank top to go with the shorts.
