“You do?” I nod. “I’m not sure how, when I don’t even know what I need right now.”
I pull her up with me. I brush the debris from our knees and put my arm around her to guide her from the graveyard. “Let’s take a walk, and then we’re heading into Halifax.”
“What’s in Halifax?”
“Ah…everything,” I say, and we both laugh.
We walk along the streets, tourists long gone from the town now that November is upon us. The only ones left are the people who live here, and a few of the shop owners. Many of the touristy shops close up for the winter.
We walk along King Street and take in a string of old homes now converted to shops and restaurants, painted vibrant shades of green, orange, and pink. We turn the corner and keep walking, heading toward Iron Works Distillery, which is housed in a heritage building that used to be an old blacksmith shop that once produced ironworks for the shipbuilding industry.
“Did you know they filmed the Book of Negros here?” She points to a wharf on the ocean. “They did a lot of the filming right there. I was excited about it and kept up with the news from back home. They also filmed Two if By Sea with Sandra Bullock. Stephen King also loved this location for his movies.”
“Yeah, I heard about that,” I say.
She exhales and stops outside an art gallery. As she peers into the window, she says, “I never appreciated the history or culture of this place when I was young.”
“You were a kid. Now you see things differently. Want to go in?”
She nods, and the bell over the door jingles when I open it for her. Warm scents of cinnamon mixed with fresh hazelnut coffee reach my nostrils. An elderly lady behind the counter lifts her head, and when I recognize her from the McMurtry’s party, she gives us a big smile.
“What brings you in today?” she asks.
“Just browsing,” Kira says. I follow her around the store and find myself looking at her, a sight far more interesting, in my opinion. She has the smallest smile on her face as she browses, and once she’s taken in every painting, pondered each a moment, she gives a little finger wave to the owner.
Outside, we walk some more, go past the distillery, and then toward the wharfs. “Maybe I should have taken Doug up on the ride. I forgot how much I loved this place,” she says.
“It’s not too late.”
“Maybe another time.”
“Want to head to the city?” She nods, and we walk past the fisheries museum and back to our vehicles parked at the cemetery. “Do you want to take your car back home first, or we can pick it up later. I’m sure it’s safe here.”
“Later,” she says and climbs into the cab of my truck. As I maneuver through the town, until we reach the highway, she pulls her phone from her purse. “Do you think we could visit Dalhousie University’s campus?”
“Sure. We can do whatever you want.”
“I don’t want to bore you, but I’d love to meet up with a colleague I’ve been exchanging emails with.”
“You never bore me, but how about this—you go check out the university with this colleague, and I’ll go run some errands. I might even get a haircut.” While she’s touring, I’ll have the opportunity to talk to my lawyer face-to-face.
I turn the heat up and flick on the radio as we drive. Kira looks off into the distance. What is going through that pretty head of hers? I leave her in peace. This morning was hard on her.
“I can’t believe you’re going to participate in the auction,” she finally says. Ah, so that’s where her thoughts have been.
“Apparently, it’s causing quite a shakeup,” I inform her.
“Really?”
“There are a lot of wealthy widowed women in the area, and they’re all eager to help out Gram, although rumor has it that’s not the only reason.” I give her a wink. “I think it’s actually going to bring in good money.”
“You know I can’t really stay, right? I mean, I only said I’d consider it because Sam looked like he was going to cry.”
“I know. I didn’t want to break his heart, either. He had a special bond with Gram, and I think he just needs to do this, they all do. In the end, Kira, I don’t think they’re going to raise enough to put a down payment on the place. I mean, how high are the women really willing to bid on a bunch of crusty fishermen?”
She laughs at that, and I’m glad that I made her smile. “They can put the money toward something else for the town. I don’t think we can save Gram’s place, but I have to let them do this. Maybe they need it for their own closure.” A pause and then, “I’ll talk to the mayor about the funds raised. I’m sure they can be used for the town somehow.”
“It will all work out in the end, Kira. It always does, and we’ll all be where we’re supposed to be.”
“You sound like Gram. She used to say something similar.” She sits back in her seat and stares out the window, and we make the forty-five-minute trek to Halifax. Once we arrive, I head to the first Starbucks I see, and her eyes go wide as I pull up to the drive-through window.
“Can I take your order?” a girl says through the speaker.
“A grande mocha latte, and a grande dark roast,” I say, and Kira practically squeals beside me.
“You remembered.”
“I remembered,” I say, and take in her soft, appreciative smile. My pulse hammers a little harder in my neck. It breaks my fucking heart that she never got to say goodbye to her grandmother. A latte to brighten her day is the least I could do. She deserves that, and so much more.
I’m just not the guy who can give her more—and that’s something I keep having to remind myself. I meant everything I said at the graveyard. And a woman like Kira needs a better man than me. I still have no idea why she’s off relationships. She’s a precious commodity, and someone should have snatched her up ages ago. But the thought of her with another man doesn’t sit right with me. Hell, I nearly went caveman on Sam when he was joking around with her at the pumpkin races. The sight of her lying on top of him roused the jealous beast in me, which is fucking insane. Sam was only playing, and what’s between Kira and me is physical only.
Bullshit.
Heart beating a little faster, I head to the drive-thru window, pay for our coffee, and hand Kira hers. She breathes in the scent.
“Nate,” she moans, and my dick tightens. “Oh my God, Nate.”
“Ah, Kira, can you not moan like that?”
“Why?” I tug on my pants before I rupture something, and she chuckles. “Oops, sorry.”