“What have you been doing all this time?” he asked.
All I could think about was Blake, but it wasn’t the time to tell him about that. “Things you could never imagine me doing,” I said. “But, I have to admit, I love where I’m at. When everything goes back to normal, I need to see about buying some property out here. It’s been good for the creativity . . . and it’s helped keep everything that’s been going on off my mind.”
He sighed. “I heard about Scott. Everything about that night happened so fast; I can’t remember all of it. I’m sorry about what happened to him. He was a good guy.”
My chest tightened. “It’ll be strange going home and not having him there.”
“I know. You’ll still have me though.”
“And me,” someone yelled in the background.
Nick chuckled again and cursed. “Stop making me laugh, fuckheads,” he growled.
It was great hearing his voice. For the longest time, I thought I never would again. “Who are you talking to?”
“The guys are all here. Since the season’s over, some of them are going back home. They wanted to tell me goodbye, but I think Kip and Dawson would rather talk to you than me. Kip’s reaching for the phone, here he is.” In the background, I heard a couple of the guys say they wanted to talk to me as well. I really missed bantering back and forth with them.
“What’s up, sexy?” Kip quipped.
“Hey, Kip. How are you?”
“Good. But I should be asking how you are! The whole world thinks you’ve been locked away in a mental institution.” I heard a smack and then I had to hold the phone away from my ear when he yelled. “Dude, what the fuck?”
Tristan argued with him in the background. “She doesn’t need to know that shit. Give me the phone. You there, Hadley?”
“Yeah, I’m here. And it’s okay, I already know what people are saying about me. I don’t care. We all know I’m not suicidal.”
“I know, but it sucks ass having to deal with that shit.”
“I agree. So are you going back to Canada during off season? Nick said some of you were going home.”
“Yep, that’s why I’m here. It’s a shame we couldn’t have our annual throwdown.”
“There’s always next year,” I said.
“Got that right. Well, I guess I’ll hand you back to Nick. Be safe, wherever you’re at. Hopefully you can come home soon.”
“Thanks.” The phone shuffled between hands.
“When do you think you’ll be home?” Nick asked.
“I don’t know. They found a cigarette lighter at the back door of the house. They’re going to check it for prints. So far, I haven’t heard anything.”
“Keep us posted. Felicity left me her phone because she knew you would call. She went out to get me something to eat other than hospital food.”
“Tell her I called, would ya? I should probably go.” I could hear a heavy sigh, and then the line went silent. “Nick?”
“I’m here. I just don’t want to get off the phone. Felicity said you hated the guy you were staying with. I can’t help but worry about you.”
I chuckled. “I’ll be fine, I promise. He was only a dick at the beginning. It’s not like that anymore.”
“All right, I believe you. Just let him know I’ll kick his ass if he’s mean to you.”
I burst out laughing. “Pretty sure he would obliterate you. He’s a trained killer, genius.”
“Even so. The threat still stands.”
“Okay, superman, get your rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I hung up the phone and bolted out of the bedroom. “Blake? Blake!”
I searched everywhere in the house and then headed out to the barn. When I saw Nightshade’s stall empty, I knew where he’d gone. I walked out and took up my usual spot on the fence. The sun was going down, casting a warm glow over the pasture. There were no loud noises or car horns, and the smell of the air was clean and crisp. I was going to miss it.
“He loves me, he loves me not.
Oh, how I wish I knew. We haven’t known each other long,
But when I’m with him, I feel like I belong.