Page 86 of The Lilac River

Bertie's hand shot up like a rocket. Nash gave a groan under his breath, making me stifle a laugh.

"Yes, Bertie?" Shane grinned.

"Why is it called the lilac river?"

The world tilted.

My knees wobbled, and only Nash's pinky hooking around mine kept me grounded. He hadn’t taken my hand. Just that one small point of contact. Barely there. But it held me up.

Shane chuckled. "I'm not sure it is called that, sweetheart. But it does kinda look like one, doesn't it? A lilac river."

Bertie nodded proudly; her face lit up. She had no idea.

Beside me, Nash tightened his hold on my hand, and my heart cracked wide open. Emotion welled, thick and unrelenting.

I couldn't stop the flash of memory that hit me like a punch.

Eleven Years Ago

We’d wandered through the lavender, Nash's arm slung around my shoulders, his lips brushing my temple. The evening light was golden, dusting the rows of flowers with magic.

"You know," he murmured, "if I’m missing you, I come out here. I can practically smell you."

I giggled, slapping his chest. "I don't even wear lavender perfume."

"Doesn't matter," he said, soft and serious, holding me closer. "You're everywhere out here."

Later, when I was standing knee-deep in a sea of lilac, I said, "It looks like a river. A beautiful lilac river."

Nash pulled me to him, his brown eyes molten as he whispered, "Prepare yourself, Lila. I’m gonna blow your mind in our lilac river."

Tears stung my eyes, but I forced a smile as the kids wandered toward the gift shop. They didn’t see me falter. I wouldn’t let them.

"Did you tell her?" I whispered to Nash.

He shook his head, jaw tight. "No. I’d never... I’d never tell her that." His voice was rough, regret buried in the cracks.

The emotion between us was a living thing; wild, beautiful, and dangerous.

“What’s going on?” Wilder asked as I looked up to the sky looking for help of some kind. “It’s almost five, I thought you’d have gone a couple of hours ago.”

“The minibus broke down.” I waved one more kid off with their parent and then ticked them off my list. “The parents of these last few were working, so we’ve been waiting in the shop cabin. Just two more to go and then I can call for an Uber.” I looked over at the bus. “Is the minibus okay here until the morning. Petey can’t get here to tow it until then.”

“Sure, it is, and you don’t need to call an Uber. I’ll take you home.” He pointed to a car approaching. “Is that the last parent?”

I checked my list. “White Kia Telluride. Yes, that should be Mrs. Cooper.” I turned to the two boys kicking a stone around. “Maxwell, Blake, your ride is here.”

The two boys stopped what they were doing and ran toward the car as it parked up. I followed them and recognized Maxwell’s mom behind the wheel. “Thank you for coming, Mrs. Cooper and I’m so sorry about this.”

She waved me away. “It’s not a problem. Blake lives next door to my mom, so she minds him and Maxwell after school, but she doesn’t drive so I’m just sorry you had to wait for me to finish work.” She turned to the backseat. “Buckle up boys.”

As I waved them away, my whole body sagged with relief. All I had to do was get myself home. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sagged when rain splashed down on the screen. “Damn it.”

The muggy sky had turned ominously dark. The storm had finally arrived.

Rain started to fall in thick, heavy drops, splashing into the gravel with a force that made everyone scatter.

Wilder appeared, waving at me. "Come inside!"