Page 22 of Meeting Me, Loving You (Hearts of Maple Lake #1)

“I don’t have to see you at work to know you’re amazing at taking care of people.

When we were at the diner, I saw how you treated all those people who came to talk to you.

You have a heart that cares deeply about others—not everyone has that.

” My mind flashes to my parents, but I push the thought away as quickly as it came.

“You clearly know what you’re doing. Any patient you help is lucky to have you. ”

Her face relaxes as she bites her lower lip, her eyes softening as she searches my face. She’s looking for something, but I’m not sure what. And I don’t know if she’s found it or not when she says, “Thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles, her round cheeks lifting.

“You’re welcome,” I say, and she turns back to her textbook, flipping through it.

“Do you not think you’re amazing at your job?

” Juliet’s face whips back to me with surprise.

If someone has never told her that she’s amazing at everything , then I’m going to have to storm into the hospital and give someone a piece of my mind.

“Do your bosses not tell you that? If you need a raise or something, I can definitely march into the ER and give your boss some serious managerial advice.” I cross my arms, letting my biceps flex for show.

She huffs a laugh, a smile playing across her lips.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t a good nurse. I just didn’t fully agree with you that I’m an amazing nurse.

And I’m not in the ER, so please don’t do that.

” She turns her body to face me, her plump pink lips stretching into a wide grin that reaches from ear to ear.

“As entertaining as it would be to see you embarrass yourself on my behalf, that could be a bad look for our Maple Lake High math teacher.” She looks down at my arms, still posed to show I mean business.

She pokes my bicep with one long finger. “You can put those away.”

“You’re right—bad idea.” I uncross my arms, enjoying the sense of rightness between us. Even more than that, I’m enjoying the way Jules is looking at me.

Her eyes leave my arms, but I feel the heat of them linger as if she were still touching me. She busies herself by leafing through her notes. “I work on the cardiac floor, mostly in the pediatric ward,” she explains.

I smile, remembering how well she treated her little sister and the neighborhood kids.

“I can see why. You always were so helpful with your little sister. And you practically stole the neighbor’s cat to bandage it up, thinking it was hurt.

Then you said you wanted to adopt it and be its mom.

Parental instincts are strong with you.”

Jules laughs with embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands. “I did do that, didn’t I?” As she lowers her hands, a pink blush is revealed on her cheeks. “Turned out, it wasn’t hurt. It just had dried mud caked on its fur.”

“Yeah, that was a fun day. Tyler was so mad because he was the one who had to return it, and Ms. Walters gave him an earful for stealing her cat. I’m just glad you’re past your cat-napping stage.”

“I think I learned my lesson after all the scratches. Cats can be so mean.” She gives Dax a fond scratch on his neck, but he’s asleep and doesn’t seem to notice.

Sensing her embarrassment about the cat, I ask, “What’s your schedule like? I’ve heard nursing hours are rough.”

She must be grateful for the subject change because she raises her eyes to mine again.

“It changes every so often, but typically I work four ten-hour shifts a week, Monday through Thursday, and then have a three-day weekend, which I love and desperately need. Although, if I’m being honest, some days, I give up my Friday to pick up another shift.

” She shrugs her shoulders, making light of the fact she clearly overworks herself.

“How do you usually spend your days off?” I ask.

I need to somehow invite her on the train ride, but I need to be strategic. I have to make her think this outing, and any others following, is for my own benefit, not hers.

“Well, if I’m not found sitting on the side of the road drenched in coffee, you can usually find me in the library.

” She smirks, hinting at our first day meeting, or rather, reacquainting .

It’s strange to mesh the reality of this beautiful woman of the present with the memory of the girl I tutored twelve years ago, and yet, she’s exactly the same person she was then.

It’s as if we knew each other in another universe and now we’re getting the chance to know one another in this one.

“The library, huh? So you’re a big reader?”

She laughs, and I enjoy the sound. “I wish! But no. I go there to study. I don’t have much time to read for fun anymore.

I love that I have the opportunity to pursue my master’s degree online, but it can be a struggle to stay motivated when I’m always in my apartment.

So, I like to change up the scenery by studying in different places around town. ”

“Where’s your favorite spot?”

Jules’ eyes sparkle like she’s lost in a memory, but she blinks and the sparkle quickly slips away.

“It used to be the library, but now it’s Le Fou. They have the best white chocolate mocha.” Her smile warms once again. “And my friend, Aliana, works there. We went to high school together, and now she’s my neighbor.”

My chest expands, feeling the weight of the friendships I missed out on in Maple Lake.

It feels like a lifetime ago when I had friends here, fished on the lake with Pops, and played basketball with Tyler in his driveway.

Everyone seems to have moved on with their lives, while still keeping ties to this place after all the time that’s passed.

Unfortunately, my ties have been severed. I’ve disappointed those I cared about by leaving them, and I’ve disappointed myself for allowing my new life in Washington to wash out my past.

My chest tightens and my palms begin to sweat. Playing it off, I slide a hand behind my neck and rub at the tension in the muscles, taking a smooth, deep breath.

Jules keeps speaking, and her voice interrupts my unwanted thoughts, pulling me from the growing dread.

“When I get the chance,” she continues, “I like to hike and study outside on the trails if I can, but that’s more of a warmer weather activity for me. I’m not a fan of the cold, whether there’s snow or not.”

I lock away my thoughts, focusing on Juliet. On her smile and her comfort as it chips away at my doubts.

“You and me both,” I say. “I mean, ice fishing? I’ve tried it, and it’s not nearly as relaxing as casting a line in the heat of summer. ”

Juliet’s laugh bursts out of her. It’s sunshine on a dreary day, warmth when I’m left numb, and I feel myself getting pieced back together.

“You’ve gone ice fishing?” She shakes her head, pointing a finger toward the door and the snow that’s swirling on the other side. “You couldn’t pay me to go outside in that. What possessed you to sit on a frozen lake and fish through a hole?”

“It’s all about the experience, Jules. You can’t just sit around waiting for something new to happen while sticking to the same routine all the time.

Do I love fishing? Heck yeah, absolutely.

But it’s learning new ways to do it, exploring new places, and catching bigger fish that keep it exciting.

” I pause. Then, attempting my best smolder, I ask, “Juliet Berns, do you want to go ice fishing with me?”

Jules just looks at me for a moment, like I’ve gone mad. Her lips part, and her eyes are intent as they scan mine, then drop to my mouth and lift back to my eyes. She smiles slightly, looking at me from under her gorgeous lashes, and says, “Definitely not, Cameron Dunne.”

My shoulders drop, and I breathe out a laugh. “I knew you’d say no.”

It’s sort of refreshing to know my charm doesn’t work on her.

“Then why would you ask?” she says humorously.

“I like to keep my hopes high; you never know when someone might just surprise you.” I nudge my arm against her warm shoulder playfully and wink.

As she looks up at me, Jules’ laughter dies, as does mine, and the moment suddenly becomes electric as our bodies lean against one another.

Her eyes bore into mine, the tension thick, as invisible strings pull me toward her.

I resist the urge to reach out and cup her face, to lean down and share the breath between us, to pull her lips to mine .

Juliet sits perfectly still, the weight of her shoulder pressing slightly into me.

She’s not pulling away from this. It’s like the moment we had at the lake all over again.

We’re at an impasse while a fiery heat in my body pushes me forward.

She remains unmoving, her chocolatey brown eyes locked on mine.

I lower my head toward hers, our faces only inches apart, when the fire pops loudly, and I’m thrown back into reality.

We both pull away, straightening our spines against the couch. I clear my throat, and Jules works to straighten her notebooks and textbooks that lay scattered around us. The couch feels rough against my back, and suddenly the room is hot and stuffy.

“I want to be a tourist,” I say abruptly.

I need to tell her about this plan before I completely decide against it. And if I don’t help her find joy through this tourism idea, then I wouldn’t be helping her, would I?

Do I want to spend time with Jules? Absolutely .

But should I? That’s debatable, judging by the lack of self-control I have when I’m around her.

I know it will be a struggle on my part, continuously tumbling down this path of attraction when everything in me tells me it won’t work. I can’t pursue Jules because she deserves someone who won’t mess it all up. But I can keep that to myself. I can do this with her and keep my feelings out of it.

I’ll help Jules find her lost joy in this town again, and I’ll be her friend as I do it. That’s it, nothing more.

“A tourist? Where are you going?” Jules looks unexpectedly downcast, not meeting my eyes, and I realize from her question that she thinks I’m leaving.

“Nowhere,” I amend quickly. “I mean I want to be a tourist here, in Maple Lake.”

Her lips turn down at the corners.

“I don’t understand. What does that mean? ”

“It means, I want to do all the things the tourists come here to do. People come to Maple Lake in every season to do all sorts of tourist activities. They have a blast paying to be here. We live here for crying out loud. I haven’t done nearly half the things people come here for.

And, I’m not a gambling man, but I’d bet money that you haven’t either. ”

Jules studies my face and I meet her gaze with determination.

“You’re really serious about this?” she says questioningly.

“Dead serious. And I want you to do it with me. At least one tourist activity, maybe two, for every season of the year. It’ll have to be spread out over months to hit each of the seasons, but I think it would be good for us both to experience what all the hype is about.

It would be fun. What do ya say? Will you tour Maple Lake with me? ”

A look of excitement flashes across her face, and I think she’ll say yes, but then Jules shakes her head.

“I… I can’t. I have work, and school—I’m already so busy as it is.”

“I know, but Jules…” I have the urge to reach out and grab her hand, but I keep my hands resting on my thighs.

“How often do you get to do something for yourself? You need this. I know you do. And I’m not asking you to do something with me every day.

Heck, we can schedule something once a month, or every other month.

All I’m saying is,” I scan her face, finding mostly hesitation but also a small granule of curiosity, “I want to have someone to experience it with. Since both of us don’t have family here, I figured we would be the perfect match.

And,” I say mischievously, “who else will take my pictures in front of all the wonderful sights?”

“A stranger passing by, maybe?”

I roll my eyes and let out an especially exaggerated groan. My silly grin makes her laugh, but I still haven’t won her over with this idea. However, I’m determined to make her change her mind.

“How about this—I’ll make a deal with you,” I say.

“A deal?”

“Yes. You come on my tourist excursions with me whenever you’re able to, work and school permitting, and I’ll help you study.”

“You’ll help me study?”

“Why are you repeating everything I say?” I say, laughing. “Yes, I’ll help you study, like I did today. I realize I don’t know a single thing about being a nurse, but I’ve been through college too, and I’ve taught kids in high school for five years. I know a thing or two about studying.”

Jules thinks about this for no more than two seconds before saying, “Okay, fine. But on one condition.”

“We just established one condition; that I would study with you.” This woman is going to take everything from me.

“That was your condition. Now I have a condition.” There’s a wild gleam in her eye, and I know I’m about to give her whatever she asks for.

“I’m pretty sure my condition solely benefits you , but go ahead,” I say.

She adjusts her posture, throwing her shoulders back. She curls her legs under her, crisscross-apple-sauce style, and holds her textbook close to her chest like a shield. She’s grounding herself, contemplating her next words. She raises her head and looks me right in the eye.

This woman is determined, and all her hesitation falls to the ground, burning up in the glow of the fire.

“I will be a tourist with you,” she says, “ if Dax can come with us on whatever activities he’s allowed or able to participate in.”

That’s it? She just wants to bring her dog? I’m surprised she didn’t jump on the opportunity to dare me to jump into the frozen lake or make me buy her coffee every day for the rest of her life.

My smile widens and I’m sure I look like a goofy schoolboy.

“Juliet Berns, your dog will hardly leave your side, if I have anything to say about it.”