The crisp October air hit Amber''s face as they stepped out of Nobu, and she leaned closer into Nate''s warmth. His arm felt strong and familiar around her waist, steadying her as her heels clicked against the pavement. The wine had left her feeling light, happy, wrapped in a blanket of contentment that made everything seem perfect.
She glanced up at him as they walked, admiring how the streetlights caught the waves in his dark blonde hair. Even after three years, the sight of his profile still made her heart skip – that sharp jawline, those full lips that knew exactly how to kiss her, and those eyes. God, those warm brown eyes that could see right through her. Tonight, he looked especially handsome in the outfit she''d picked out for him last weekend at the mall: a chocolate-brown quarter-zip that hugged his broad shoulders just right, paired with the beige chinos that made him look like he stepped out of a J.Crew catalog.
Amber adjusted her own cream cashmere sweater dress, smoothing it over her thighs. The material caught on her gold pendant necklace – a birthday gift from Nate – and she smiled, remembering how proud he''d looked when she opened it. Her cognac knee-high boots and matching leather bag completed what she considered to be the perfect fall dinner date outfit. Not that she''d tell anyone, but she''d spent hours planning this look, wanting everything to be just right for tonight.
"So," Nate''s voice broke through her thoughts, "did my girl enjoy dinner?" His thumb traced circles on her hip as they walked, sending little shivers up her spine.
"Mmm," she hummed, tilting her head to look at him. "The sashimi was divine, and the wine..." She giggled, "well, you might need to carry me to the truck."
He laughed, that deep, rich sound that first drew her to him during that summer at camp, when they were just awkward freshmen trying to figure out who they were. Now here they were, and he was still opening doors for her like she was something precious, something worth protecting.
His truck sat waiting for them in the parking lot, a testament to everything Nate was – practical, reliable, but with just enough edge to keep things interesting. The silver cross hanging from his rearview mirror caught the moonlight, swaying slightly as he helped her up into the passenger seat. Her eyes drifted to the football bag tossed in the back, grass stains still visible from yesterday''s practice, then to their photo tucked into the air conditioning vent. It was from last summer''s beach trip, her hair wild from the salt air, his arms wrapped around her from behind. They looked happy. They were happy.
"Jake''s having people over," Nate said as he slid into the driver''s seat. "Nothing big, just Justin and Jeff..." He paused, and she felt her stomach tighten. "Charlotte and Lisa might be there too."
Lisa. The name hit her like a slap. Suddenly, the wine in her system felt heavy, and the image she''d been trying to forget all evening flooded back – Lisa''s face on Nate''s Snapchat, her perfectly glossed lips curved in a smile meant for someone else''s boyfriend. Her boyfriend. The screenshot was still buried in her phone, burning a hole in her conscience. She wanted to confront him, demand answers, but the words stuck in her throat.
"I..." she started, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don''t know, babe. I''m kind of tired."
"Hey, no problem," he said quickly, reading her mood like he always did – or at least, like she thought he always did. "We could head back to my place instead? Watch a movie or something?"
She forced herself to smile, pushing aside the doubts that had been plaguing her. "Just a movie?" she asked, letting her voice drop to that teasing tone he loved.
His responding smirk was both familiar and dangerous. "Whatever my girl wants," he said, and for a moment, she almost believed everything was okay.
The truck wound its way through the familiar streets of their hometown, leaving behind the manicured lawns of Riverside Heights where Amber''s Tudor-style house stood proudly among equally impressive homes. The route to Nate''s place took them past the town center, toward Ridgeline Hills where the woods created a natural barrier between the old money of Riverside and the newer developments. His parents'' home was a masterpiece of modern architecture – a dramatic three-story structure that seemed to float above the hillside, its walls of glass and warm wood panels catching the evening light. The house jutted out from the slope at a bold angle, supported by steel beams, with a sleek concrete driveway leading to the garage beneath. It was exactly the kind of statement piece you''d expect from a successful doctor and real estate developer – ambitious, unconventional, and impossible to ignore.
Nate''s hand rested on her thigh, warm and heavy through her tights. Any other night, his touch would have been comforting, exciting even. But now Amber could only stare out the window, her mind replaying that damned Snapchat image of Lisa Chen''s face, her perfect smile, those knowing eyes. The same eyes that had looked up at Nate yesterday in the library, all innocent and eager.
"I saw you with Lisa yesterday," Amber said finally, her voice cutting through the silence. "At the library."
Nate''s thumb, which had been tracing small circles on her thigh, stilled. "Yeah, I was helping her with her college applications. She''s applying early decision to Yale."
"How charitable of you." The words came out sharper than she''d intended, dripping with sarcasm.
"Is something wrong?" Nate glanced at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"No," Amber lied, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. She watched the shadows of trees dance across the dashboard, letting the silence stretch between them like a rubber band ready to snap.
"You know," she said finally, her voice tight, "Lisa''s not exactly one of us. I mean, her parents run that takeout place on Mason Street." The moment the words left her mouth, she knew how they sounded, but she couldn''t stop herself.
"So?" Nate''s voice had an edge to it now. "Lisa''s smart, and she''s nice. I thought she was your friend?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Anger bubbled up inside Amber, hot and messy. She wasn''t even sure where it was coming from anymore – the photo she''d found, the way Lisa looked at Nate, or the fact that Nate seemed so quick to defend her. "I see the way she looks at you," she blurted out.
"Lisa is just a friend, Amber."
"And I see the way you look at her."
The truck''s brakes squealed as Nate suddenly pulled over, the vehicle coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the empty road. Amber''s hand flew to the dashboard, her heart hammering in her chest.
Nate turned to face her fully, his eyes intense in the dim light. He took her hands in his, and for a moment, just looked at her, really looked at her, like he was trying to memorize every detail of her face.
"Amber Rosaly Victoria Rosenberg," he started, his voice low and serious, "do you have any idea what you do to me? Every single day, I look at you and wonder how I got so lucky. You''re not just beautiful – though God knows you are. You''re fierce, and driven, and sometimes a little crazy in ways that make me crazy about you. That night at camp, when you kissed me under the stars? I knew right then that no other girl would ever compare. Not Lisa, not anyone."
His thumb brushed across her knuckles. "When you walk into a room, everything else just... fades away. And yeah, maybe I''m helping Lisa with her applications, but that''s all it is. Because at the end of the day, you''re the one I want sitting next to me in this truck. You''re the one I want to share everything with. You''re it for me, Amber. You always have been."
Amber''s fingers intertwined with his, her voice barely above a whisper. "It''s just... sometimes I look at you and wonder why you''re with me. You''re Nate Brooks. The guy who broke the school record for receiving yards. The guy every girl wants. The future doctor everyone''s parents approve of." She paused, vulnerability creeping into her voice. "And I''m just—"
"Stop right there," Nate cut her off, his thumb brushing across her knuckles. "You''re not ''just'' anything, Amber. You''re everything. Everything I want, everything I need." His eyes locked with hers, intense and earnest in the dim light of the truck''s cabin. "Always have been, always will be."
He leaned across the center console, pressing his lips against hers in a kiss that made her forget about Lisa, forget about her insecurities, forget about everything except the familiar taste of him and the warmth of his hand on her cheek.
"I''m sorry," she murmured against his lips. "For being crazy about Lisa, about everything."
"Come on," he said with that crooked smile she loved so much, "let''s get you home and get those ridiculous boots off. Though I gotta say, they make your legs look amazing."
Amber felt herself melting back into her seat as Nate put the truck in drive, the tension from earlier dissolving into the comfortable silence they''d perfected over three years together. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the empty road ahead.
"You know," Nate said after a while, his voice thoughtful, "Mom''s going to kill me, but I don''t think I want to be a doctor." He glanced at her, gauging her reaction. "All those years of med school, residency... that''s her dream, not mine."
"What do you want?" Amber turned to study his profile, noting the way his jaw clenched slightly – something he always did when talking about his future.
"Business, maybe?" He shrugged, but there was an undercurrent of excitement in his voice. "I''ve been thinking about what your dad does. Investment banking, market analysis... that''s the kind of thing that gets me going. Not memorizing anatomy terms or dealing with sick people all day."
The mention of her father made Amber''s thoughts drift to Richard Rosenberg, to his corner office overlooking the city, to the way he commanded attention in every room he entered. She could see Nate fitting into that world – he had the charm, the intelligence, the drive. She could picture him in tailored suits, making deals, building something for himself just like her father had.
The truck slowed as they approached the turnoff to his house, the narrow road ahead disappearing into the darkness between the trees. Amber watched as the shadows of branches played across the dashboard, creating patterns that reminded her of the dappled sunlight at camp three summers ago, when everything between them had started.
The Brooks'' house loomed before them, its angular silhouette stark against the night sky. Light spilled from the wall of windows, casting geometric patterns across the damp driveway. Through the glass, Amber could see movement in the kitchen – shadows of Nate''s parents moving about their evening routine.
"Looks like Mom and Dad haven''t gone to bed yet," Nate said, switching off the engine. His eyes drifted to the poolhouse, a small smile playing on his lips. "Want to sneak away?"
They crept around the perimeter of the house, their footsteps hushed against the concrete path. Amber''s boots clicked softly despite her best efforts, and Nate pulled her close, stifling his laughter against her hair. The poolhouse emerged from the darkness – a smaller echo of the main house''s modern design, its windows dark and inviting.
The door yielded to Nate''s key, revealing their private sanctuary. A sleek bar stretched along one wall – the not-so-secret secret his parents tactfully ignored. The massive sectional dominated the space, facing a mounted flatscreen, while Riverside High''s royal blue and gold banner hung proudly above, though slightly askew. Video game controllers and snack wrappers littered the coffee table, evidence of recent teenage occupation.
"Sorry about the mess," Nate said, quickly gathering the empty cans and snack wrappers. "Jake and I hung out here yesterday."
Jake Woodland. The name alone made bile rise in Amber''s throat. Trust fund baby extraordinaire, quarterback god of Riverside High, and son of William Woodland – who never let anyone forget their family had been in Riverside since before it had running water. Jake and Nate were practically joined at the hip, had been since they were in diapers. The universe''s cosmic joke was making Jake Woodland the price of admission for dating Nate Brooks.
Amber sank into the sofa''s embrace, watching Nate move around the space. Her gaze caught on a White Claw can hidden behind a controller, and suddenly she was back at Hampton Beach – the salty air, the distant music, the metallic glint of the can, the lone shoe on the sand. She slammed the door on that memory before it could fully form.
"You ever find yourself thinking about that night at Hampton?" The question slipped out before she could catch it.
Nate''s hands stilled on the coffee table. "Sometimes," he said quietly, turning to face her. His eyes searched hers with concern. "You okay?" When she nodded, he moved closer.
He crossed to her, dropping to one knee. His fingers found the zipper of her boot, but his eyes never left hers. "You know what I think about most?"
"Tell me," she whispered.
"How perfectly you fit into my life." His hands were gentle as he eased the zipper down. "How your laugh makes everything better." His lips brushed her ankle. "How you''re the first person I want to talk to every morning." Another kiss, higher this time. "How you''re the last person I think about every night."
"Smooth talker," she managed, though her heart was racing.
He looked up at her with that crooked smile that still made her stomach flip, even after all this time. "Only for you, princess." His thumb traced circles on her calf. "Always for you."
The warmth of his touch chased away the chill of old memories, but something nagged at the edges of her mind – a warning, perhaps, or just the lingering taste of wine making her paranoid. Still, as Nate''s lips found that sensitive spot behind her knee, Amber let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, some things in life really were this simple.