Read Online The Things We Knew by Catherine West - Free Book Online

it, Nick, about selling. I really wish we didn’t have to. Not yet.”
    “Do you have a better plan?” He stopped eating, looked so serious, like every word she spoke was important. It made her want to confide in him.
    “Sort of.” She sniffed and dabbed her lips with a napkin. “I’m going to call Gray first. I’ll beg him if I have to, but he’s the only one who has enough cash to get us out of this mess. We could at least make repairs, maybe buy some time. The thought of having to move my dad right now . . .” She shook her head, overwhelmed by the idea.
    “You think Gray will help?” Nick’s skeptical expression mirrored her feelings.
    Lynette twirled her spoon around the bowl. “I don’t know. He doesn’t keep in touch like he used to.”
    They ate in silence for a while. Nick finished his meal before she was halfway through her own. Lynette eyed his empty dishes and grinned. “I guess you were hungry.”
    He returned the grin and mussed his hair. “I’m always hungry. You still eat like a bird.”
    “I suppose.” She smiled and took a sip of her drink. “So you and Gray . . . you haven’t talked at all?”
    “Nope.” He didn’t have any food left or she was sure he would have scrambled to put something in his mouth.
    “And I guess you don’t want to tell me why?”
    “Right.” Nick leaned back in the captain’s chair, ran a hand down his face, and gave a muted groan. “It’s not worth getting into. Look, Lynnie, why don’t you at least get in touch with a real estate agent. Get some hard figures so you’ve got something to go on.”
    Lynette folded her arms and studied what was left of her meal. “I suppose. But what if there was another way?” The idea had come to her awhile back, but she’d set it aside, convinced it wouldn’t work. But now . . . “What if we converted part of the house, or most of it, into a bed-and-breakfast? That way Dad and I could stay there, and—”
    Nick held up a hand. “Do you know how much work that would take? What that would cost?” He downed the rest of his soda and crunched ice. “And how would you convince the others to get on board with a plan like that? I mean, people are doing it, I’m not saying it’s a terrible idea, but I’m not sure your brothers and Liz would agree.”
    “See, that’s just it.” Lynette clapped her hands together, a bubble of hope rising. “Once we’re all back together, I could convince them. Make them see . . . remember all the good times.”
    There were good times. In spite of everything, they had all been happy.
    “I think they might have different memories.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” She clenched her fingers around a paper napkin and twisted.
    His brow creased and he tried out a smile that didn’t go anywhere. “Nothing. Just that, well, they haven’t been around.” Nick pushed his chair back a bit and looked like he was fighting a bad case of heartburn.
    “That’s not what you meant.”
    Raucous laughter floated over from the group at a large table across the room.
    As much as she tried to remember what had happened the year her life catapulted into unimaginable tragedy, she couldn’t. At twelve, she’d lived in a whirl of swimming, tennis, beach parties, and sailing regattas. And then one day her mother was dead, and Lynette’s secure world became a scary place.
    She pushed away the taunting thoughts.
    Nick put a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. I know how hard this is. I just don’t want to see you get disappointed.”
    Lynette shrugged and met his eyes. “It’s okay.” She glanced at her watch. “I should get back to work. How much do I owe you?”
    Nick shook his head. “Don’t be silly. I asked you, remember?” A lock of hair hid one eye from view, his dimples deepening with his smile. If Chris Hemsworth had shown up, she would have passed him over.
    Lynette’s cheeks grew warm. “Thanks, Nick. It was great.”
    “Maybe we could have dinner next time? Give us more