Chapter Eight: Lake Fenway

Anna's POV

The sun had just dipped behind the horizon, casting a soft, amber glow over the field near Lake Fenway. The air was crisp, with a light breeze rustling the leaves of the trees that dotted the landscape. It was the perfect setting for a bonfire party. Flickers of orange and yellow light danced across the field, where dozens of people had gathered around a massive bonfire, laughing, chatting, and enjoying the late summer night.

Courtney and I walked side by side, our footsteps crunching the dried grass beneath them. The sound of music and chatter grew louder as we approached the gathering. Courtney, ever the extrovert, had been excited about the party for days, but I wasn’t so sure. It was only the idea of coming to the lake again that mostly convinced me. Lake Fenway was where I used to spend my summers with my friends for camp. And every kid from the state would come. The escape was just that good. Games, camp fire stories, canoeing in the lake, treasure hunts.

“This is going to be fun,” Courtney said, pulling me along.

I let out a chuckle as she guided me all the way to the edge of the bonfire site and Marcus was right there—standing with a group of friends, laughing and talking, his dark jeans fitting him perfectly, and his shirt hugging his well-defined frame in a way that made my stomach flutter.

Courtney noticed my hesitation and nudged me gently. “Go on,” she said with a teasing smile. “I’ll grab us some beers. I’ll even throw in a few shots of tequila if you need a little liquid courage.”

I gave her a nervous smile, my heart racing. “I don’t know…” I trailed off, glancing toward Marcus, who was now looking in our direction.

“You’re overthinking it,” Courtney insisted. “You’ll be fine. Just go say hi. I’ll be right back.”

With that, she gave me a playful shove in Marcus’s direction before disappearing into the crowd. I watched her walk off, my stomach knotting in anticipation. I took a deep breath and steeled myself, walking toward Marcus.

As I got closer, I noticed how the light from the bonfire illuminated Marcus’s features. His dark hair was slightly tousled, as if he had just run his fingers through it, and the slight stubble on his chin only added to his rugged appeal. His eyes—those intense, deep-set eyes—were locked on mine as I drew closer, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. I could feel my pulse quicken, and my breath caught in my throat.

Marcus didn’t break eye contact as I approached. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and my heart skipped another beat.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low and smooth, carrying easily over the noise of the party. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yeah, uh, Courtney convinced me to come. I wasn’t sure, but… well, here I am.” I smiled awkwardly, mentally cursing myself for sounding so nervous.

Marcus chuckled, his eyes lighting up with amusement. “I’m glad you made it,” he said, his gaze still fixed on me. “You know, I was just telling Damian about that time Peter and I saw you and Courtney at the café a while back.”

My lips twitched. “That coffee tends to leave an impression”, I joked. I had thought it was just a passing moment, something that had meant nothing to him.

“The coffee sure did,” Marcus replied, his voice warm and confident. “I remember everything. And you—” he gave me a slow, appreciative look “—you’re hard to forget.”

My cheeks flushed at the compliment, and I found myself smiling despite my nerves. “Well, I guess it’s a small world,” I said, trying to play it cool even though my mind was racing. There was a brief silence between us, filled only by the crackling of the fire and the sounds of laughter and music from the crowd. I felt a surge of self-consciousness. Was I being too obvious? Was I blushing too much? I had no idea what to say next.

Marcus seemed to sense my unease. “I’m glad you came, though,” he said, taking a step closer. “I’m kind of along for the ride with Damian and Peter on this one. They do it every year—just a little get-together to kick off the fall.”

“Oh, that’s awesome,” I replied, trying to sound casual. “I’m sure it’s a lot of work.”

“It’s worth it,” Marcus said with a shrug. “They like having people around, especially when the fire’s going and we can all just relax.” His eyes locked with mine again, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest. “So, what about you? What do you like to do when you’re not… you know, hanging out with Courtney?”

The question caught me off guard, and I found myself thinking for a moment. What did I like to do? “Uh, I read a lot,” I said finally, feeling a little silly. “And I play hockey sometimes with my dad and cousins when they train. You know, when I’m in the mood.”

“Sounds like a good way to spend your time,” Marcus said, his tone sincere. “I didn't know you were that into the sport. Most of my time goes into training or working out. I listen to music every now and again.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “You work out?” I asked, a teasing note entering my voice. “I would’ve never guessed.”

Marcus grinned, clearly enjoying our banter. “Oh, come on. You don’t think I’m in shape?” He flexed his arm playfully, showing off the muscles in his bicep.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, okay,” I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “You’ve definitely got the muscles.”

“Glad you noticed,” he said, his voice still light and teasing.

The moment hung in the air between us, charged with an undeniable energy. I felt my heart racing again, but this time it wasn’t out of nerves—it was something else, something electric, like the crackling of the fire behind them. Marcus was standing so close now that I could feel the heat radiating off him, and I could tell that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Before I could say anything else, Marcus looked over my shoulder. “Looks like Courtney’s back with the drinks,” he said, his eyes flicking to the side as he saw her making her way through the crowd.

I glanced behind him and saw Courtney approaching with two bottles of beer in hand. She flashed me a knowing grin, as if she were silently saying, I told you so.

“I guess we should join the others,” Marcus said, breaking our shared moment. “But, uh, I’ll be around. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

I nodded, unable to hide the smile that had crept onto my lips. “I won’t.”

As Marcus turned to greet his friends, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing pulse. I had been nervous at first, but now, in the midst of the crowd and the warmth of the bonfire, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just taken the first step toward something more. I didn’t know what that something was, but I was starting to think that maybe—just maybe—it might be worth finding out.

With a glance over at Courtney, who was already talking animatedly with a group of people, I followed Marcus’s lead, my heart still fluttering, and for the first time in a long while, I was looking forward to what the night might bring.