“Sorry, Leanna, but I don’t think Jenna would approve of me kissing you, too.” He kissed Jenna again. “Hey, babe. I noticed that you made your way through my drawers, and I appreciate it, but where can I find my white tank tops?”
She hooked her finger in the waist of his jeans and raised her brows. “I love making my way through your drawers.”
Pete pressed his hips to hers. “You have free rein to my drawers anytime you want it,” he said against her lips before stealing another kiss. “Tank top?”
“On the closet shelves, with the rest of your white shirts. You had too many whites for the drawer, so I took over a shelf.”
“Your house will never be the same,” Bella said.
“I knew what I was getting into,” Pete said. “And our house has never felt more like home.”
Our house. Jenna hugged him tightly and shot a cheesy grin in Bella’s direction. She watched Pete walk away, embarrassed when a dreamy sigh—the kind Amy was known for—escaped her lips.
“Careful, swoongirl. You’re going to burn a hole in the man, looking at him like that. I can hardly believe that all three of us are living at the Cape now. You and Pete will still stay at Seaside during the summers, right?”
“Of course. We’ll live here the rest of the year. The same way you and Leanna have done with Caden and Kurt.”
“Good. Now we need to work on Amy. And you know, if Amy and Tony ever do get together, we’ll have to find a woman for Jamie, too. He’s too great to be without a woman.” Bella reached for one of Leanna’s muffins, and Leanna swatted her hand. “You’re so testy.”
“I want there to be enough for everyone,” Leanna said. “And you always pick at the tops and leave the rest.”
“First we have to get Jamie away from his computer. Good luck with that,” Jenna said.
Leanna turned to set the hot pad on the table, and Bella snuck a muffin. Without turning around, Leanna said, “I saw that.”
Bella laughed. “Hey, they’re here!”
They hurried out the door in one mass, pushing past one another on the way to greet Amy, Tony, and Jamie. It was a chilly morning and, as if they’d compared notes before dressing, the girls wore hoodies and jeans, and the men wore jeans and T-shirts. It might set women back fifty years, but Jenna secretly loved that men could brave the cold while women needed warmth.
Pete walked outside in his tank and jeans as Jamie hugged Jenna.
“Hands off my woman,” Pete said with a smile.
“I believe that’s, hands off my princess.” Jenna touched her tiara, because who wouldn’t wear one if she had one?
Pete embraced Jamie. “Great to see you, man.”
“It was a long summer, but the new project is off the ground with a great management staff in place, so I’m on track to spend more than just weekends here next summer.” Jamie pulled Bella into his arms. “I missed everyone.”
Pete went to greet Tony, who was still hugging Amy. Jenna gently touched Pete’s hand.
“Give them a sec,” she whispered.
“They’re just friends, Jenna,” Pete reminded her.
“So were we.” She smiled up at him, and he draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.
“What’s with all the touchy-feely stuff?” Pete’s father and Sky had taken a walk together on the beach, and judging by their smiles, it had done them both a world of good. Joey trotted along beside them. Joey and Neil were as close as Pete and the lovable pup.
Neil had looked relaxed in the days since he’d come home, and now his eyes had a sparkle in them that Jenna hadn’t seen when they’d visited him in rehab. He had a long road ahead, but he was working closely with his counselor to ensure his transition into living a sober life went as smoothly as possible. Pete, Jenna, and Sky attended weekly meetings for families of alcoholics to learn how to support him in ways that would make sobriety easier for him, and it had brought all three of them closer together.
Sky smiled at Pete, and Jenna saw a silent message of something positive pass between them. Pete had told Jenna that Sky had grown up over the past six weeks. The hardware store customers loved her, and although Pete visited her daily and helped her with shelving supplies and handling the books, she was already putting her own touches on the shop with plants on the counter and in the window and colorful knickknacks that should look totally out of place in a hardware store but somehow warmed it instead. Pete must have told Jenna a hundred times in the last few weeks how proud of Sky he was, and Sky seemed to flourish with his praise.
“Mr. Lacroux, how was Florida?” Jamie asked.
Jenna had kept Pete’s secret about his father’s rehab. He hadn’t asked her to, but she’d known it was the right thing to do. Even friends could make a mistake and let something slip out in the wrong company.
Pete’s father slung an arm over Pete’s shoulder. “It wasn’t what I expected. You know, helping my cousin care for his wife and all. It was touch and go for a while, but they pulled through and were even stronger than they’d been before the whole nightmare arose.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jamie held a hand out to Sky. “We’ve never officially met. I’m Jamie Reed.”
“Oh gosh.” Jenna ran over to Sky. “I’m sorry. It feels like you guys all know each other. Sky, this is Jamie, and the guy glued to Amy is Tony.” Jenna hoped that the endless hug was a sign of more to come for Amy and Tony.
Tony set Amy on the ground and they joined the group.
“Hi. Pete’s talked about you guys forever. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Sky crossed her arms over her long-sleeved cotton shirt. She looked like she’d walked out of a summer clothing magazine with her long skirt, sandals, and layers of bangles on her thin wrists. “I’m going to grab a sweater.” She headed for her car, and both Tony and Jamie watched her walk away.
Amy swatted Tony. “She’s too young for you.”
“Pfft. What’s age but a number?” Tony bumped her with his elbow and winked.
Amy rolled her eyes.
They took two cars over to the marina. The boat looked picture perfect in the water with a bright red ribbon running along the railing. It had leaked for the first few days until the wood swelled into place. Jenna had fretted over the leaks, imagining the boat sinking while they were at sea, but both Pete and his father had assured her that minor leaks were normal in older wooden boats that had been out of the water as long as his had.
She stood on the deck of the schooner, watching Pete and his father talk on the dock. Pete’s head kicked back with a loud laugh, and his father’s shoulders moved up and down with a chuckle.
“I missed your whole courtship.” Jamie leaned on the railing beside Jenna.
“No, you didn’t. Pete still courts me every day.” She smiled at Jamie as their other friends gathered around them.
“I’d say you’re a pretty lucky lady, then, Jenna.” Jamie glanced at Sky, talking with Amy and Bella. “At least now Bella and Amy can stop sneaking into your cottage to break things.”
“Yeah, as much as I’d like to bonk them on their heads for turning off my hot water, I can’t.”
“And the dishwasher last summer. And the roof the summer before…”
Jenna’s jaw dropped open. “What? Are you kidding me?”