“Blue Ryder. He does excellent work.”
“Think he’d do work for me on the Cape?” Kurt’s mind was going a mile a minute. He had a plan in place, and surprising Leanna with the studio was the tip of the iceberg.
“Of course.”
“Great. I have a studio that needs to be renovated.”
“He’s doing some work at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis, I think. I’ll text you his number. I’m sure if he can fit it in, he’d love to do it.”
“Thanks, Treat. I’ll see you at the wedding.” Kurt pulled into the driveway and walked around the house until the studio came into view.
“Yeah. I hear you might be bringing a date?”
Kurt laughed. “That old Remington grapevine.”
“Oh, Siena and Savannah made quick work of that. Burned up the cell lines. Everyone knows, and I think they expect you to bring her along. Siena told us it’s a big deal that you have a girlfriend.”
“It is a big deal. And yeah, she’s coming with me. Thanks for texting Blue’s number. I’ll get in touch with him as soon as you send it over.” He ended the call and gazed at the studio, feeling the pieces of his heart falling into place. No wonder I didn’t know what to do with you. You were waiting for Leanna.
Maybe I was, too.
Chapter Twenty-One
AFTER SHE ARRIVED home from the flea market, Leanna checked her email and confirmed the meeting with Daisy Chain for the twenty-eighth, the only day every member of their executive staff would be in town in the next four weeks. She fed Pepper, and for the first time, wished she had Kurt’s phone number. She’d like to hear his voice. Although that would require remembering where she left her phone. She took out her notepad and wrote FIND PHONE across the top of the page.
“Ready to get to work?” Jenna walked into the cottage armed with her iPad, a notebook, and a six-pack of wine coolers.
“As ready as I can be, I think.”
“Hey, girlies.” Amy held the door open for Bella; each of them carried their laptop and a plastic wineglass. “We’re ready to work, Leanna. Just tell us what you need.”
“You guys are the best. Let’s set up outside, though. That way we can surf the Internet from Clark and Vanessa’s cottage. Their connection is so much stronger than mine.” She set her computer on the table, and Pepper settled down in the corner of the deck. Leanna couldn’t wait to tell them about her decision to move in with Kurt, and she knew just how she wanted to reveal her news.
“I made a list.” Jenna pulled out a notebook.
“Of course you did.” Bella rolled her eyes.
“Someone had to.” Jenna poured a wine cooler into her plastic cup.
“I made one, too.” Leanna pulled up her list, and the girls looked over her shoulder while she put a slash through the items she’d already taken care of.
Figure out where I want to live in the fall! Cape? New York/Cape Cod!
Kurt? Definitely!
Product list
Ingredient list
Delivery timetable
Backup generator? Cost? Facility cost? Share space? Check out bakeries?
Talk to an attorney about contracts and insurance liabilities
Employees?
“New York and Cape Cod?” Before Leanna could answer, Bella screamed. “New York and Cape Cod? Oh my gosh. You and Kurt? Leanna!”
Jenna and Amy shrieked, and they wrapped her into a group hug.
“I was just about to tell you.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “I’m moving in with Kurt after the summer.”
Jenna and Amy squealed again.
“Oh my goodness. You’re really moving to New York? With Kurt?” Bella held Leanna’s forearm. “You and Kurt Remington? That gorgeous creature who looks at you like you were dropped from the clouds just for him? Holy moly, Leanna. I thought you were the unlucky Seaside girl!” She wrapped her arms around Leanna again and squeezed so tightly that Leanna had to push free just to breathe.
“I know.” Leanna shook her head. “I can’t believe it either. I know it’s crazy fast, but it feels so right! I feel like even if everything fell apart tomorrow, as long as we were together, everything would still be perfect.”
“I want that.” Amy leaned across the table. “Please tell me he knows about your penchant for laundry piles.”
Leanna laughed. “I haven’t hidden a thing. I’m sure we’ll both have to make concessions. I mean, he’s already accepted Pepper. He wouldn’t even smile at him when we first met, and I can’t believe he’s taking time away from his writing for us. But he is, and he says it’s what he wants.” She took a sip of her wine cooler. “Maybe my luck is changing. Speaking of which, if we don’t get to work, we’ll be at it all night.”
“From what I’ve heard, you’re good at going at it all night.” Bella raised her cup. “To Leanna and Kurt.”
They all clinked glasses. Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, Leanna silently thanked heaven that she had Bella, Amy, and Jenna in her life. When she thought of the people who would always be there for her, they were the only ones who came to mind. She never thought anyone else outside of her family could measure up to the safety and love that her friends gave her unconditionally, and now that she’d met and fallen in love with Kurt, she knew just how wrong she’d been. And how lucky she was.
“Wait. Are you getting married or just living in sinful pleasure?” Amy asked.
“Marriage? Sinful pleasure, thank you very much.” Marriage? She had trouble moving past the idea, but she pushed herself to focus. “Can you believe it? I’m so excited that I can barely stand it.”
“Lea, you’ll live close to me! We can get together during the year. New York and Connecticut aren’t far apart.” Bella hugged her again.
“I know. The whole thing has my heart going crazy. He has my heart going crazy.”
“That’s what love is,” Amy said as she patted Leanna’s hand. “Enjoy every second of it, so we can envy you.”
“Oh, I plan to.” Leanna let out a loud breath. “Okay, we need to focus because I can talk about Kurt all night. Come on. Let’s get Sweet Treats off the ground so I’m not a moocher, too.” She pointed to the list on her computer. “Jenna, I put together the product and ingredient lists. Can you make them organized and presentable? I really stink at that.”
Jenna saluted. “Aye, aye, Captain. I’ve got this.”
“Bella, I know nothing about brochures or anything like that. Maybe we can work together to figure out something?” Leanna took an elastic hairband from her wrist and put her hair up in a ponytail. “That’s better. It was a little warm.”