“Thank you. So are you. I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the wedding, but I was honored to have been asked.”
Kurt shook his head and smiled at the instant kinship between his sister and the woman he loved. He heard the smile in Leanna’s voice, and despite wanting to give them time to talk, he was anxious to see her face. He grabbed his bags from the backseat and leaned against the car until Siena and Leanna paused to take a breath; then he reached for the phone.
“I’ll give you back to Kurt, but I can’t wait to meet you.” Siena held a thumbs-up at Kurt.
“Me too.” He heard the smile in Leanna’s voice.
“I love her,” Siena whispered when she handed him the phone. “I got your house all set up. She’ll love it.”
“Thanks, Siena. I’ll be in as soon as I’m off.” He turned his attention back to Leanna. “So, now you’ve met my sister.”
Siena waved over her head as she hurried inside.
“And I love her. Kurt, she’s so nice.”
“Yeah, she’s a pistol.” He wondered if his siblings could see how much he adored Leanna. He couldn’t imagine how they could see anything else.
“I know you have to get inside with your family. I wish so much I was there with you. I feel like I’m missing out on such an important event, and I miss you like crazy. I can’t imagine going to sleep alone tonight. I’m going to have to cuddle up to Pepper.”
Oh, I love you. “At least you have Pepper. I’ll have to be content thinking about you.” He saw the front door open, and his younger brother Sage stepped onto the porch of the two-story, stone and cedar-sided home and waved. Kurt waved back, watching Sage approach in his cargo shorts and tank top. He was as religious about his exercise as Kurt was, and it showed in his powerful frame. “Sage just came out on the porch, which means he either wants a peek at you or he’s anxious to see me, and since he’s walking across the driveway, I have a feeling—”
Sage snagged the phone from his hand.
“Dude,” Kurt snapped, although he knew his smile betrayed him. He was enjoying this new and different attention from his siblings, and he was proud to show off Leanna. He knew his family would love her as much as he did. She was easy to love.
“Leanna? Hi, I’m Sage. I wanted to meet you for myself, even if over FaceTime.” Sage’s dark hair had grown in thick and wavy over the summer.
“Hi, Sage. It’s nice to meet you,” Leanna said.
“You, too. Sorry to interrupt, but, well, what else are brothers for?”
Leanna laughed as Sage opened his arms and embraced Kurt. “Sorry, bro. Just wanted to say hi to you both. I won’t let anyone else come out, but I couldn’t resist.” He picked up Kurt’s bags and carried them inside.
“Sorry, babe.”
“It’s okay. Have fun with your family. They seem really nice.”
He heard Bella shouting in the background. “Send one of those brothers over here for me.”
He laughed. “Tell Bella I’ll put a good word in.” He thought of Blue working on the studio and debated telling Leanna about the work he was having done, then quickly decided to surprise her with a trip to the Cape once the renovations were complete. A nice long weekend with no writing. Just us. And Pepper. He couldn’t even believe he was looking forward to not writing, but the thought stuck with him like glue.
“Ignore her.” Leanna rolled her eyes. “I love you. Have fun with your family.”
“I love you too. I’ll text you later.”
Kurt ended the call, and as he crossed the driveway, he braced himself for the razz of a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
LEANNA WOULD GIVE her right arm to be an organized and efficient person for one day. Just today. She’d even take a few hours if she could get it. Just long enough to gather her thoughts, the basket of jams and bread, the brochures and lists she’d picked up from the printer—which looked so professional that she didn’t feel worthy of presenting them—and make it to her meeting on time. She was already late when a delivery truck blocked her driveway.
Great. The one time I actually park in my driveway. She closed the cottage door and shushed Pepper through the window. He’d been moping around all morning, running from room to room, as if he were trying to figure out where Kurt had gone, and now she felt guilty for leaving him alone. Kurt wouldn’t have left him alone.
She put her supplies in the van and went around to the driver’s side door of the delivery van. “I’m in a hurry. Can you please just pull your van up or back a little?”
Carey smiled down at her. “Hey there.”
“What are you doing in this? Where’s your van?” She stepped back and realized it was a fruit bouquet delivery service van.
He shrugged. “I’m doing deliveries to make a little extra money. That’s why I wasn’t at the flea market last Sunday. I’ve got a delivery for you.” Carey climbed out of the van and walked leisurely to the back of the van in his khaki shorts and company polo shirt, complete with a logo over the breast pocket. She had a hard time reconciling his attire to the beach boy she knew.
“Me?” What are you up to?
He returned with an enormous fruit bouquet, complete with chocolate-dipped strawberries and a balloon that read, GOOD LUCK.
“My bet is that it’s from Kurt, but what do I know?” He shrugged. “You look totally hot, by the way.”
Leanna looked down at her dress. “Oh shoot. I’m so late. Thanks, Carey. Hey, I’ve had a great time with you this summer. Will you be at the flea market next summer?”
Amy came out of her cabin. “Wow. What did you get?”
Leanna held up the fruit bouquet.
“I really need to go,” Leanna reminded him.
“Oh, sorry.” He climbed back into the van. “I’m not sure if I’ll be here next summer or not.” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out next May. We can keep in touch over text.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for all your help this summer, Carey.” I’m late. I’m late. I’m late. She hated rushing their last conversation of the summer after he’d been so patient with her and watched her booth while she walked Pepper, but she would hate herself if she messed up her chance with Daisy Chain.
“No prob. And tell Kurt I’m sorry for kissing you.” He waved to Amy.
“Oh gosh, wait!” Leanna ran to her van and retrieved the books Kurt had brought for Carey. “I almost forgot. He brought these to the flea market for you. They’re signed.”
“Awesome. That’s so cool of him. Here’s to a great summer.”
As Carey drove off, Leanna handed the bouquet to Amy and opened the card.
“Kurt?” Amy asked.
“Who else would ever send me anything?” Leanna read the card, “Go get ’em. I love you, K.” She smiled at Amy. “He’s the best, and I gotta run. Would you mind taking these in and maybe playing with Pepper a little? He’s going a little nutty without Kurt.”
“I don’t blame him. Good luck, Lea. You’ll do great.”
She drove away with the card from Kurt on the passenger seat and she already felt better, late or not. Pepper had Amy, and in a few days, she’d be with Kurt.