Chapter 21
Genevieve
A warm, heavy breeze clings to my skin, making the back of my neck sticky as we set up Starlight Vet Haven’s tent for the Annual Starhaven/Oakhaven Stargazing Festival.
The shade from the massive White Oak trees does little to diminish the thick air of summer, but it keeps the mid August sun at bay.
I’m definitely going to have to run home and change my clothes later for my date with Luke.
Thankfully by the time the real fun begins, the sun will have long since set and will be a perfect night, with a cloudless sky.
Perfect for the guided constellation tour, presented by the Wren’s, and followed by the Perseid meteor shower.
Of course a town called Starhaven would make the Perseid meteor shower into its biggest annual event.
An event that just happens to be my favorite.
Which is bound to be overshadowed by the man who has been occupying all of my thoughts since a kiss that still has my toes curling.
“Oh Kit. It was—”
“Hold that thought.” Kit shoves a hand in my face for the third time in five minutes, her attention on the two men arranging office equipment. “No. Not there. We want the scale in front of the check-in table.”
Every year helping Kit set up is chaotic, but today with her grilling me about ‘the kiss’, while directing Beau and one of his teammates, it’s even more so.
“Have I ever told you you’re a slave driver?” Beau smirks, leaning in to kiss his wife as he passes her. “A very sexy slave driver.”
“Slave driver?!” Kit crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes at her husband. “What do you think, Jackson?”
“No comment.” Beau’s Ironclad Marauders teammate, chuckles. “Especially if I’m going to be volunteering for another five hours.”
“Good answer.” Kit beams. “Maybe you, darling husband, should take a lesson from your captain and keep your opinions to yourself?”
“Have I ever done that?”
Kit throws back her head and laughs, because no, Beau has never done that, especially where Kit is concerned.
“She’s definitely bossy,” I join in the teasing, nudging my younger sister. “She won’t even let me finish a sentence.”
“Hold on.” Kit’s eyes gleam, and I immediately regret calling her out. “Is it my fault you waited three whole days before telling me you and Luke kissed! I said to call me right after.”
Heat rushes up my entire body and my face burns. “S-see,” I stammer, the word catching in my throat, making the men snicker. “Bossy.”
My phone buzzes, grateful for the interruption. “Be right back.”
“Tell Luke I said hi!” Kit needles, and I all but run out the tent, laughter following.
“Hello?” I try to act like it’s any other call, but that familiar flutter kicking up in my stomach makes it nearly impossible to pretend I don’t care.
“Hey,” Luke’s voice sends the flutters in my stomach into overdrive, turning into a full stampede. “Do you need any help setting up?”
“No, we’re good. Beau brought backup.”
“Golfers have nothing on rugby players.” Luke snorts.
“That might be debatable.” I lean against one of the White Oak trees, enjoying the feel of the breeze against my skin. “I think golfers—”
“All golfers? Or one golfer?” Luke’s hedges, the vulnerability in his voice adorable.
“Fishing for compliments, Mr. Nichols?”
“From you, Genevieve, always.”
My smile gets impossibly wider, but I’m not ready to stop playing this little game, so I avoid clarifying. “Are you still planning on stopping by with Bogey?”
“Maybe. Are you going to answer my question?”
A twitch of disappointment at having to wait until the evening to see him grips my stomach. “Which question was that?”
“This golfer or—”
“Oh yeah. That question. What if I told you—”
“Gen!” Kit yells, and the corner of my mouth drops at ending the call so soon. “Tell Luke you’ll talk to him later.”
“Let your sister—”
“No way. Did you hear the tone of her voice? That order is mild in comparison to what I’ve had to deal with today.”
Luke chuckles, before growling, “Fiinne.”
“I’ll definitely see you for the constellation tour and meteor shower, right?”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.” The smile in Luke’s voice settles the knot that’s been twisting in my stomach since I woke up. “I’ve missed you.”
Tingles shoot down my entire body at his admission. “I just saw you yesterday.”
“And?”
“Gennn!”
“Comming! Geez!” Luke’s deep chortle rumbles through the phone. “I’m sorry I have to go. I’ll see you later. Love you!”
A giddy lightness lifts my steps as I make my way back to the tent and my demanding sister. But right before stepping under the tent, my knees weaken.
Did I just say I love you?
My palm flies to my mouth.
“Gen, can you—what’s the matter?” Kit rushes to my side, eyebrows knitted, and wraps an arm around my shoulder. Guiding me to one of the chairs at the table, she has me sit. “Did something happen with Luke?”
My mouth hangs open and I just stare at her.
Dropping my head on my arms, I groan. “No. No. No.”
Kit gently rubs my upper back, sitting next to me. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not so bad.”
“Not so bad…” Covering my face with my hands, my next words were garbled. “I just told Luke I love him.”
“That’s great!” My brows shoot past my hairline. “You being in love with him is a bad thing?”
“Noooooooo, Kit!” I squeeze the bridge of my nose, annoyed she’s not getting the dilemma.
Kit throws up her hands. “I give up! Beau, maybe you can explain what I’m missing?”
Beau looks between the two of us, a cheeky grin on his face. “That’s easy to anyone who was eavesdropping, right Jackson?”
Jackson raises his hands in surrender and takes a step away from the three of us. “All you Beau.”
A giggle escapes despite myself.
“How about you let me in on this little secret.” Kit looks at each one of us, before staring pointedly at her husband.
“Sure, honey, your sister said ‘I love you’ when she got off the phone,” Beau says confidently, Kit’s eyes narrow.
“I know. She just said that—”
“First,” Beau cuts her off, chuckling. “If the way she’s acting is any indication.”
Groaning, my head falls to the table, “I’m mortified! Why couldn’t I just keep my feelings to myself?”
Arms wrap around me, swaying gently back and forth. “That’s amazing! What did he say?”
“Nothing.” Scrubbing my hands up and down my face. “I hung up.”
“Wait. What?” Kit’s arms tense.
“It just slipped out. I didn’t even realize what I said until I got back.”
Kit presses her lips together, and I slap her arm. “It’s not funny,” I grumble.
“Oh it’s funny.” Beau snorts.
Glancing at Jackson, it’s to find him biting the inside of his cheek.
“Can you all explain why you think me messing up my love life is hilarious?”
“Because,” Jackson says, speaking up for the first time today, “Anyone who’s seen the way Luke looks at you is well aware that he’s completely smitten.”
My eyes pop and I stare at him. “But you haven’t seen us…”
“Everyone’s seen you!” they all shout.
“Maybe not in person,” Jackson adds, “But pictures don’t lie. I’m nearly one thousand percent certain that Golf’s Grim Reaper is feeling a whole lot of relief right about now.”
The heaviness in my stomach lessens as my gaze lands on all three people working to contain their laughter. “Really?”
“Yes.” The corner of Jackson’s blue eyes crinkle. “Now if you could pull yourself together and help us finish that would be amazing. I’m a little tired of getting yelled at.”
“Jackson!” Kit shouts, and Beau lets out a howl.
The feeling that the world is ending, disappears, and I meet Jackson’s blue gaze. The corner of my lip pulls up, and I mouth, ‘Thank you.’
“You’re welcome.” He dips his chin and winks.
His wink lands, but my mind is still stuck on what I blurted to Luke.
Love you?!
My heart feels tight and light at the same time. Part of me wants to crawl under the covers and hide. The other part wants to run to him.
Depending on how Luke responds tonight I’ll be doing one of them.