Chapter 15 #2
“Sure did. Several hours ago, in fact.”
If he’d called that long ago, that meant he’d done it shortly after he’d dropped me off at the main inn.
Had he mentioned that before he’d left that morning?
Definitely not. There was no way I’d forgotten that, even in my haze.
And I certainly hadn’t asked him to do so—I’d just figured out where to call fifteen minutes ago.
Which meant he’d just…done it. So I wouldn’t have to worry about it.
Warmth bloomed in my chest, thinking of the big, bad, gruff sheriff taking it upon himself to make the call and take this off my plate. Just because.
“Luna? You still there? Damn phones are always—”
“Yes, sorry. I’m here. That, um, that sounds good. Thanks.”
“Happy to help. Like I told the sheriff, depending on what we find, you might be looking at quite a while before the damage is repaired. Sheriff McKenzie wasn’t sure what your schedule was like or when you planned to leave town, but this is gonna be quite a speed bump if you’re hoping to get out quick. ”
The sheriff wasn’t the only one who didn’t know that small detail.
No matter where I’d gone these past three years, I never had a plan for where I went or how long I’d stay.
Either a freelance gig brought me to a town, or I simply rolled up when someplace felt right, got settled, and then left when the wanderlust struck once again.
But I’d been in Starlight Cove for a month and a half, and the urge to up and flee hadn’t hit me even once.
This town—and the people in it—had grown on me, settling deep into my soul.
And now…I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave.
At the very least, I wanted to stay to see through what I’d started with the motion for discovery on that piece of land.
I might’ve only been here for a short time, but I loved this town enough to want to make sure a corporation didn’t snuff out the beauty of Starlight Cove.
I’d seen enough to know bringing in a national chain would only crush every single locally owned store along their beautiful Main Street.
Businesses would fold. Families would suffer.
And I didn’t want to see that happen to the people I’d grown to care for.
I didn’t want to see that happen to Brady and his family, which left me in quite a tight spot, considering our goals were conflicting.
But after? I had no idea. It’d always been my plan to leave, and I hadn’t been quiet about that. Hell, it could’ve been the whole reason Brady felt secure enough to start something with me in the first place—because he knew it wouldn’t last. That I wouldn’t last.
I’d never ached for anything permanent in my life, but as I ended the call, I couldn’t ignore the sharp tug in my heart that felt an awful lot like yearning for permanence. And not just any permanence, but permanence here. With him.
Slipping my phone into my pocket, I stepped through the door to the main inn. I didn’t make it two steps inside before Addison snapped her head up from where she stood behind the counter next to Aiden.
“How’d it go?” she asked with not a little bit of apprehension in her voice.
Shaking off my feelings of unease and grateful for the distraction, I shot her and Aiden a wide grin. “Great! We made plans for tomorrow morning at the Williamsons’ property. She’s going to join me so she can get a front-row seat as I chain myself up and get the scoop straight from the source.”
Addison reared back, her mouth dropping open on a gasp, as Aiden stared at me with wide eyes.
I didn’t even make it ten seconds into the bit before I cracked up, laughing at their horrified expressions. “Oh my God, you should see your faces.”
Aiden scowled, resembling Brady more with every furrow etched into his brow, and Addison actually stomped her foot, her hands fisted at her sides. “That wasn’t funny.”
“Oh, come on.” I giggled. “It was a little funny.”
“What was a little funny?” Brady asked as he stepped inside. His gaze swept over me from head to toe in a move that almost seemed perfunctory if not for the careful way he studied me as if checking that I was all in one piece, or how my nipples peaked at his perusal.
“Luna woke up this morning and chose violence, apparently,” Addison said, glaring at me.
“I don’t know what that means. She hit you? Why, what’d you do?”
“No, she didn’t hit me, you idiot.” Addison rolled her eyes. “And for the love, Brady, would it kill you to at least scroll social media once in a while? You’re not eighty.”
“I’m also not interested. Why don’t you harass Aiden about that?”
Aiden leaned a hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s cute that you think she doesn’t.”
Addison rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’m an equal opportunity harasser when it comes to my dumb brothers. Speaking of harassing, why are you out of your uniform? You’re not thinking of going to the festival, are you?” she asked incredulously.
I slid my eyes over to Brady in time to see him shrug. “Don’t know,” was all he said. Enlightening.
Addison smirked and split her gaze between Brady and me, her eyes alight with interest. “Well, well, well, that’s certainly new.”
“What is?” I asked.
“Brady doesn’t usually—”
“Why are you still here?” Brady interrupted. “Who’s helping Beck at the festival?”
“Point taken, you big oaf. And Ford’s with him.” She shut her laptop and tucked it away before stepping out from behind the counter. “I’m heading over there now. Aiden, you good?”
He waved her off without a word, and she headed out. Then, after I’d gathered my bag—which Brady immediately took from my hand—we did the same.
Once outside, Brady walked straight to the passenger’s door and opened it for me, setting my bag inside.
But before I could slip in, he pinned me to the car with his body, one hand gripping my hip and the other cupping the back of my neck.
With his thumb under my jaw, he tipped my head back before brushing a featherlight touch over my pulse.
“You good?” he asked, his eyes searching mine. As if it was more than a superficial question. As if he truly wanted to know the answer.
So I told him the truth. “I was a little shaky this morning, but I’m okay now.”
He hummed low in his throat, darting his eyes all over my face, probably checking to make sure I was telling the truth.
He must’ve concluded I was because he lowered his head and kissed me.
Soft and slow until he slid his tongue against mine and turned the kiss into something hungry and deep.
Like he was reacquainting himself with my taste. Like he wanted to drown in it.
Finally, he pulled back, leaving me panting for breath and wondering if it’d really be that bad to jump his bones right out here in the open, even with his brother so close.
But before I could, he shot me a look that said he knew what I was thinking as he helped me into the car and then shut the door behind me.
“Rude,” I said to myself as I got buckled in, waiting for Brady to slip into his seat.
Once inside the car, he said, “I’ve gotta drop something off quick, and then we can go to the festival if you want.”
I tucked my leg beneath me and turned toward him as he drove us through the resort, a grin spreading across my lips. “Was that your way of asking me out on a date, Sheriff?”
He grunted, the sound low and deep and highly unamused. “Yes or no, lawbreaker.”
“That depends. Will there be funnel cakes at this festival of yours?”
“I didn’t realize funnel cakes were organic.”
“Oh, shut up and answer the question.”
“Of course there will. We’re not monsters.”
I gasped loudly as I reached out and gripped his forearm, loving the flex of muscle beneath my fingers. “Holy shit, was that a joke?”
His scowl deepened, and he kept his eyes glued out the windshield as he parked in front of one of the cottages. “You’ve got until I get back in the car to make your choice, or I’m making it for you.”
With that, he slipped out, grabbing two paper grocery bags from the back seat before heading toward Cottage Thirteen and depositing them in front of the door.
The cottage looked like all the others at the resort—well-worn, but well loved, with a plethora of flowers in the pots bracketing the porch steps and nothing inside to hint at any life within.
Without so much as a knock, Brady spun around and strode straight back to the car.
Once he’d slid into his seat, I asked, “What was that?”
“Groceries.”
“For who?”
“What’s your answer?”
“What?”
“The festival. Yes or no.”
I blew out a sigh, knowing he’d told me all he intended to about his mysterious delivery. “Yes, obviously. This’ll be my first Starlight Cove festival, so you better make it good.”
He slid his gaze to mine, leveling me with heated eyes. “I think we both know I can make it good.”
I shifted in my seat, still hot and bothered thanks to that kiss and grateful I’d put on panties when I’d changed into leggings and an off-the-shoulder sweater that was thick enough to hide the state of my nipples. The more layers between Brady and my ravenous body, the better.