Chapter 30
TWO WEEKS LATER
“I can’t believe I let y’all talk me into this.” Cade adjusted positions on the dunking booth board, his bare feet dangling into the water beneath.
Rosalyn grinned, sidling up as close as the oversized tank would allow. Cade looked way too cute in swim trunks and a white T-shirt, sunglasses tucked into the neck. “It’s for the town, Landry. Get on board.”
The Water Day fundraiser Delia planned was going great. The mid-August sun shone bright overhead. Across the park, children squealed their way down the inflatable slide set up near the gazebo.
And she was here with Cade.
For good.
“Yeah, quit complaining.” Noah wound up his pitching arm as he stood a few yards from the buzzer mounted on a tarp to Cade’s left. “A little water never hurt anyone.”
“Just accept now that you won’t bring in as much money as Sheriff Rubart or my father did.” Elisa stood to Noah’s side, where she’d stopped admiring the way her engagement ring shimmered under the sun long enough to have a conversation.
Next to Elisa, wearing a tank top and shorts, Zoey snorted. “I’m pretty sure Noah and Linc will help make up any difference.”
“Yeah, I’m pitching until he goes in.” Noah tossed the ball from hand to hand. “Take my money.” He lined up for the shot.
“Wait!” Rosalyn reached toward Cade and grabbed his sunglasses. “I’ll hang on to these for you.”
Cade smirked, shifting positions on the bench. “You’re assuming he’s going to hit the buzzer.”
“Okay, that’s it.” Noah narrowed his eyes. “Step back, Rosalyn, unless you want to get splashed.”
“That’s a lot of confidence.” Linc crossed his arms over his muscle tank.
“I played baseball growing up.” Noah squinted at the buzzer. “Just wait.” He threw the ball.
It bounced two feet from the buzzer and rolled back toward him.
“I think it’s safe to give me my sunglasses back.” Cade laughed.
Rosalyn slid them on her own face. “Not a chance. I believe in my friends.”
“Cheap shot, Ace.” Cade pressed his hand over his heart, his eyes dancing, and for a second, they were eighteen again. Standing on the outdoor platform at graduation as a dozen cannons shot confetti high into the air. Locking eyes across the throng of students as they moved their tassel to the other side of their shiny blue caps.
Completely unaware of all the future held.
Rosalyn’s stomach fluttered on cue. Oh, but she liked being back in Magnolia Bay. Liked that she had made new friends and restored a full relationship with not only Cade but her mom.
She’d finally told her parents everything. All the mistakes, the lies, the misplaced trust. The bad decisions and fear of being rejected if she didn’t do everything perfectly.
And like in Chug a Mug that day with the laptop, they’d handled it with grace.
“I never wanted you to be perfect at ballet, I just wanted you to have fun,” Mom had said.
And wasn’t that ironic? “Well, I never had fun because I wasn’t perfect at it.”
They’d laughed together, teary. “None of us are perfect. Sure, I was disappointed you quit—but not for long.” Mom’s eyes had glazed over as she took Rosalyn’s hand, squeezed. “You were obviously meant to fly.”
And looking into Cade’s steady gaze now, she realized there were multiple ways to do exactly that.
“Throw again.” Zoey plucked a dollar bill from Noah’s hand and gave it to Rosalyn. “Here.”
“Might as well fork over a ten and save her the trouble of opening that bag a dozen times.” Linc grinned, his dark bun shifting.
“He’s going in, don’t worry.” Noah narrowed his eyes in concentration. Threw.
Missed.
Rosalyn tucked the money in the zippered pouch she was guarding. “One more?”
“Ah, whatever.” Noah handed over a fiver.
Across the park by the hot dog stand, Mama D screamed as she slid down the water slide in a hot pink swimsuit. Madame Paulette greeted her at the bottom, wearing a swim skirt that hung to her knees. “My turn!” Together, they scrambled up the inflatable stairs.
Near the slide, Miley lay out on a beach towel, wearing a black swimsuit and dark glasses, ignoring the kids running circles around her with water guns. To her right, Sadie and Harper camped out in lounge chairs, a pile of novels stacked next to a cooler between them. Nearby, under an umbrella, Mrs. Peters scowled at a kid playing a handheld video game.
Elisa and Zoey pressed next to Rosalyn as Noah continued his pitching attempts. “Is it true Blaine is in jail?” Elisa asked.
“Yep.” Rosalyn nodded. “For a long time—thankfully, not here in town.”
“Your life is like made-for-TV movie.” Elisa shook her head. “An aerialist in a Cajun Circus, running from the Mafia.”
Rosalyn laughed. “I’m happy to change the channel, in that case.”
She’d never dared to dream this day could come—and it felt better than she’d imagined.
“Did Bruno move forward with that lawsuit?” Noah paused his next attempt at the buzzer.
Cade shook his head. “He backed down, apologized for the threat.” He sighed. “And as part of said apology, gave me a voucher for a lifetime supply of…wait for it…free frog legs.”
“ Eww .” Zoey, Elisa, and Rosalyn protested in unison.
“I’d try them.” Noah shrugged as he wound his arm up.
“You do, and you can keep your kisses to yourself,” Elisa warned.
He winked at her before releasing the next shot.
Missed.
A few of the young ballet students from Lettie’s studio skipped past, slurping popsicles as purple juice rolled down their arms. “Hi, Barbie!” They waved.
Rosalyn smiled and waved back…which reminded her…
“Tell them the other good news!” Cade called from his perch, as if reading her mind.
Elisa and Zoey looked at her with raised brows.
She could barely contain her grin. “I’m about to start looking at real estate here in town for an aerial studio.”
Zoey squealed and grabbed her arm. “Take my money! I’ll be your first student.” She wrinkled her nose. “Once I have money again, of course.”
“I’ve got to find a place first, and get a loan secured.”
“With a bank ,” Cade added.
She rolled her eyes at him. “There’s still a lot of legal stuff to wade through with Blaine’s theft, so in the meantime, Dad is going to co-sign for me.”
As much as she’d wanted to put things back together herself, she’d realized the beauty in not being able to handle everything perfectly—and the gift it gave others to help. She smiled as Cade mocked Noah’s next attempt.
Zoey took another bill from Noah and handed it to Rosalyn before turning to Elisa. “Have you guys talked wedding dates yet?”
“Only a zillion times. But we haven’t nailed anything down.” Elisa’s eyes shot hearts as she watched Noah pitch. “He’s actually way better at baseball than this, guys. I’ve seen him play.”
“You’re blinded by love.” Zoey rolled her eyes.
“What about you, Zoey?” Rosalyn zipped the money bag and tucked it under her arm. “What’s going to happen with your beignet shop?”
“My insurance company has a lot of questions.” Zoey’s eyes flitted to Linc, who stood with his arms crossed, surveying the park like a bodyguard. His bun ruffled in the breeze. “I’m still waiting to hear from the fire department on what started the fire, which obviously matters for the claim.”
“I’m sure it’ll work out.” Elisa rubbed her friend’s back. “You know we’re all here to help you.”
“I do. And everything happens when it’s supposed to, you know?” Zoey cut her eyes to Noah and she smirked. “Except for maybe Noah hitting that target.”
“Oh, for crying out loud.” Linc tossed a twenty toward Rosalyn, snagged the ball from Noah’s hand, and threw it hard. The ball landed squarely on the buzzer.
The bench gave way beneath Cade and he sank beneath the water, arms flailing. He came up sputtering, shoving his hair back from his head as he stood. His white T-shirt clung to his chest and biceps.
“You’re welcome, Rosalyn.” Linc shot her a wink.
“I almost had him,” Noah protested. Elisa patted his shoulder in consolation.
Cade hoisted himself out of the tank, dripping onto the grass. Then he squished toward Rosalyn, mischief in his eyes.
“Oh no. Don’t you dare.” Rosalyn held up one finger, heart pounding.
“Come on, Ace. Get on board.” Cade mocked her earlier words as he hurried toward her, arms held wide. He grinned as water sluiced off his shorts onto the ground.
Rosalyn squealed and started to make a run for it. He easily caught her, cool water immediately soaking through her tank and shorts. “You can’t get away that easily.”
She surrendered. Turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wouldn’t dare try.”
In her peripheral vision, Elisa clutched her hands to her chest. “Aww.”’
“Just precious.” Zoey sighed.
Linc rolled his eyes. “There’s way too many hormones in this park.”
Zoey and Elisa both swatted his arm as Cade pulled Rosalyn in for a kiss.
She closed her eyes and kissed him back, breathing in the scent of water and sunscreen and his lingering cologne, memorizing the feel of his broad shoulders beneath her hands. Their timing had turned out perfect after all.
There was no place like home.
* * *
Thank you for reading No Place Like Home ! Return to Magnolia Bay for our final romantic story in Meant for Me …
He was her best friend. Still is. But when her beloved beignet shop burns down, he’ll have to be more if she hopes to start over. But will friendship survive the dangers of a marriage of convenience?
Lincoln “Linc” Fontenot enjoys working out, running his crawfish business, and the company of approximately three people. Zoey Lakewood has been at the top of that short list for years, the only bit of sunshine he ever allows to part his comfortably cloudy sky. But when Linc’s steady, quiet world is rocked by the unexpected guardianship of a teen girl, his friendship with Zoey becomes even more crucial. He needs help, bad...but maybe not as bad as Zoey.
Zoey’s never had a problem manifesting joy. But having just lost her home and her beignet business to an uninsured fire, for once she struggles to find the silver lining. She and Linc arrange to help each other out—as just friends, of course. She’ll provide teen-parenting assistance while he provides a place for her to get back on her feet. But one thing her friendship with Linc has never had to navigate is close proximity.
Tension—and chemistry—mount as they attempt to manage this sudden insta-family. But Zoey just lost everything, and she can’t risk losing her best friend, too. Will her friendship with Linc go up in flames like her beignet shop? Or will Linc and Zoey finally realize they were meant for each other?
Keep reading for a sneak peek…