Chapter 26
Sadie
F ive days had never gone by so fast in Sadie’s life. It felt like she had only just arrived in the Cape, and yet now she was packing her bag to leave while Ellie sat on the bed and watched. The last two days had been absolute bliss with Ellie, as the two had hung out together and made out more times than Sadie could count.
Of course, the entire Mackenzie family seemed to have caught them kissing at some point during the last few days. Sadie wondered how they’d ever get to have an actual relationship once they got back to the Cove and added her own parents’ nosy eyes into the mix. It felt like they were under a microscope, and everyone was watching to see what would happen next. All they needed was a British narrator, and they could make one hell of a documentary.
“I don’t want you to go,” Ellie whined from her spot at the edge of the bed. Sadie had her duffle bag open on the floor and was sitting cross-legged beside it. “You should just stay.”
Sadie would have loved to stay longer, but her parents had already planned a trip to Florida for the next few days. Had Sadie known how badly she wouldn’t want to leave the Cape, she never would have agreed to go with them in the first place.
“I wish I could, but you know I can’t.” Standing, Sadie zipped her bag before sitting on the bed beside Ellie. Her dark brown eyes melted Sadie as she slowly leaned in to kiss her.
Kissing Ellie Mackenzie was unlike anything Sadie had experienced before. She loved the way their lips felt when they pressed against each other and the taste of Ellie’s toothpaste still lingering on her lips. Sadie ran her hand through Ellie’s dark brown hair as she caressed her head as their kissing intensified.
Having never seriously kissed anyone before Ellie, Sadie was surprised at how quickly she’d learned. Sure, she’d kissed people before and been kissed. Sometimes without her consent. But Ellie was different in every way. She never made Sadie feel inexperienced or rushed or pressured to move faster than she was ready.
Not that they were anywhere close to doing more than kissing. Sadie knew before they took any next step they’d have to talk about it. She’d been in the position where the person she was with didn’t talk about it and she knew how detrimental that had been to her own mental health. No, Sadie wouldn’t do that to Ellie. Ellie deserved all the respect in the world and Sadie would give it to her.
“Sadie?”
“Hmm?”
“I really like you.”
Sadie couldn’t help but smile and giggle at Ellie’s sweet words. As Ellie pressed her forehead against Sadie’s, their smiles grew even wider.
“I really like you, too.”
“That’s good, cause otherwise, this would be super awkward.”
Ellie gently kissed her cheek once more before standing. Sadie hated that their kissing had stopped, but knew it was probably for the best. Her mom and Charlie should be there any minute, and the last thing Sadie needed was for them to find out she was dating Ellie by walking in on them kissing.
“So, what are we telling people?”
“About us?”
“Yeah.”
“And by people you mean your parents?” Ellie smirked, picking up Sadie’s duffle bag and sitting it on the bed. Sadie nodded. “I mean, my whole family knows.”
Sadie dramatically groaned while smirking. “Oh, I know.”
“So I definitely think you should tell your parents before they find out from mine.”
A flash of panic coursed through Sadie’s body. “Do you think your parents would tell them?”
“God, no,” Ellie waved off her worries. “My parents are legit the coolest. They’d never tell anyone anything without asking for permission first. Unless it was life or death. Then I think they’d make an exception. But this? No. They’ll let you tell them.”
“Your parents are the best.”
“I know.” Ellie’s smile was genuine as she picked up Sadie’s bag. “Come on. We still have time for breakfast before your mom gets here.”
As Sadie followed Ellie down the stairs, she thought back to the softball camp she’d attended last summer in Vermont. While the camp was for incoming high school senior girls, the counselors were made up of college-aged athletes from around the country. Sadie didn’t make friends easily, so she was glad when she met Sydney Davis.
Sydney was a pitcher, just like Sadie. The two went to every session at the camp together and ate every meal together. When they had free time, they were always together. Which meant it wasn’t a surprise when the two of them found themselves in the cabin by themselves while everyone else was celebrating the last night of camp by the campfire.
When Sydney started kissing her, Sadie had tried to make herself enjoy it. After all, Sydney was cute and hot. Not Sadie’s style as she was blonde—Sadie preferred brunettes—but Sadie tried not to let that stop her. They were kids. Kids did dumb things like make out at summer camp with someone they’d never seen again once camp was over.
But things escalated quicker than Sadie was ready for. Sex with Sydney was nothing like Sadie imagined her first time to be. It was awkward and uncomfortable and she couldn’t wait for it to be over. When Sydney pulled her hands from Sadie’s pants, she asked Sadie to do her next. Sadie declined, which pissed Sydney off. Sydney stormed out of the cabin and the two never spoke again.
Sadie hadn’t told anyone the story, not even her mom. She was mostly too embarrassed that she had been too scared to tell Sydney no than anything. She vowed then she’d never let herself be in that position again.
Which made her all the more thankful that Ellie definitely wasn’t the type of person to put her in that position.
“Hey,” Sadie grabbed Ellie’s hand just before they rounded the corner into the kitchen. She gently pressed her up against the wall as she kissed her. The move always turned Sadie on when she read it in books, so she hoped Ellie felt the same way.
And judging by how quickly she dropped the duffle bag at her feet and wrapped her arms around Sadie, she did.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Anytime.”
“When we get back to the Cove, we need to do more of this.”
Ellie smirked. “Making out in hallways?”
“That, and just hanging out.”
“I’m totally in for that.”
Just as Sadie was about to lean in again to kiss Ellie, Everleigh came around the corner. Sadie took a step back from Ellie as Everleigh narrowed her eyes at her sister. Ellie stuck her tongue out at her as she walked past them. Just before she entered the kitchen, Everleigh turned around with a mischievous grin on her face.
“You may continue your activities.”
“She’s a mess,” Sadie laughed as Everleigh headed into the kitchen.
“She’s a mini-Mason.”
“Hey, how is Mason? When should she know if the procedure worked?”
“Mama said it would be a few weeks.”
“Will you keep me updated?”
Ellie smiled sweetly. “Of course, babe.”
Babe.
The word echoed in Sadie’s mind as Ellie picked up the duffle bag and followed Everleigh into the kitchen. Almost the entire Mackenzie family was already in the kitchen or at the large dining room table. Alexis and Blake were feeding the kids while Maddie and Walker chatted with them. Isla, Vera, and Eden were in what seemed to be deep conversation near the coffee pot, so they avoided that corner of the kitchen. Chase and Mason were by the griddle where Chase was flipping pancakes.
“Chef Chase, at your service.” She dramatically bowed as Sadie and Ellie sat on the barstools across from her. “Would you lovely ladies like blueberries or chocolate chips?”
“Both,” they answered in unison as they giggled.
“Coming right up.”
As Chase made them breakfast, Mason poured them each a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Sadie was definitely going to miss Mackenzie breakfasts when she went back to a protein bar and an energy drink for breakfast.
After serving each of them a plate of pancakes, Mason and Chase joined the rest of the family over at the table. Sadie was glad they did as it offered her and Ellie a quiet breakfast alone. Or. Well. As alone as they could be with over a dozen people around them.
“Good morning, Care Bear,” Vera walked toward Ellie as she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her cheek.
“Morning, Mama.”
Vera moved over to Sadie and gave her a quick hug. “Good morning, Sadie.”
“Good morning, Vera.”
“What’s up with those two?” Ellie jutted her chin toward Isla and Eden who had moved their conversation to the living room. Vera rolled her eyes in response as she sat beside Ellie on the other barstool.
“What do you think?”
“Ugh,” Ellie rolled her eyes, “those two need to just admit they love each other already.”
“Exactly what your mother is in there telling her.”
Sadie leaned in closer to Ellie, gently elbowing her in the rib. “Who are we talking about?”
“Eden’s woman.”
“Eden has a woman?” Sadie gasped.
Although she didn’t know much about Ellie’s aunt, she knew she was on Broadway. And since she wasn’t at the Cape with anyone, Sadie assumed she was single. That, and being Isla’s sister, was all Sadie knew about her.
“We don’t talk about it,” Vera arched an eyebrow as she rolled her eyes.
“Except we do,” Ellie retorted, gaining a smirk from Vera. “We only talk about it when Eden wants to talk about it. Then she won’t shut up about it.”
“Ellie,” Vera chuckled, and Sadie assumed it was meant to be a scolding that fell short. “Let’s just say that Eden and Mason are the same person. Or well, Mason before Chase, that is. Eden can’t see that her best friend is the one for her, no matter how loud we and the universe yell that to her.”
“Mom says Eden has to figure that out on her own.”
Ellie’s comment was met by another eye roll and laughter from Vera.
“Yeah. Your mother says that although she’s in there right now listing off the reasons why Eden should invite Landry here this weekend.”
Sadie could watch Ellie and Vera talk all day. The two were easily the most animated talkers out of the group and they fed off each other in a way Sadie didn’t know was possible. She almost said as much when the doorbell rang. It felt like the bell at recess that meant they had to go back inside. Because Sadie knew who was on the other side of the door.
“I don’t want you to go,” Ellie whined as she wrapped an arm around Sadie’s shoulders.
“I don’t want it either.”
Vera and Isla had gone to answer the door and returned a few moments later with Delaney and Charlie. Sadie jumped up and hugged them as Ellie followed behind her.
“I’m glad to see you’re still in one piece.” Delaney looked Sadie over, only mildly embarrassing her. “Did you two have fun?”
“We did,” they answered in unison.
“That’s good. Are you all packed?”
“Yup.”
“Good. Charlie got us a flight out of Boston, so we brought you some extra clothes for Florida.”
Sadie resisted the urge to whine in front of Ellie and her family. She knew her mom wouldn’t have picked out what Sadie wanted to wear, but it was too late for that now. At least she could just wash what she’d worn to the Cape.
Reluctantly, Sadie said her goodbyes to the Mackenzies as she and Ellie headed out to her mom’s SUV. Delaney and Charlie took a few moments to chat with everyone else, allowing Sadie and Ellie some alone time outside. Ellie tenderly tucked Sadie’s hair behind her ear as she kissed her.
“I’m going to miss you.”
“We can text and FaceTime all the time.”
“You better.”
“I will,” Sadie giggled as Ellie tickled her side. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Don’t forget me.”
“Something tells me I won’t.”
Leaning in again, Sadie kissed her. It was less like their previous kisses that morning and more like their first kiss behind the garage at the party. There was more passion in it than Sadie had anticipated, but she didn’t have time to overthink it.
“Ah,” Delaney’s voice caused them to separate quickly, “so I see Charlie was right.”
“I was?” Charlie rounded the corner of the SUV, smirking when she saw them. “Aww, I was right.”
“And on that note, goodbye, Ellie.”
“Bye, Sadie.”
Ellie was clearly enjoying it, as she smiled the whole time she opened Sadie’s door for her and waited for her to get inside. They quickly kissed once more before Ellie closed the door. As Ellie joined her parents on the front porch and waved, Sadie felt both her mom’s and Charlie’s gaze on her as they pulled to the stop sign at the end of the subdivision.
“What?” She tried to act annoyed, but her smile betrayed her.
Dammit.
“So, you had a good week, huh?”
“Shut up.”
“Don’t tell Charlie to shut up.” Delaney was teasing, as was Sadie. “So, are you and Ellie dating now?”
“I thought we had a plane to catch.”
“Not until you tell us.” It was now Charlie who was teasing. Sadie knew there was no way out of it. After all, they both knew anyway. They just wanted to hear it from her.
“Yes, we are dating.”
Delaney and Charlie squealed from the front seat as Charlie continued the drive. “I’m so glad it’s Ellie and not that Travis boy.”
“Trevor,” Charlie corrected.
“Either way, Ellie is a much better suitor for our daughter.”
“I don’t disagree.” Sadie’s comment made them all laugh, and she was glad that part was out of the way.
Now she just had to wait a whole week to see Ellie again.