Chapter 33
Rhys and Caleb spent almost all of their time together for the next two days. They decided to go with their pumpkin chocolate chip latte. Rhys realized it actually was pretty much perfect the way they’d made it at Frost + Foam, but they ran a few more trials to make sure.
They learned so many things about each other as they spent hours talking in the evenings.
Rhys took another huge step by deciding to simply go with Caleb’s vision for how their booth should look.
It needed to be over-the-top fall and fun, and design was Caleb’s strength, not his.
If it were up to him, they’d just cover the table with a fall-themed cloth and set out the equipment they needed to make their drinks, but that wasn’t very festive.
Caleb understood how to make it look like the other booths, like fall had exploded right there in Frostwick Harbor.
“What do you think?” Caleb asked when Rhys got to their booth the evening before the festival.
“It looks fantastic.” Caleb had somehow managed to make it full of decorations without seeming crowded or too loud or too over-the-top. It was something Rhys would be happy to have on his own porch. “How did you do that? It’s like the perfect blend of your style and mine.”
“What else could I have done since our drink is also that?”
Rhys knew he was grinning like a loon. “You really think so?”
“I do.”
“I think our drink might actually be perfect,” Rhys said. “But you know what I realized? I want to win for the town, but I’m just happy that we’re here together, and if we don’t win, it’s fine because I still get to go home with you.”
“Damn right you do,” Caleb said.
They kissed right there in the town square again, a little longer this time, but still nothing like the kisses they had in private. The town square wasn’t ready for that.
“I didn’t tell you this before.” Caleb’s words put Rhys on high alert; panic tingled all through him. “It’s not anything bad. I just wasn’t sure until the last minute that she really could get away, but my sister is going to come up for the day tomorrow to see the festival and taste our drink.”
“Your sister? Your sister, Kate, that you’re really close to? She’s going to come here?”
“Yes, she’s excited to meet you.”
“Oh my God, what have you told her about me? She knows about all the times I ran away, doesn’t she? I don’t know if I can handle this.”
Caleb clasped Rhys’s upper arms. “Take a breath. I told her how wonderful you are. I told her that I love you. I told her all the ways that you are not at all like Adrian or any of the other fuckers I’ve dated over the last several years.”
Rhys was honored that Caleb wanted him to meet Kate, but he was also terrified. He’d thought impressing the judges would be the scariest thing of the day, but now, that didn’t seem like a big deal. “I’m probably going to say something ridiculous to her.”
“That’s okay. She might do the same thing. I promise you’re going to like her.”
Rhys blew out a long breath. “Okay. Next time, give me more warning, though. I need time to be ready for something like this.”
Caleb frowned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to be worried about it if she couldn’t come. She’s got a case coming to trial next week, and things are frantic at the office, but she’s determined to get away. Next time, I’ll warn you, no matter what.”
“Thanks.” Somehow, just having Caleb acknowledge that this was hard for Rhys and apologize was enough to quell Rhys’s panic. Caleb was there to support him. He’d be nervous, but he’d be okay.
On the first morning of the festival, they woke up in Rhys’s bed. Caleb shut off their alarm, pulled Rhys against him, and nuzzled into his neck. “Good morning.”
A little meow signaled that Mallow was also awake.
“Is it really time to get up?” Rhys was still trying to shake off the fuzziness of sleep.
“It is. We’ve got a big day.”
Rhys tensed when he realized what day it was. “Oh God, the festival. And Kate.”
“Yes, the festival and Kate. It’s going to be a great day.”
“I hope so.”
Mallow climbed over Caleb and tucked herself under Rhys’s chin as if knowing he needed comfort. He cuddled her close, and Caleb kissed them both. “I’ll make coffee and get you some breakfast.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to do it.”
Rhys smiled at him. “Thank you.”
Once they’d eaten breakfast, they dressed for the day, fed Mallow, and put her into her carrier. They’d planned to bring her with them for a little while so she could meet Kate before the official opening time later in the morning.
Despite how early it was, Rhys knew half the town would already be out and about, making sure everything was ready to go.
He and Caleb would also need to check in with the employees they were leaving in charge of the shops.
People would be exploring all over town once they’d finished at the festival.
When they got to the town square, it was already crowded like Rhys had expected.
Anyone who wasn’t helping with setup was out to get a first look at all the booths.
He could already smell doughnuts, caramel apples, and lots of other treats.
He wasn’t sure he could sample any of them, at least not until the contest was over.
The butterflies in his stomach were doing loops and backflips, and he felt far less than steady.
He and Caleb waved at Finn and Tessa, whose booth was on the same row as theirs. He also saw Jonah just across from them. Marianne was somewhere working the library booth. He was sure they would see her soon.
They set Mallow’s carrier on the ground where she could see them and got to work setting up the things they hadn’t been able to leave out overnight.
A few minutes later, someone called out to Caleb.
When Rhys looked up to see who it was, he saw a woman who looked startlingly like Caleb.
He had no doubt it was Kate. Caleb jumped up from sticking boxes under the table and waved wildly at his sister.
Rhys knew he should say something, but he just watched as Kate approached the booth.
After a long hug from Kate, Caleb turned to face Rhys. “Kate, this is Rhys. Rhys, this is my sister.”
Kate gave him an assessing glance, then held out a hand for him to shake, and he realized he should probably have made the gesture first.
“It’s really nice to meet you,” he said. “Caleb’s told me so many great things about you.”
“I’m skeptical about that,” she said. “I bet he’s told you how difficult I am.”
Rhys wasn’t sure how to answer that.
Kate looked from him to Caleb, then back. “So you’re actually all in now?”
Rhys stared at her, not sure what she meant.
Caleb scowled. “Kate, I told you not to interrogate him.”
“I just want to know where things stand.”
“You mean, am I all into Caleb?” Rhys asked.
She rolled her eyes. “Gross, but yes, into a relationship with Caleb.”
“I am.” Rhys reached out, and Caleb took his hand and squeezed. “I love him.”
“Damn.” Kate smiled. “That does make things clear. I think I can get behind this now. It took you a while, but you figured out how to go after what you wanted.”
Caleb squeezed Rhys’s shoulder. “I should have given you better warning about how intense she can be, but I told her not to act like this.”
“I’ll behave if you make me one of these drinks I’ve been hearing about.”
Rhys got to work, glad for something to do with his hands.
When Kate took a sip of her latte, she sighed. “That’s incredible. It’s everything Caleb promised and more. You two really are a dynamite combination. There’s no way anyone’s going to beat you with this.”
“We can’t be sure of that,” Rhys said. “People along the coast take their coffee very seriously.”
She huffed. “Not more seriously than the two of you.”
“I don’t think anyone takes coffee more seriously than Rhys,” Caleb said, but Rhys shook his head.
“That’s not true.”
“Yes it is.” Rhys realized Tessa had joined them while he’d been panicking over how Kate would respond to their drink. She held out her hand to Kate. “Hi, I’m Tessa. My brother Finn and I own Driftwood Doughs. We supply the cinnamon rolls for Cloud Nine.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I suppose you already know I’m Kate, Caleb’s sister.”
“The resemblance is striking.”
She grinned. “Apparently, our parents only make one model.”
Caleb had been right. Kate had accepted him, and he was already starting to feel comfortable with her. He liked how straightforward she was. Sure, she might seem a little abrupt to most people, but at least he knew where he stood.
At that moment, Mallow started meowing to get out of her carrier.
“Is that Mallow?” Kate asked.
“Yes. I thought you’d want to meet her before things get even crazier.”
Rhys lifted the kitten out of the carrier and petted her while he carried her to Kate.
When he looked up, he saw Caleb staring at him with more hunger in his eyes than he should have in public.
“Caleb, stop watching your boyfriend and introduce me to your cat.”
Caleb huffed at her. “I deserve a moment to appreciate my man.”
“Eww.”
He took the kitten from Rhys and snuggled her. “This is Mallow, and if you can’t be nice, I’m not going to let you hold her.”
Kate just laughed at him. “It’s good to see how much you like Mallow, Rhys. I won’t tolerate any more assholes who give away pets.”
“I would like to rip Adrian apart for that,” Rhys said.
Kate smiled at him. “Yes, I definitely like you.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “I need to take Mallow back to Cloud Nine. Why don’t you come with me so I can show you the shop and my apartment?”
“That sounds good if everything’s okay here.”
Rhys nodded. “I’ve got this. Go show off Cloud Nine and get Mallow settled.”
“Nice to meet you, Tessa,” Kate said before she and Caleb started off toward Cloud Nine.
“You too. Stop by my booth later.”
“I will.”
Tessa turned to Rhys once they were gone. “She seems great, but you didn’t tell me his sister was going to be here.”
“I didn’t find out until last night.”
“Oh my God, Caleb waited until then to tell you? He had to know that would freak you out.”
“He wasn’t sure if Kate could get away. She’s got a big trial coming up next week. That was why he waited, but I told him not to ever do that again.”
“Good for you. What did he say?”
“He apologized and said he would give me more warning next time. He thought he was doing the right thing by not worrying me until her visit was confirmed, but now he knows that’s not what I need.”
Tessa put her hands over her heart. “Oh my God, you two are so great together.”
“You think so?”
“Yes, I think he’s the one for you.”
“I just want to take it a day at a time.”
Tessa raised her brows. “Since when do you take anything a day at a time? I’m sure you have a ten-year plan in place for this.”
“Of course I have a plan, but I can’t lock on to it and let myself believe it’s absolutely going to come true.”
“All right. I see that, but I think you’re meant to be, and I think this is going to be the best Harvest Festival we’ve had in years.”
Rhys glanced up and down the square. “It sure looks good. I think there are more booths this year than ever before.”
Tessa nodded in agreement.
Rhys could easily get overwhelmed in this kind of atmosphere, but he felt anchored there. This was where he and Caleb belonged.
“I’d better go,” Tessa said. “Finn needs my help to finish setting up. I’ll talk to you later. Good luck.”
“Good luck to you too.”