Chapter 12 #2
He moved his gaze and locked eyes with hers. And when an intense expression—was that . . . longing?—overtook his face, her
breath seized in her chest.
“Daddy?” Piper said.
And Reid’s posture went rigid.
“Yeah, sweetie?” He returned to the counter beside his daughter.
“Is this enough icing?” She pointed to her lighthouse cookie, which was smothered in a rainbow of colors.
“I think it’s beautiful.” He moved it to the rack with other cookies that were drying. “Let’s get started on another one.”
Kaiah tried her best to remember how to breathe while she returned to rolling out dough and cutting out cookies.
A couple hours later, they had four dozen lighthouse cookies tucked into ziplock bags and stacked in boxes, ready for the
bake sale. Kaiah set the last cookie sheet in the dishwasher, placed a detergent packet in the slot, and started the humming
machine to life.
Piper wiped off the counters she could reach with a paper towel before running off to play with Ariel, and Reid stowed the
baking supplies.
“I think our lighthouses will be a hit at the bake sale,” Kaiah said while surveying the boxes.
Reid rested a hip against the counter. “I do too.”
“We can take them to the office when we drop off Piper at school.”
“Yup.” He pointed to the clock. “It’s about time to eat. Would you like to stay for supper?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to impose.”
“Is that right?” he asked, tossing a dishrag into the sink. “You forced me to spend my afternoon baking and decorating cookies,
but now you’re worried about imposing?” His lips twitched.
She opened and closed her mouth. He had her there.
“Kaiah, I’m kidding.” He rubbed her arm. “You’re not imposing.” His expression became serious. “Stay for supper. Please.”
Piper popped her head in the doorway. “Can we have chicken nuggets and french fries?” she asked. “Please, please, please, Daddy?”
Reid gave Kaiah an apologetic expression. “What do you think, ma’am?”
“A food fight, cookies, and now chicken nuggets and fries?” Kaiah asked. “I can’t think of a more perfect evening.”
“Yay!” Piper sang before dancing on her way to the family room.
Reid shot Kaiah a look that sent her pulse jumping. “Thank you. Seriously.”
“For what?”
“Just for being you.”
While he opened the freezer door, Kaiah hugged her arms to her chest, hoping to slow down her racing heart. She had a sneaking
suspicion that Reid felt their connection deepening the way she did.
Whew. Talk about a detour.
Later that evening, Kaiah flopped onto the sofa, found You’ve Got Mail on a streamer, and settled under a blanket. She was worn out from the day, but she also couldn’t stop smiling. She’d had such a good time with Reid and Piper. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much.
Before the movie got too underway, she pulled out her phone to check on her Coral Cove article. She pulled up The Traveler’s Instagram feed, and she saw her article already had more than—
Oh my goodness!
Ten thousand likes?
When she clicked on the Coral Cove hashtag used by The Traveler’s social team, she found that her article had been posted on other news feeds. It was starting to go viral!
“Go, little article, go,” she whispered. She peeked at the names of the people who liked The Traveler’s post, and when a familiar name caught her eye she groaned.
“Oh no,” she muttered. “This cannot be real.”
On closer inspection she realized she’d read the name right.
Hayes Walker had liked the post.
Her ex-boyfriend. The man who had destroyed her heart and her faith in love. The jerk who had taken George away.
She clenched her jaw. The sooner she forgot about him, the better. And he needed to leave her alone.
Her phone began to ring, and she was grateful to see her sister’s name on the display.
“Hey, Kam,” she said.
“Hey, sis! I haven’t heard from you in a couple of days. Whatcha been up to? Anything new with Mr. TDH?”
Kaiah hugged her knees to her chest. “He’s fine. We’ve been busy planning the festival. It’s really coming together.” She
summarized their last few days, all the events they’d coordinated for the big event, even the icing fight she’d just had in
the kitchen with her two favorite bakers.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Kam said. “Let me get this straight. You just made cookies tonight with a widower and his six-year-old. And you had a food fight? With icing?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow. You guys are one big happy family now, huh?”
Kaiah’s cheeks reddened. “Um, I wouldn’t call it that. It wasn’t— I mean, I’m not trying to be—”
“Hey, relax. I think it’s really nice you guys have kinda bonded while you’re there. That’s all.”
While you’re there. The words echoed in Kaiah’s mind. “Yep, it’s been fun to be here.” She moved her hands over the dark blue microfiber blanket,
determined to switch topics. “So how are things with you and Devon?”
“Good. Busy.” She paused for a moment. “And you’ll never guess who called me today.”
“Who?”
“Dad.”
“Wow, really?” She pressed her lips together. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spoken to her dad and Veronica. Maybe
Christmas?
A familiar ache radiated in her chest. She longed for the family she’d had before they’d lost Mom. Maybe she could find that
kind of family again someday. But after her breakup with Hayes, she’d lost hope. On the other side of love was heartache,
no matter what. So why even bother?
“Yeah, I was surprised too,” Kam replied. “It’s still weird to me that we live in the same state yet only talk to each other
a couple times a year. Whatever. He said he was thinking of me. He even put Veronica on the phone.”
“And how are they doing?”
“Fine. He talked about the grandkids and how Veronica is going to be a grandmother again. Stuff like that.”
“That’s nice.” Kaiah yawned. “Sorry, Kam, you’re not boring me. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up all night writing.
My new article is posted on The Traveler website and the local newspaper here. It’s getting tons of likes and shares on social.”
“That’s amazing, Ky! You need to send me the link.”
“I will.” She hesitated. “Oh, and do me a favor, sis. Don’t text and ask about Mr. TDH. I think Reid saw your text on my phone
the other day. It was mortifying.”
Kam laughed. “Did he ask you about it?”
“No, but I’m sure he’s curious.”
“It’s good to keep him guessing,” her sister joked. “Good night.”
“Night, Kam. Talk to you soon.” Kaiah hung up and then settled on the sofa to watch Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fall in unexpectedly
but completely smitten love with each other and form their own little family—complete with Brinkley the golden retriever.