Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Zane
“Ah.” Ryland takes a deep inhale, smiling blissfully. “Do you smell that?”
“Kettle corn and charcoal smoke?” I scan the crowd, dodging a kid who’s holding a sparkler too close to my arm.
Downtown Covewood is buzzing with life today, as it is every Fourth of July. Red-white-and-blue banners flutter from the lampposts. Tiny American flags line each storefront window, and strings of patriotic bunting drape across awnings up and down Main Street.
Ryland exhales. “Freedom.”
I huff out a chuckle. “That’s not freedom. That’s burnt burgers and body odor.”
He looks over at me. “You’re really killing the moment here.”
“I’m just keeping it accurate.”
Raine steps up beside him, nudging her shoulder into his. “Oh, come on, let him enjoy his favorite holiday.”
Ryland’s wearing red, white, and blue from head to toe. There’s a flag stitched across his hat, mirrored in the pattern of his shirt, and there are stars running down one leg of his shorts.
“I’m not sure you’ve gone all out like this before.” I gesture toward his outfit. “I mean, yeah, sure, you’ll wear the shirt, but the hat and pants too?”
Ryland straightens, brushing a hand down the front of his shirt, beaming proudly. “This outfit shows my respect.”
“For who? The flag or the fashion industry?”
“The country,” he shoots back, like it should’ve been obvious. “Some of us take this holiday seriously.”
Raine hums, reaching up to adjust the brim of Ryland’s hat slightly to the side. “He’s been planning this outfit since January.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup,” she says, smiling. “He’s the cutest.”
Ryland grins as he bends down to kiss his wife.
I, on the other hand, bring my attention back to my surroundings.
Main Street has been blocked off, and a stage has been set up toward the end, right next to MJ’s Diner, where live music will be playing later.
The fireworks show will happen right at eight p.m., and I fully plan on kissing Maxinne underneath them.
Kids are darting around between adults, with sticky fingers and painted faces.
Annabelle smiles up at me, sticking her tongue out and barking, with her cute face painted as a golden retriever.
I’ve had to tell her three times that, yes, she looks exactly like Sven.
Ryland swoops her into his arms so she can search through the sea of people for her uncle Luke. Raine hovers nearby with a lemonade, laughing loudly, her eyes bright as she takes in the celebration around us. The sight of all of us together brings a smile to my face.
This is the good stuff in life.
I’m mid-sip of my own lemonade—because of course I had to get one for myself—when Maxinne catches my attention from across the street.
She’s standing in front of Covewood Botanicals.
The shop windows are thrown open, with greenery spilling out toward the sidewalk.
She’s wearing a yellow summer dress, her long brown waves hanging loose down her back.
She’s laughing, her hands moving wildly as she speaks to Marie, the shop’s owner, who’s nodding along to whatever she’s saying.
Maxinne glances up then, her eyes finding mine from across the street, and her smile grows wider. I excuse myself from my family and cross the street toward her, only to be stopped midway by a hand on my arm.
“Zane, there you are. Where have you been?” Edna plants herself directly between me and Maxinne.
I run a hand through my hair. “I, uh… I’ve been working a lot. You know how the summers can get.”
“I do,” she says, unimpressed, “which is why I’ve been trying to get a hold of your brother for days. My laundry room flooded last week, and now my floor is squishy every time I walk on it.”
I nod, only half listening. My attention drifts past her in time to see Maxinne finishing up her conversation with Marie and heading straight toward us. I look back down at Edna. She squints up at me, her painted-on eyebrows deepening the creases in her forehead.
“I’m sorry to hear about that. You know, Ryland is right over there—” I go to point behind my shoulder, but she cuts me off.
“And,” she barrels on, ignoring me completely, “I swear there’s another raccoon in my attic. You did such a fine job with the last one, I was wondering if you could take care of this one too.”
“Another raccoon problem?” Maxinne says from behind Edna.
Edna spins around, her expression brightening at the sight of her.
“Hey, sweetheart. It’s good to see you again.” Edna eyes the two of us as I move to stand next to Maxinne, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her mouth curls into a smirk.
“You know, there are a few natural ways you could keep the raccoons away that you could try,” Maxinne adds and Edna’s brows rise in curiosity.
“Really? Please tell me. I’m tired of losing sleep to all the racket it’s making.”
“But what if it’s just a ghost?” I offer helpfully.
Edna swats my arm. “Zane, don’t be ridiculous.”
Maxinne presses her lips together to suppress a laugh before she replies, “You could install motion-activated lights. Raccoons don’t like sudden brightness.
Also, if you sprinkle cayenne pepper around the entry points, it causes a harmless irritation on their paws and discourages them from coming back.
Strong smells like ammonia or vinegar can help too. ”
Edna and I stand there, staring at her.
“Well,” Edna finally says before turning toward me. “Why didn’t you think of anything like that?”
Before I can respond, Olivia appears at Edna’s side, her green eyes bright with interest. “Are we talking about the raccoon again?”
Edna immediately latches on. “Yes, and this lovely young lady seems to know far more about them than any of these boys.”
Olivia laughs. “Come on, Edna. You can tell me all about it. Let’s spare Zane before he gets recruited again.”
Edna sniffs but allows herself to be steered away. “I’ll be back,” she warns me and Maxinne. “That raccoon isn’t going to evict itself.”
As they walk off into the growing crowd, I exhale and look down at Maxinne. “So…raccoons, huh?”
She grins up at me. “My mom and I had a raccoon problem once.”
“You didn’t want to adopt it like you did the opossum?” This makes my mouth twitch up into a smile, and her eyes track the movement.
“Opossums don’t carry rabies. Raccoons do.”
I tighten my arm around her waist. “Remind me never to underestimate you.”
She tilts her head. “You’d be smart not to.”
I place my other hand onto her hip and twist her around until we’re face to face. I’ve had enough space from her this past week since I’ve pulled double shifts every day. I’m ready to soak in as much time with her as I can today.
She’s probably wondering what move I’m about to make. Am I going to kiss her in front of all these people, or am I too chicken to go through with it? She’s in for a treat, because I’m not scared of PDA.
I stare at her deep cupid’s bow, the curve of her ear, and land on the spot on her neck I brushed with my lips the day we first kissed. I love the way it elicits a shiver from her every time. I’m so close to her that I barely have to tip forward to speak directly into her ear.
“I’ve missed you.”
Her throat bobs in a heavy swallow. “I’ve missed you too.”
I can’t take it any longer. I press my lips to hers, and the rest of the world goes quiet.
I kiss her slowly, deliberately, because I fully plan on savoring this.
My hands find her hips first, fingers pressing in as I pull her closer, and when she comes willingly, I completely unravel.
I slide my hands into her hair, tilting her head back, and the soft sound she makes against my lips does something catastrophic to my ability to think straight.
She responds to me so easily, like we’ve been doing this for years, as if her body already knows what mine is asking, and it takes every last bit of restraint I have not to deepen this into something neither of us would recover from quickly.
I’m just about to lose that restraint entirely when someone clears their throat.
We let go of each other and look toward Ashton.
He’s standing only a few feet away with his arms crossed and a disgusted look on his face.
I’m sure the last thing he wants to see is me making out with his little sister.
“You do know you’re in public right now? There are children around.” He points a finger at the two of us, his frown deepening. “Plus, I don’t need to see all that.”
“Sorry,” I say, taking a step away to put a little space between Maxinne and me. “I’ll make sure to canoodle with her later in private.”
“Canoodle?” Maxinne laughs.
“Please don’t.” Ashton groans, running a hand down his face, and my laugh escapes.
“Come on, boys, let’s go to that food truck over there. Marie told me they have the best gourmet grilled cheeses, and I’ve been dying to give it a try.” Maxinne wraps her arm through mine, then through Ashton’s, and leads the way.
As we’re waiting in line, someone taps me on the shoulder, and I turn to see Lily—who’s still very much pregnant—and her husband standing behind us.
He has a skeptical expression on his face, and Lily smiles shyly up at me, her eyes darting beside me to where Maxinne’s arm is still wrapped around mine.
“Hey, Zane.”
Seeing Lily this time is different. There’s no tightness in my chest begging to burst free or the instinct to run away.
All of that has been replaced by gratitude and a hint of understanding.
Because if Lily had not broken my heart, we might still be together, and then Maxinne and I would have never been given a chance.
Without even realizing it, I’ve gotten over the past.
“Hey,” I reply. “What are you guys doing back in Covewood?”
“We’re visiting family for the holiday,” she adds, leaning into her husband.
I run a hand through my hair as the words leave my lips quickly. “I, uh- I’m sorry for how I acted before, when I ran into you at Trail and Tackle.”
“I came over in hopes of apologizing to you.” She waves me off, but I sense the relief that washes over her.