“None you have to worry about.”
“Meaning you will?”
“Meaning the fire will keep them away, and I’ll bring Magnolia. She’ll alert us to any potential trouble. Not that there is any, really.”
Kennedy buried her feet in the sand, fastening herself in place. He kept a safe six feet away, lest he get any out-there ideas about reaching over and touching her.
“Is this as weird for you as it is for me?” she asked.
“This?”
“Us.”
“You think we’re weird?”
“I think…” She chewed her bottom lip. “I think we’re unexpectedly drawn to each other.”
That she admitted something so vulnerable made him care for her even more. And no way would he leave her alone on that ledge. “Agreed. You’re a pleasant surprise, Kennedy Martin.”
She beamed. “Fair warning: this truce could have lasting effects.”
He chuckled. “Such as?”
“I am pretty great,” she said with a wink. “And I’m leaving in three days and we’ll never see each other again. You’ll definitely miss me.”
“No doubt,” he said honestly. She’d livened up his days, and if it weren’t for his upcoming trip, he’d probably be more upset about their parting ways.
“By the way, if anything happens to me while I’m sleeping under the stars, you’re going to be in big trouble.”
“Noted.” A ridiculous amount of pleasure swept through him at their plan for tonight. These past few days had reminded him how it felt to be alive again. Not that he didn’t appreciate time with his family. He cherished it, despite how it sometimes looked on the outside. He knew how fragile life was—as did Kennedy. “You ready to head back?”
“Yes.” She slipped her life jacket on, grabbed her shoes, and barefooted it to the canoe.
He followed, tossing his sneakers into the boat so he could push it off and then jump inside from the water. Kennedy kept excellent balance on the takeoff, facing forward instead of toward him. He missed her face.
And quickly told himself to get over it.
Her abandoned canoe floated off to the west, and he dreaded having Hunter fetch it with him. His brother would no doubt find the whole situation amusing and pester him with annoying comments. Brotherly love and all that.
“You’re awfully quiet back there,” Kennedy said.
“Just watching the water bug crawling up your back.”
“What?” She furiously wiggled her torso. “Get it off! Get it off!”
Guilt crawled up his spine. He really shouldn’t tease her like this when he knew she hated bugs. He gently swiped at the nonexistent insect. “All gone.”
She calmed down. “Thank you. Are water bugs common on the lake?”
“Umm…”
She glanced at him over her shoulder, scowling. “You did it again, didn’t you?”
“Guilty,” he said with an apologetic shrug. Then with cheerfulness added, “I’m sorry I can’t seem to stop myself from teasing you.”
With the careful precision of a doctor, she did a one-eighty without causing even a tiny list to the canoe or taking her gaze off his. Once completely turned, her eyes slid down to his chest and widened. “Uh, Maverick.”
“Yes?” He kept his eyes up. If she thought him that easy to get back, she was sorely mistaken. Until a slight movement below his neck and just outside his scope of vision snagged his attention. He dropped his chin to look down. And there it was.
The one creature that creeped him the ever-loving hell out.
“That is the coolest worm I’ve ever seen,” Kennedy said, completely unfazed by this particular animal.
He stopped paddling and willed himself not to squeal like a baby and ask her to get it off him. It was a mere two inches in size! But he’d disliked the tiny, squishy invertebrate since he found one in his swim trunks at four years old.
“Its skin is transparent,” she said, leaning forward for a closer look. “I can see its internal organs! So cool. May I?” She made a motion to free it from his shirt.
“G-Go for it.” And please hurry.
She placed the common aquatic worm on her palm, releasing him from his discomfort. Mostly. He was still too close to the worm for his liking, but seeing Kennedy completely fascinated made it easier to take.
“Did you know that Charles Darwin studied worms for over thirty years?” she asked, looking absolutely riveted. “And that he published a book on them?”
“I did not know that.” He resumed paddling, in no rush to get to the other side even though his most feared animal (don’t laugh) lounged mere inches away.
Kennedy lifted her hand so the worm was at her eye level. “My favorite fact about worms is that they have five single-chambered aortic arches that pump blood through their tiny bodies. They’re located near the head.”
She studied the worm, trying to see those hearts, he guessed.
“Want a closer look?” She extended her arm and he literally almost jumped out of the canoe.
“Nooo,” he voiced with conviction. At his sudden retreat—he was leaning so far back he may as well lie down—she rolled her lips together to keep from laughing.
“Is the great Maverick Owens afraid of worms?” She sounded genuinely concerned as well as amused, her eyes full of tenderness.
“Yes,” he admitted.
She tossed the worm overboard. One quick flick of her wrist and the creepy critter landed back in the water where it belonged. Boom. Just like that.
“I hate uninvited guests,” she said.
He wasn’t sure he liked how much her reaction made him want to lean over and kiss her. It took him a minute to wrap his head around her protectiveness, her easy respite from their typical ribbing. She’d just been handed a simple jab, but when it came to the real stuff, Kennedy put other people’s well-being above all else.
Not that he didn’t already know that. He just hadn’t allowed himself to fully absorb it. The two of them thrived on taunts and teases, but this week they’d turned a corner into brand-new territory. Land he’d explore to the fullest if things were different.
“Thanks, Shortcake.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Oh, I won’t.”
“I might. But only when others are around to hear it.”
And they were right back on course. Perfect.
It wasn’t like he didn’t deserve a little payback, her brand of revenge one he’d gladly suffer because…
Don’t go there, man.
Because he enjoyed every single thing about her.
“Dish it out however and whenever you want, Shortcake. I can take it.”
She let out a deep breath before raising her face to the sky. “I know you can. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it.”
The baseball cap he’d given her shielded her eyes and nose from the sun, but not her lips, which she currently wet with the tip of her tongue. He had a better cure for her dry lips—his. But no way would he make a move without her seeing him coming and accepting his advance. Instead, he studied her chin, the long column of her neck, how cute she looked in a life jacket, and committed it all to memory.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!” a new voice yelled out.
At the sudden verbal warning, he blinked himself back to the task at hand. “My mistake!” He straightened his and Kennedy’s canoe and focused on the bank of colorful canoes ahead of them.
Kennedy dropped her chin. “I leave you alone for one minute and you almost get us in a three-canoe pileup.” She gripped the edges of her life vest. “Good thing I’m wearing a PFD.”
He got them back to land safe and sound, took care of the canoe, then drove the electric cart toward the inn to drop off Kennedy. They passed the gazebo where preparations were beginning for the wedding on Saturday.
“Hi, guys!” Leah called out with a wave as Maverick slowed to a stop.
“Hi, Leah,” Kennedy said. “How are you doing?”
“Good,” Leah said, walking closer and looking none the worse for wear after closing the trunk of her SUV on her head.
“The flowers are absolutely gorgeous,” Kennedy said, referring to the decorated columns and arch of the gazebo. Leah always made events at the ranch photo-worthy.
“Thanks. We’re just getting started, though. Wait until you see the final look.”
“I look forward to it. If I wasn’t a doctor, I would have been a florist. I love going to the flower mart back home and putting together arrangements for my apartment.”
“You’re hired,” Nova said. Maverick’s sister, medical shoe on one foot, tennis shoe on the other, hobbled by with a large rod of tulle. Yeah, he knew what tulle was. There had been enough weddings on their property for him to properly name everything.
He hopped out of the cart to relieve her of the fabric.
“I got it,” she argued, not letting him help. “It weighs nothing.”
“What am I hired for?” Kennedy asked with interest. “If it has to do with flowers, I’m in.”
“It does. Meet me in the main room of the inn in an hour?”
“I can do that.” She slid out of her seat. “Thanks for the canoe ride, Maverick. Good luck with the flower arranging, Leah. And I’ll see you shortly, Nova.” With that, she walked away.
Leah got right back to work, but Nova looked at him expectantly. “Canoe ride, huh?”
“It was nothing,” he said by rote.
“Yeah, and I’m the tooth fairy. It’s good to see you enjoying some leisure time with the opposite sex.”
“Who said I enjoyed it?”
“It’s written all over your face, big brother.” She turned to go. “See ya around, lover boy!”
He scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. For once, he had no comeback.
Twelve months ago…
Dear Nicole,
I got a package from Marco today. He and Isabel sent me a bottle of our favorite wine in honor of Cabernet Day. I guess there’s a wine holiday every month and this one reminded them of us. I haven’t sipped a glass of wine since our last night in Italy, but it would be rude not to drink this, right? I know you wouldn’t want me to waste it. My mom’s been bugging me for some mother/son time, so I think I’ll invite her over for dinner and we’ll toast to you.
I can’t believe how fast two years has gone by. I still expect to see your face and hear your voice, but less often than I used to. It’s true time heals, but I can tell you this: I’m not going to fall in love again. It’s not worth the risk of experiencing the all-consuming pain of losing that person. Or watching them suffer and not being able to do a damn thing about it. Jenna was sick last week with strep throat, but it started with her complaining about swallowing, and I completely lost my cool, my mind going to the worst-case scenario. I rode Magnolia over every square inch of the ranch to get my head on straight. Logically, I know I overreacted, but I love that little girl so much. I love you, too. Now and always.
Miss you,
Maverick
Chapter Eighteen
Two days until the wedding
“I could not keep a diaper on him to save my life,” Mary Rose said, adding baby’s breath to the flower arrangement in front of her on the pine worktable. “Needless to say, Mav was the youngest of my kids to be potty-trained.”
Kennedy added another pink rose to the glass vase at her fingertips; Nova stood beside her doing the same. They had a dozen crystal vases to fill—the Owens family’s contribution to making the wedding weekend even more beautiful. The arrangements were meant to spruce up the inn for the special occasion.
They were set up in a corner of the kitchen, flowers and greenery strewn about the table. Kennedy had been given carte blanche to fill her vases however she wanted, and the floral smell, camaraderie, and stories about Maverick and his siblings kept a permanent smile on her face.
“I bet he was pretty cute running around like that,” Kennedy said.
“He was,” Mary Rose agreed. “That little tushy of his made it impossible to be upset with him.”
“You’ve never been mad at Mav,” Nova said. “He’s your golden middle son.”
“And you’re my beautiful baby.” Mary Rose bumped her hip against her daughter’s.
“Was it hard growing up with three older brothers?” Kennedy asked Nova.
“Yes and no. They could be overprotective, but then I protected them right back. My best friend Callie and I would give them the honest truth about the girls around town, which they sometimes listened to and sometimes didn’t, but at least we tried.”
“They’ve got stubborn streaks, that’s for sure,” Mary Rose said. “But I was happy they protected both you girls from boys who wanted only one thing.”
Nova swept a piece of light brown hair off her forehead. “I wanted to give one of those boys that thing!”
“But aren’t you glad you didn’t?” Mary Rose asked, even though it really wasn’t a question.
A sudden sadness burned Kennedy’s eyes. She’d missed out on a strong mother-daughter bond, and the comfort and ease with which she stood in this kitchen made her wish for a split second that Mary Rose and Nova were her family.
“Do you have a boyfriend now?” Kennedy asked, blinking away her emotions. She had Ava. And Andrew. Hugo and Maria.
“No.” Nova sighed, reaching for a white rose. “It’s hard in a small town, you know?”
She didn’t know but nodded anyway. “If you ever want to come visit me in L.A., I’d love to have you.”
“But rumor has it you’re moving to Boston,” Nova said.
Lost in thoughts of family, Kennedy had momentarily forgotten about the job back east. “That’s true. So Boston, then. You can visit me in whatever city I’m in.”
“Thanks. I’d like that.”
“We could do a mother-daughter trip,” Mary Rose piped in. “I’ve never been to Boston and I’d like to see you again, too, Kennedy. And,” she added just as Nova’s mouth opened to say something, “I promise to let you two have a few nights out without me. How’s that?”
Sounded wonderful to Kennedy.
Before she or Nova could respond, a noise from over their shoulders drew the attention of all three of them. There, caught with her hand in the proverbial—and nearly literal—cookie jar, stood Jenna. In this instance she was frozen, cookie mid-swipe off the plate on the kitchen counter, her nose scrunched up and eyes squeezed shut.
“We can see you, Jenna Wenna,” Nova said.
Jenna kept the cookie but dropped her arm. “Drat,” she said in the most adorable voice ever. She had on her yellow rain boots again, which was also cute.
Mary Rose chuckled. “Get your bottom over here and give me a hug and we’ll call it even.”
“Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Thanks, Nana!” Jenna skipped over to embrace her grandma. On the release, she smiled up at Kennedy. “Hi, Dr. Martin.”
“Hi, Jenna.”
“Hey, where’s my hug?” Nova asked.
Jenna hugged her aunt and then, catching Kennedy by surprise, the little girl stepped to the side and wrapped her arms around Kennedy, too. “My daddy said Uncle Mav likes you. Do you like him back?”
Kennedy put her hands on her thighs and bent over to look Jenna in the eye. “I do, but don’t tell him I said so, okay?”
“It’s a secret?” Jenna took a bite of her cookie, eyebrows raised.
“Yes, well, maybe. I don’t know for sure, but can we keep it between us girls anyway?”
Jenna nodded, but Kennedy had the sinking feeling Jenna was about to run back outside and head straight for her uncle to tell him what had just been said.
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“One for the road?” Jenna asked Mary Rose, a hopeful expression on her adorable little face.
“Okay.” Mary Rose ruffled Jenna’s dark wavy hair.
“Thanks, Nana. Love you!” she called out, snagging another cookie. “Love you all!” She disappeared through the kitchen door and into the shards of sunlight bisecting the doorway.
Kennedy turned back to flower arranging, a warm sensation in her chest. She reached for another rose but paused when she noticed Nova and her mom weren’t moving. They weren’t moving because they were regarding Kennedy with raised eyebrows in obvious curiosity.
“Let’s forget I said anything,” she told them sweetly. It didn’t matter if she and Mav liked each other like that because in less than seventy-two hours, Kennedy would be on her way back home. Then on a plane to Boston. Then working on the opposite side of the country, living her dream.
“A word about the Owens family,” Nova offered. “We don’t forget anything, but we do know how to give someone their space.”
“And in my case, bite her tongue,” Mary Rose said as they resumed their tasks.
“How’s Jenna at keeping a secret?” Kennedy asked.
Mary Rose and Nova laughed in unison. “She’s actually a steel vault,” Mary Rose said. “No worries there. Unless you tickle her, then she caves.”
“Don’t we all?” Kennedy said, thinking about her ticklish places.
Conversation turned to everyday things after that, the afternoon passing by in happy unity. Kennedy almost didn’t want their time together to end.
But she had a date with a handsome cowboy and a starry night, and nothing could keep her away from that.
…
She dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, tennis shoes, and the cardigan she’d smartly packed in case the evenings in Windsong were chilly. She hoped the lightweight sweater was enough to keep her warm before her mind wandered to the best way to ward off the chill: pressed against another person’s body.
Did they make two-person sleeping bags? Did she want to cuddle up next to Maverick all night long? Did he have any designs on them sleeping inside the same bag? Would he remember to bring the blow-up mattress? Why did he always smell so good?
The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy Page 19