He tried to keep up, but she was talking so fast he had trouble deciphering what decision she had made.
“If they want me to do rewrites, I’ll do them from here. Take it or leave it. That’s what I’m going to tell them. And I know I don’t have anything solid here yet—but yet leaves lots of room for success, right? I’m almost ready to put feelers out for my current script. And maybe I screwed myself with that guy from the plane because I was too bitchy, but that’s just one guy, one company. If he even runs a streaming service like he claimed. For all I know, he might have lied. But I believe in myself again, Gavin, and I believe in the project I’m working on. It’s good writing and a great story. And you know what else? Tegan needs help if or when she takes over the amphitheater, and it would be fun to do that. I know we’d get along. Jana would help, too, and even though it’s not a moneymaker, it would make me happy. I want to be that guiding hand like you were for me. I want to pay it forward, because that will make me happy.”
“You’re staying?” Damn, that got him all choked up.
She twirled back to him and pressed her hands to his chest, her eyes dazzling with excitement. “What do you think, Mr. Wheeler? Am I nuts for choosing happiness over seeing my name in lights?”
“Not even a little,” he said. “Selfishly, I want you right here in my arms, and I’m happy to set up lights across the back of the house. Hell, across the sky. Big, flashy lights that spell out your name so you never feel like you’ve missed out on a damn thing.”
She poked her finger into his chest and said, “You just got major nooky points, Mr. Wheeler.”
They kissed and laughed, and between those relieved kisses, he said, “Harper, if you ever do get the LA bug, there are all sorts of options to make that area more appealing. I bet you’d enjoy LA if we were there together. I can arrange to work from afar for a week or two if need be.”
“You would do that?”
“There’s nothing I won’t do for you. I’d have to work it out with Serena, but you’re not alone in any of this anymore, sweetheart. You don’t have to choose between here and there when there’s a huge amount of middle ground.”
“Middle ground, okay. I’ll think about that, but my gut tells me not to try to find that middle ground right now. I still have a bad taste for the LA lifestyle and a delicious taste for this.” She kissed him again, long and deep and deliciously seductively.
“Let’s celebrate,” he said.
“I don’t have anything to celebrate yet. I haven’t even told them my decision. They might turn down my offer to do rewrites from here.”
“We’re not celebrating your career move, sweetheart. We’re celebrating the fact that you’ve embraced your instincts on all levels.”
“In that case, kick off those shoes and take off all your clothes,” she said as she stripped off her shirt and wiggled out of her skirt. She pushed off her panties and whipped off her bra, tossing it at him as she said, “Race you!” and ran off the end of the dock.
Gavin stripped naked and followed her in. He swam underwater, tickling her ribs as he broke the surface. She squealed, futilely trying to swim away, and he pulled her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, out of breath and panting as he treaded water for the both of them.
“I wish I had stayed in Romance, Virginia, and come back to the Cape with you,” she said with droplets of water dripping down her cheeks.
“I lived in Boston then.”
“Close enough, because eventually we would have landed right where we are, and we wouldn’t have lost out on so much time together.”
“That’s the beautiful thing about time, Harp. It’s on our side.”
Her brow knitted. “What if we die tomorrow?”
“Then we’ve lived, loved, and laughed today.” He lowered his face toward hers and said, “I, for one, plan on making it a hell of a good day.”
Chapter Eighteen
THE FOURTH OF July arrived with sunshine and the buzz of excitement in the air. The sight of waving flags and smiling faces as Uncle Sam made his way down the main drag of Provincetown on wobbly stilts brought a rush of cherished memories. Memories of Harper’s teenage years and beyond, when she had finally been able to attend events like the Provincetown parade with her siblings. The outlandish and artsy community wasn’t her conservative parents’ favorite place, but Harper and her siblings loved it. Harper and Gavin had arrived early enough for Harper to conduct interviews with retailers, residents, and tourists before the big event. By the time the parade started, they’d put her bag in the car and met up with Colton, Jana, and Hunter. Brock and Cree had gotten held up in traffic, and they were meeting them in front of the town hall in ten minutes. Later, they were meeting Emery and their friends at her brother Ethan’s yacht.
“We should head for the town hall,” Harper said to Gavin.
“What?” Gavin leaned closer to hear her over the crowd. He made a white T-shirt and khaki shorts look like a million bucks. He and Colton had gotten American flags painted on their cheeks while Harper had been interviewing. Gavin also had Harper’s name painted on his forearm.
“We need to meet Brock and Cree!” she hollered as a band marched by, playing an unfamiliar tune.
Gavin nodded and tapped Hunter on the shoulder. He pointed in the direction of the town hall. “Time to go!”
Gavin put his arm around Harper and kissed her, while Hunter grabbed Jana, who was busy stuffing a hot dog into her mouth. They fell into step with Colton, who was proudly wearing a white Styrofoam top hat with the rainbow flag on the front.
A colorful float rolled down the street, blaring music, carrying several men dressed as women in flouncy red, white, and blue dresses with fluffy boas wrapped around their necks. They were dancing and waving to the crowd.
As they neared the town hall, Gavin pointed to the families sitting on the lawn picnicking, playing, and waving at the passing parade and said, “That’ll be us one day.”
Harper’s heart stumbled.
“Don’t look so shocked,” he said into her ear. “I can picture you surrounded by towheaded toddlers, sneaking frosting off their cupcakes while they’re busy watching the parade.”
She loved knowing she wasn’t the only one dreaming of their future. “They can have their frosting as long as I get the red lollipops.”
“I’ll give you a lolly,” he said heatedly, and pressed his lips to hers.
A group of cyclists passed dressed in colorful costumes and honking high-pitched horns, drawing their attention to the road. A fire truck rolled down the street behind them, lights flashing. Flags hung from the side of the fire truck, and people sat on top, waving and throwing candy into the applauding and whistling crowd.
Harper spotted Brock standing by the corner at the same moment Jana yelled,
“There’s Brock and Cree!”
Brock’s massive frame dwarfed Cree, who was tucked against his side. They were talking with Tegan and Jock. Harper was surprised to see Tegan and Jock there. Jock looked like a different person in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Jana, that’s Tegan, Harvey’s great-niece, the one I told you about.” Harper pointed to Tegan. “She’s from the same town as Cree. Come on. I want to introduce you.”
“Hi, you guys,” Cree said as they approached. Her black hair hung over her shoulders. She looked cute in a gray tank top and black cutoffs, with her black boots. How she managed to look sweet and not tough in that outfit was beyond Harper, but she pulled it off well. “Can you believe with all these people, we ran into Tegan and Jock?”
“It’s that small-world thing again,” Tegan said as she embraced Harper. “I loved the revisions to the article you sent. Thank you.”
“Oh good, they’re running it after the holiday.” She turned to Jock and said, “I’m so sorry about Harvey. Are you doing okay?”
“Yeah. I miss him, but you know…” Jock said solemnly.
“Let me introduce Tegan and Jock to everyone before you two get t
o gabbing,” Cree said.
As Cree made the introductions, explaining how she knew Tegan from their hometown, Brock sidled up to Gavin and nodded toward the grass a few feet away, indicating for Gavin to go with him so they could speak privately.
“Be right back, babe.” Gavin stepped onto the grass.
“Brock, what are you doing?” Harper asked.
He looked at Gavin and said, “Making sure Gavin and I are on the same page.”
“Seriously?” Harper complained as Brock and Gavin walked away. “We had dinner together a couple of weeks ago. Did I miss something between now and then?” Gavin had gotten along great with her brothers, although he had given Colton a hard time about abandoning her at the music festival. Colton had played it cool and reminded him that it was a good thing he had, or they’d never have met.
“Let him go or he’ll think he failed you,” Colton said. “He didn’t get to do his big-brother thing at dinner.”
Harper sighed. “What’s he going to do, say hurt my sister and I’ll kill you?”
“Nah, I’ve already told him that,” Colton said. Then he and Hunter high-fived. He turned his attention to Jock and said, “So, you’re a nurse? I hear nurses are good with their hands.”
Harper choked on her breath and coughed. “Oh my gosh, Colton!”
Tegan, Jana, and Hunter laughed. Cree blushed and turned away.
“It’s okay,” Jock said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Harper could tell it was grief causing that strain and not her brother’s flirtatious comment. “I’m not a nurse, but I am pretty good with my hands.”
“Works for me,” Colton said. “Want to grab a beer?”
“Sure, but you know I bat for the other team, right?” Jock asked.
Colton shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. Let’s go find a place to chill. Hunt, you want to join us?”
“Go, keep an eye on Colton,” Jana urged.
Hunter leaned in to kiss Jana and said, “Love you. I’ll leave my phone on.”
After they walked away, Harper said, “Is Jock okay?”
“He will be. My sister, Cici, and I dragged him here to get him out of the house,” Tegan explained. “My sister took her husband and kids to get their faces painted. I’m glad your brother got Jock to go for a drink. He needs it. They read the will, and my uncle’s sense of humor outlived him. He left Jock an old-fashioned typewriter and two million dollars that he gets only if he publishes something.”
Harper blinked several times. “Wow. Talk about pressure.”
“Heck, I’ll write something for him,” Jana said. “That’s a lot of money.”
Tegan’s concern for Jock was written in her eyes. “I asked him what he was going to do, and he said he had some things to deal with before he can even think about writing. He said he’s not sure where he’ll end up.”
“Do you think he’s upset about the contingency?” Harper asked. “He worked for Harvey for so long.”
Tegan shook her head. “Jock doesn’t care about money. It’s the challenge that struck a chord. I just hope he comes back here, since it looks like I’ll be here trying to carry on my uncle’s legacy after the winter.”
“We’re ready to help,” Harper said as Brock and Gavin joined them. She glanced at Brock, who gave her a thumbs-up as he reclaimed Cree with an arm around her waist. Harper shook her head. Brock’s need to be overprotective would never change.
Gavin slung his arm over Harper’s shoulder and kissed beside her ear, whispering, “You’re lucky to have him looking out for you.” He flashed a killer smile at Tegan and said, “Sorry I got pulled away. Tegan, right? I’m Gavin. Harper’s my better half. I’m sorry about your uncle. He really made an impact on Harper. If you need anything, just let us know.”
“Thank you.” Tegan said. “You guys are all so nice. I have to admit, if I hadn’t met Harper, I would probably still be trying to decide if I could commit to handling the theater, or if I should hand it over to someone else.” She looked appreciatively at Harper. And then she pulled her phone from her pocket and read a text. “Looks like my sister and her family decided to go on a whale watch.” She thumbed out a text, and as she put her phone in her pocket, she said, “I should probably find Jock.”
“Why don’t you join us for lunch?” Harper suggested. “I’ll text Colton and have them meet us at the Patio. They have all sorts of food.”
They made their way to the restaurant and met up with the others. Lunch was delicious, and conversations were light and fun. While Harper, Jana, and Tegan were discussing how they could work together to figure out the best way for Tegan to move forward, Cree suggested the idea of hosting children’s singing and instrumental events in addition to plays.
“I love that idea!” Tegan exclaimed. “I feel like we need some brainstorming, but not until after I figure out how to temporarily wrap up my life in Maryland before jumping in with two feet here.”
As the girls talked, the guys enjoyed their own conversations. It was nice being out with everyone and seeing her brothers get along so well with Gavin. His hand rested on her leg, and every few minutes he’d squeeze her thigh or slip his fingers into the slit on the side of her maxi dress, brushing his fingers over her skin, like he needed that extra little connection.
Gavin leaned closer and whispered, “I love you. Are you having a good time?”
He’d said those three little words dozens of times and they still sent her heart into a frenzy every time he said them. Now it was made even more special by the silent look of approval in Brock’s eyes. She didn’t need his, or anyone else’s, approval, but it was nice to have it. She couldn’t imagine letting anything come between them, and it occurred to her that what she felt was probably similar to how Gavin had felt when he’d gone against his family’s wishes.
Colton set down his beer and said, “Gavin, did Harper tell you about the time she was sleepwalking and Jana found her standing over her bed talking about the squirrels stealing her lollipops?”
“No!” Harper said. “I can’t believe you’d bring that up. I was eight.”
“How about the time she and Jana decided to be hula dancers in the middle of one of our parents’ dinner parties?” Brock asked. “They came downstairs wearing skirts and paper cups they’d rigged up like bras.”
Everyone laughed, and Brock started to tell the story.
Harper pointed at him and said, “If you don’t stop, I’ll tell Cree about the time you came downstairs during Mom and Dad’s Christmas party wearing nothing but your boxing gloves.”
“I was five!” Brock said.
“I want to hear the story,” Cree pleaded.
Embarrassment avoided, Harper told the story about Brock, and when she was done, Colton began telling the sleepwalking story.
Harper tossed her napkin at him and said, “I take back everything I said about missing you when I was in LA.”
Colton blew her a kiss.
Gavin pulled her closer and said, “I don’t know about sleepwalking, but you sure are cute when you snore.”
“You too?” She swatted his arm. “Is nothing sacred?”
Gavin lowered his voice and said, “I didn’t tell them about you falling out of the boat.”
“Oh, I have to hear this one,” Jana pleaded.
Gavin arched a brow, and Harper waved her hand, giving him the floor. As he told the story, laugher erupted, and Harper was right there with them, remembering how funny it was, and the magnificent kiss that had followed. That story parlayed into another, spurring more laughter and leading to stories about others at the table. Brock told a story about Colton getting caught in a compromising position when he told their parents he and a buddy were studying. Harper doubled over in hysterics as Brock embellished, making it sound far worse, and funnier, than it had been.
With Gavin by her side, Tegan wiping happy tears from her eyes, and Jock’s hearty laughter ringing out, Harper realized just how right Harvey had been about love, laughter, and
friendship being universal languages with the power to heal.
GAVIN AND HARPER spent the rest of the day knocking around Provincetown, getting to know Jock and Tegan better, and hanging with Harper’s family. It was fun to see Harper in the roles of older and younger sister. After witnessing all the hugs, inside jokes, and sibling banter, Gavin couldn’t even imagine how she’d lasted for almost a year living thousands of miles away from her family. He’d known she was stronger than she’d thought, and this afternoon had confirmed it.
Now it was six o’clock. Colton had met up with his buddies two hours earlier, Tegan and Jock were long gone, and they’d just said goodbye to the rest of her family, who were joining their friends from Seaside to watch the fireworks. Gavin and Harper grabbed their backpack from the car, in which they’d packed bathing suits, Harper’s sweater, and Gavin’s sweatshirt. With the pack over his shoulder, Gavin clung tightly to Harper’s hand as they ran down the Provincetown Pier to meet their friends at Ethan’s yacht.
“How will we know his boat?” Harper ran with one hand pressed against her chest, holding the plunging neckline of her royal-blue-and-white-striped spaghetti-strap dress in place so her boobs didn’t pop out. The skirt was slit on both sides from thigh to ankle and whipped around her legs with every step. She looked scorching hot.
“It’s a yacht,” he reminded her. “It should be easy to spot.”
“You know Ethan, right?”
“Yeah. He’s older than me, but you know, small town and all that. He’s a good guy.”
“I know. I’ve met him,” she said, pointing to the sleek yacht at the end of the pier. “That has to be it.” She slowed to a walk, trying to catch her breath.
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