Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Inquiring minds sure do want to know,” I quip.
“Tell me.” His gaze drops to his watch before it’s back on my face.
“I don’t want you to feel left out.”
He nods in understanding. “Stevie sent you an invite to dinner, too?”
I nod. “Dinner at six, and I’m responsible for dessert again.”
“Crusty bread is my assignment,” he goes on, “and buttercups for Stevie.”
“You’re good to her.”
“She’s good to me,” he counters. “I’ll see you there?”
“Gaines?” I step closer to him. “About that… do you think we should tell…”
“No,” he answers my question before I can finish it. “You know Berk and Astrid. They’ll take this and run, and Stevie will start planning our wedding. I can’t break that kid’s heart.”
I read between all those lines.
We shouldn’t mention whatever this is to any of them because it’s not going to end the way they’d want it to.
I nod. “It’s just between the two of us.”
“That’s best,” he agrees with a sharp nod of his chin.
“For everyone,” I whisper, not completely convinced that’s true.
His phone chimes. Almost immediately, a second chime fills the air. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Eloise.”
“You will.” I paste on a smile. “Thanks for the house call.”
“It was my pleasure.” He takes my mouth in a soft, lush kiss. “Literally, lamb. It was all pleasure.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Eloise
“You’re knitting your friend a wedding dress?” Stevie’s hands drop to her hips. “Hold on, Eloise. Just wait a minute.”
I exchange knowing glances with Astrid. Stevie is about to make a big ask of me. I anticipated as much when my cousin asked if I had any news to share, and I answered by telling her about my Penny project.
“Eloise, can you please…”
“Stevie?” Astrid interrupts her daughter with a soft brush of her fingers over Stevie’s cheek. “You don’t need a wedding dress.”
“Mom!” Stevie drops both hands into her palms. “Why would you say that? I’m way too young for that. Everyone knows I’m not getting married until I’m thirty. That’s forever from now.”
“It’s not that long,” Astrid says with a melancholy note in her tone. “Look how quickly you’re growing up.”
Stevie peeks at her mom from between two spread fingers. “I wish I was older. I want to drive and go to college.”
“You have plenty of time for that,” I tell her. “Being grown-up isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
Stevie finally drops both hands. “I guess not. I fell on my way to school last week, and you fell… where did you fall?”
I thought I could brush off all further discussion about the bandage on my head when I walked into the brownstone and greeted not only Astrid and her little family, but Berk’s siblings and their partners.
I announced that I had tripped on a grate on the sidewalk when I was wearing heels and hit the pavement headfirst.
Astrid had rushed toward me, as had Maren, her sister-in-law, and Stevie.
They all offered hugs and when I entered the main living room, everyone else in attendance did too.
Astrid not only landed a wonderful husband and daughter, she’s part of the Morgan family. Berk’s younger brother, Keats, and Maren have a sweet baby boy named Weber. Sinclair, Berk’s sister, is expecting her first baby with her fiancé, Jameson Sheppard. They are an incredibly kind and welcoming group of people.
My cousin has told me more than once I fit right in. I feel I do.
“It wasn’t close to home,” I answer Stevie’s question as vaguely as I can. “I took a cab back to my apartment.”
Astrid smiles at my description of the place she used to live. She has made it very clear that I can live there forever if I choose to. One day, I’ll leave the security of it behind and venture into an apartment meant for me.
“That’s rough.” Stevie blows out a burst of air. “Are you sure you’re okay? Gaines is coming. He’s a doctor. He can check your head.”
“I’m fine.” I tap her hand. “I think you were about to ask me a question. Is it related to the dress I’m knitting for Penny?”
“Yes.” She steps closer to where I’m sitting on a stool next to the kitchen island.
I offered to help Astrid with meal preparation, but Keats dove into that before he wandered off to tease his brother about the apron he found in a drawer that had ‘Big Berk’s BBQ’ stamped across the front of it.
I knew it was a birthday gift from his wife, but apparently, Keats hadn’t seen it until today.
“What would you like to ask me?” I lean closer to her. “I’m pretty sure I’ll say yes to whatever it is.”
That brings a bright smile to her face. Her blue eyes light up. “There is a school dance in two months. A knitted dress would be divine.”
I smile at her choice of words. “I can knit a divine dress.”