Page 111 of Love on Deck
“If I’d made more of an effort with my brothers, we wouldn’t have grown distant. It’s all about the choices we make and the amount of effort we put into the relationship. Kev and Amelia won’t want to lose us either, Lo. It’ll work.”
“But my life is here. It has been here for... basically since I was born.”
He leaned close, looking into my eyes with such focus and intensity. “Does it have to stay here?”
I let my heart answer him. “No. It doesn’t. I want to come with you. I’m just scared.”
“Trust me, then.”
He said it so easily, I wanted to agree at once. I closed my eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
Jack’s hand went stiff against my jaw. “Okay? Like yes?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
A grin stretched over his face before he crushed his lips to mine, kissing me with a ferocity I had yet to experience since we made up against the wall in my entryway. I kissed him back, telling him without words just how in this I really was. He had proven in the last several weeks how deeply he cared, how careful he was with my heart. I had no doubt the man wouldn’t let me down. The prospect of doing this project together, surrounded by a town I had quickly learned was more like a huge, extended family, filled my soul in a way I never thought would be possible.
Jack pulled me tighter against him until I was sitting across his lap, kissing me like I’d just promised him a 200-year-old bureau in need of restaining. I cupped his face in both hands and leaned back, holding his love-drunk gaze. “If I live at your parents’ house, where will you be?”
“Tucker’s.”
“Does he know this yet?”
“No, but he’ll be okay with it. He has space, and as soon as the first room is ready at the B&B, I’ll be moving in.” He nipped at my lips, smiling. “Only one thing left, Lauren.”
“What’s that?”
“The bed & breakfast. We need to come up with a name.”
I leaned in for another kiss. “I’ll think on it.”
EPILOGUE
LAUREN
I turned off airplane mode on my phone and it immediately pinged three times with voicemail notifications. I’d be nervous there was an emergency from the way Jack’s missed calls filled my screen, except this was his habit. Every time he knew I would be unreachable—on airplanes, out of service, or when I turned off my phone for things like the brunch meeting I’d just had with Camila, my old boss—he’d call.
Turned out she was starting an online event coordinating business—meetings and workplace clientele, mostly—and wanted to know if I was interested in joining her team. As a new stay-at-home mom, she wanted to be with her daughter, but she missed working. Enter this entirely remote company.
I was clear with her about my plans for the future, but having my own job and income meant I wouldn’t be leeching off Jack or his company yet. I’d still help him manage the project, but I also liked the idea of supporting myself. Someday the B&B would take priority, that didn’t have to be now. We weren’t married yet, at least.
I got in my car to drive home and told my phone to play my voicemails.
Jack’s voice filled the car. “Hey babe. Hope the meeting is going well. Is she begging you to take your job at Hunnam back? I’m guessing she’ll be devastated when you tell her about our little project. Poor lady.”
He didn’t sound contrite in the least.
“Mom started washing peaches for cobbler, but I guess she’s waiting for you to help her finish making it. Something about promising to teach you Grandma’s recipe.” He lowered his voice. “I’m not sure if that was a joke, but if it’s real, then I hope you realize the honor she’s bestowing on you. If she’s giving family secrets away, you’re really one of us now. She doesn’t share that with anyone. Flora has been asking for years. I’m sure you’ll get the talk from Mom, but if Flora corners you at the grocery store and bribes you for the secret ingredient, you zip those pretty little lips and run away. She offers everyone free haircuts, but don’t buy it. It’s a scam. She expects a huge tip.”
I smiled, pulling onto the freeway. I had at least an hour in the car before I made it home, but it wasn’t bad. The drive was super pretty.
And I had Jack’s voice to keep me company part of the way. Then an audiobook after that.
The voicemail continued. “Speaking of those pretty lips. You got plans tonight? After the whole cobbler situation, I mean. I want to show you the new wallpaper in the dining room. We can take a pizza and a few candles and make a date of it if—”
The voicemail cut off. I started the next one.
“Someday they’ll realize that limiting the length of a voicemail is just rude. At least warn a guy. Anyway, as I was saying, I want to show you the wallpaper. Also, I got my hands on this cute little number that’s going to make you and all your morbid myster—ahem, I mean cozy mysteries very happy. Don’t judge it based on how it looks now, okay? Keep an open mind and remember how skilled your man is.”