AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She hugged us both goodnight before Eli and I retired to our room. I tucked him into his little twin bed we’d managed to wedge in the corner and then went to the shower to wash away the sweat and grime from building the arbor with Gavin. I finally let the memories of his kiss seep in as hot water poured over my body, and I shivered despite the warmth. My hand slid down my waist and between my legs as I imagined his hard cock in place of my fingers. His name left my lips on a gasp, and I relaxed against the tiled wall once my orgasm crested. But I was far from sated.
The following afternoon, I dressed in black shorts and a billowy, gold short-sleeved top. Despite being October, it was still warm. I knew the gymnasium would get stuffy, and I wanted to be comfortable. Slipping on a pair of black flats, I checked my hair and makeup one last time in the mirror before heading downstairs. Elijah was waiting in the parlor with my grandparents and aunt who was watching over the inn while they came to the festival.
“Ready to go?” I asked, ruffling Eli’s hair.
“Yeah!” he replied excitedly. “Can I get a caramel apple? Harper told me they were so yummy.” He clasped his hands in front of him in a pleading gesture.
I chuckled. “Of course.” He’d already eaten lunch, so he wouldn’t be spoiling his appetite. “Maybe I’ll get something too. I hear the apple dumplings are good.”
“Oh, they are,” my grandmother confirmed.
“But not as good as yours,” my grandfather proclaimed, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple. The sweet gesture caused an ache to settle into my chest. Their love was strong and inspiring. It had withstood the test of time and all the trials that came along with nearly fifty years of marriage. That was what Jason and I were supposed to have. But he couldn’t keep it in his pants long enough to even make it to five.
Since our divorce and my subsequent failed attempts at dating, I didn’t let myself hope. I didn’t believe it was possible for me to have what they had one day. But now? I still didn’t know if it was in the cards, but I wanted it. The kind of love that lasted a lifetime and beyond. I wanted to wake up to the same person for the next fifty years and still choose them every single day. I wanted someone to look at me with the same adoration I saw shining in my grandfather’s eyes.
“Let’s go, Mommy,” Eli insisted, tugging on my hand and breaking me out of my trance. We drove separately to the school and when we parked, I switched his booster seat to my grandparents’ sedan since he would leave with them. We had more than an hour before I needed to take over at the admissions table, so we wove through the tables, stopping to look at different displays. My grandmother found a quilt she fell in love with and wanted for one of the guest rooms at the inn. With fingers bent from arthritis, she struggled to sew these days, or I was positive she’d be making one herself. Nearly every room at the inn had one of her quilts.
My grandpa didn’t bat an eye at the hefty price tag and handed over the cash because he knew it would make her happy. She pressed a grateful kiss to his cheek, and a contented smile curved my lips.
“That is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.” I turned to find Brynlee watching my grandparents, a wistful look on her face.
“Right?” I agreed. “Where’s Harper?” I asked, surprised she wasn't attached to her mother’s hip.
“She should be around here somewhere. Sean texted me ten minutes ago saying they were here.” She scanned the crowd for Harper and Sean but quickly found Macon. My breath caught when I saw who he was talking to.
Gavin stood next to him in a pair of dark wash jeans over brown boots. The sleeves of his shirt stretched against his biceps as he crossed his arms over his chest. His beard was neatly trimmed, and he rubbed a hand over it as he listened to Macon talk. Flashes of that dark beard scraping the insides of my thighs flitted across my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing them away. This wasn’t the time or place to be thinking about that.
“See something you like?” I turned to Brynlee, a smirk crooking her lips.
“That obvious?” I asked with a wince.
She didn’t beat around the bush or try to sugarcoat the truth. “Yeah.”
“You don’t think he noticed, do you?”
“Noticed what?” I startled at the deep, familiar voice, and heat rose to my cheeks. The two men approached without me realizing it. Did he know we were talking about him?
“That I, uh,” Brynlee began slowly, drawing out her words as she made up something on the fly, “that I came over here to buy a, um,” she continued as she took in the wares on the table beside us. “Quilt!” she finished, plucking one from the pile. Macon gave her a perplexed look, and she widened her eyes as a silent conversation passed between them.
Nice save, Bryn.
“Yeah, um, you definitely don’t need any more quilts,” Macon said, playing along. He took the folded-up quilt from her hands and nearly choked as he looked at the price tag. “Especially not one that costs this much.”
She shrugged and looked up at him innocently, batting her eyes. “Don’t give me that look. I’m not buying the damn quilt.”
“Fine,” she huffed and turned to wink at me. She was playing the part well. I mouthed a thank you to her while neither of the guys were looking.
“Let’s go find Harper,” she said, looping her arm around Macon’s. “I’ll meet you at the admissions table in thirty,” she told me before sauntering off. That just left me and Gavin.
Chapter 15
Melody
“This turned out to be a hit.”
“It did,” Gavin agreed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Everything looks great.” We stood in silence for a moment. Gavin stared at the floor, and I stared at him. Finally, his eyes lifted to mine, and he spoke. “Look, what hap—” he began, but was cut off by Mrs. Smith.
“Gavin, Melody,” she said, coming up to us. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or frustrated that she’d interrupted us because I knew he was about to address what happened last night. “I’m glad I ran into you both. I’d like to get a picture of the two of you in front of the arbor.” She beamed up at us, an excited smile plastered across her face. We both began to protest, offering different excuses, but she waved them off. “Nonsense,” she scolded. “You two worked so hard on it. We need a photo for the yearbook.”
