“Here we are, back in Apple Ridge,” my mom says, grinning at me. “Are you going to try to hide this time?” Once she came around to the wholeI’m dating my stepbrotherthing, Mom became a big fan of the situation. Especially since Cormac still treats her like she’s his second-grade teacher and does anything she asks.
“No, we’ve realized we’re not very good at that.” Cormac pulls me closer and wraps an arm around me.
“Thank goodness,” his father says with a sniff. “That’s the last thing we need, you kids sneaking around, running off and jumping in each other’s beds in secret. Isn’t it better to have everything out in the open?”
“Yes, exactly, everything should be out in the open,” my mother says. “That’s why I told you we needed to move the sculpture. It looks beautiful in the front window.”
Eugene heaves the defeated sigh of a man who will forever have a dick-shaped crystal in his front window. “Well, I suppose it is best not to hide things.”
Cormac nudges me, just as Dottie approaches and hugs me from behind. “I’m so glad you’ve arrived, my dears. We have a lovely day in store for everyone.”
Ann, who has shifted with Nathaniel to stand beside Dottie, says, “And he remembered to roll up his sleeves. Thank you, Jesus.”
I notice that Nathaniel’s sleeves are rolled up too, and I stifle a laugh. “Yes, thanks, Miss Ann. You’re doing the Lord’s work.”
“Yes, she is,” Nathaniel says with an adoring smile. “This reminds me of that time?—”
Ann grins at him as she reaches up and turns off her hearing aid.
The front door of the B&B swings open. Sophieand Hannah come back in, Hannah a bit crestfallen. “He drove away. He’s playing hard to get.”
“Who are you stalking now?” Travis asks with a smile as he ruffles his son’s hair.
His son, Ollie, immediately launches himself at Hannah, who picks him up and swirls him around, nearly clipping Eugene in the leg. Eugene sighs good-naturedly, but he adores Hannah, the way all of us do.
God, it feels nice to be in here, with my family. Mywholefamily. But I need something first, before Cormac and I settle into our roles—him a groomsman, me a bridesmaid.
“Give us just a second, guys,” I say, smiling at everyone. “We’re gonna go see our room.”
We receive a few nods in response, plus a couple of whispered innuendos that make Cormac blush and me roll my eyes. The whole wedding party is staying at the B&B, but whatever. Let them imagine we can’t keep our hands off each other—they won’t be too far off the truth.
“Second room on the right,” Hannah calls out. “But don’t make us come in there and get you.”
“We’re not—” Cormac blushes brighter. “Oh, come on,” he says, taking my hand.
I’m laughing as I walk with him, but when we reach the room, I whisper, “How do you know I don’t want to do dirty things to you?”
“I hope you always want to do dirty things to me. But preferably not down the hall from our parents and everyone we know.”
I raise my eyebrows, smirking at him. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
We step inside the room, which has cheerful red curtains and a matching bedding set. The door is open to the en suite bathroom, which has a claw-foot tub.
I grin at Cormac. “Is it my turn to try to warn our friends not to get married?”
“I think they should get married,” he says. “They’re suited to each other.”
I feign a gasp. “Wonders never cease. Cormac Peebles conditionally believes in marriage.”
“I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d let me.”
My mouth falls open. “Cormac, I didn’t bring you in here for a proposal. I just thought we could steal a moment of silence together before the storm.”
Today’s going to be a lot of fun, of course, but it will also be loud and busy and chaotic. He’ll need to fill his cup.
“This isn’t coming out of nowhere,” he says, reaching up to cup my cheek. “I’ve been thinking a lot about it.”
I swallow a surge of emotion. “Me too.”
