“You asked to get serious with me over Halloween. Do you see… a future for us?”
I sit up to look at him, so he knows I’m not joking around. “Yeah, I do. I’m ready for someone serious in my life. I just haven’t had much luck until you.”
Before I can lean in to kiss him, our server brings out three glasses of wine, each with about two sips worth, so that Jett and I can share. She describes each one and which grapes were used. I try to follow, but I’m not a big wine drinker, so it’s lost on me. She also sets out a charcuterie board with deli meats, cheeses, crusty bread, crackers, olives, and jams.
As soon as she leaves, I dive into the food. “I’m fucking famished.”
Our conversations turn to lighter things with a lot of easy laughter. I don’t learn a lot more about Jett, but we’re getting there.
All in all, this was an amazing date. It’s been a great day.
Chapter 22
Jett
Thesecondwepassthe weathered ‘Welcome to Cannon Beach’sign, my heart starts pounding like crazy. I’m glad Wes is behind the wheel because otherwise, it’s likely we would’ve ended up in the ditch.
I wipe my clammy hands against my jeans, focusing on my breathing and the beautiful scenery, and all the familiar places that hold so many bittersweet memories.
Wes reaches for my thigh and squeezes it gently. “You okay, babe?”
I nod as I continue to count my inhales and exhales. Like always, Wes knows exactly what to say to redirect my brain from spinning out of control. It’s like he’s completely in tune with my moods.
“So, we’ll be staying in my bedroom, which is no more than a loft over the kitchen, and I gotta warn you, it’s an old house. The walls are paper-thin, and everyone will be able to hear everyone’s business.”
I stare straight ahead, the comforting weight of Wes’ hand on my thigh grounding me. “Okay.”
“So as much as you wanna be all over me, because I’m Mr. Irresistible, you need to rein it in, lover.” He waggles his eyebrows.
I snort. “Right. I’ll do my very best.Lover.”
“Good. Because I know how you get, especially with me being sobeau-ti-fuland all.”
I groan. I should never have told him that. Twice. “You’ll never let that one die, will you?”
“Nope. Never.” He taps his forehead. “Committed to memory forever and ever.”
Wes turns down a small road, quaint houses on both sides with picturesque front yards. I remember this neighborhood. The homes are older here. Two of my classmates from elementary school lived close by. I went to a birthday party once, on one of the rare occasions Dad let me. He picked me up right after I ate a slice of birthday cake, so I missed the guy who made balloon animals. All the other kids spoke about it at school and how cool it had been.
I push back the memory and focus on Wes. He’s got sunglasses on, so I can’t see his eyes.
“Are you nervous?” I ask.
He smiles that slow smile of his that makes me weak in the knees. “Yeah, a little, maybe.”
“Me too.” It feels good to admit it.
Wes pulls up a narrow drive, leading to a small cottage-style house. He turns off the car, then faces me. “They’re gonna love you. Not just because I like you, but because you’re amazing.”
“Okay,” I whisper as I take in the house. It looks unbelievably cozy, like a real home, with small flower beds in the front and a tall tree with birdhouses in different colors. I point at the tree. “This is cute.”
Wes pushes his sunglasses up on his head and smiles. “Yeah, Granddad and I made these over the years. One for every spring to welcome the birdies.”
“I love that. It’s a nice tradition.”
“It is.” Wes bumps my shoulder. “So, they obviously heard the car, but they’re waiting for us to come inside. They’ll be climbing the walls by now.” He laughs. “They don’t wanna scare you away. But just a warning, once we’re inside, they’ll be all over you. Especially Grandma. She’ll love on you and feed you every chance she gets.”
“Okay,” I say for the hundredth time. While it’s a little overwhelming, I don’t feel panicky because I’m with Wes. I squeeze his hand. “Let’s go.”
