Yep. I think Stormy’s the one.
Two hours later, Jovie and I surrender our armies to Reed in an overly dramatic depiction of our soldiers’ sorrow. We’re nowhere close to finishing the game, but he’s got the most land amassed, and it’s time for him to get Jovie home for bed. It’s full dark out now and well past nine. Reed’s been texting Luke to let him know when to expect her back.
“I can’t believe you picked on us so much, Uncle Reed.” Jovie fakes a pout as we gather all the army units into their tiny boxes. Complaining about the outcome seems to be an expected part of their trash talk.
“I didn’t have much choice.” He sweeps his pieces off the board into one hand. “I could either battle my niece, or I could battle my girlfriend.”
“You could have battledyourself.”
“The game doesn’t work that way, nugget.”
“We’ll team up again next time,” I tell her. “We’ll find his weaknesses.”
He meets my gaze. “You already know them all.”
I don’t know where this flirty version of Reed came from, but I am so here for it.
I bag up the candy for Jovie to take home, and we gradually move toward the door. She’s literally dragging her feet, taking an age to cross the room to where she toed off her sneakers. Her stamp of approval—which is how I’m taking her obstinate reluctance to leave my house—makes my heart happy.
Almost as much as the soft looks Reed keeps aiming my way. Something turned the dial on our relationship up a notch on the flirty scale, and I have to say, I quite enjoy this new setting. But now it’s got me wondering just how high that dial goes.
Reed’s holding the game, the candy, and Jovie’s light pink hoodie. She plops on the floor and slips on her shoes, messing up the ties as though she’s never done it before, only to start all over again. I can appreciate her stalling tactics. I don’t want the evening to end, either.
“You’ll see Rose again soon, nugget.”
She looks up at me, hope shining in her eyes. “Are you coming to Gram and Granddad’s for dinner tomorrow?”
Reed and I haven’t talked about more family dinners yet. We haven’t talked about more anything yet, but lately, that’s all I want.More. I’m greedy for it, ready to reach out and grab it with both hands.
“She’s always welcome to come if she wants to.” He says it as though that’s good enough. No pressure, no pushing, just an invitation I can do with as I please. Whatever I want.
Jovie’s mouth stretches into anO, and she hops up again, shoes untied as she bounds over to me. “And you’re coming to the cabin next weekend, right? Uncle Nathan said Reed might change your mind.”
“He did.” We confirmed that one, at least. “Is it going to be fun?”
A leading question, since I’ve heard her exuberant thoughts on the cabin.
She lights up like a sparkler. “So much fun! We do a big campfire with s’mores, and we look at stars and watch bats. It’s so great.”
I glance to Reed. “Bats?”
He ticks his head to the side. “Harmless.”
“Dad and I go up sometimes by ourselves, and sometimes Gram and Granddad take just me.” Jovie’s chattering so fast, she’s almost out of breath. “But it’s the most fun when everybody comes. It’s my favorite place in the whole wide world.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
She throws her arms around my middle in an enthusiastic goodbye hug. “Bye, Rose. Thank you for letting me come over.”
I wrap her up, squeezing her just as hard as she’s squeezing me. “I’m glad you did, Jovie.”
Her eyes are bright when she lets me go. “And thank you for the extra candy!”
Hopefully a bleary-eyed Luke doesn’t turn up in the coffeeshop tomorrow to complain about her sugar high and subsequent crash.
I turn to Reed, ready to hug him goodbye, too. It’s awkward, loaded down as he is with Jovie’s goodies, but I throw my arms around his shoulders and hold him tight anyway. He slides his free hand up my spine to splay between my shoulder blades, drawing me close. His head tilts toward me, our cheeks brushing like he’s trying to get even closer.
Forward my mail here because this is where I want to live. Snuggled up to Reed, breathing in his crisp scent, luxuriating in his warmth. My favorite address.
