Page 59 of More Than My Hometown

Yes, absolutely.

“How ’bout our second go be in a bed?” I suggest, waggling my eyebrows.

“Gladly.”

My stomach gurgles, cutting into our conversation, weighing in on what comes next. Dinner was always part of my plan—I almost stopped at Little Slice of Heaven on the way here—so it’s no surprise I worked up an appetite.

“And maybe a pizza?”

Ewan chuckles, sitting us up and kissing me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I let my lips linger against his, not rushing the moment. I want to savor this—this feeling, his taste, our own private cocoon—for as long as I can.

Then again, he’s all mine. So I get to do this again.

“And a pizza.” He nods, tightening his hold on me. “Do you have shifts this weekend?”

I pause, taken aback by the sudden change in subject.

“I do…”

“Think we could talk Landon into letting you out of them?”

Errrr…

I don’t answer him, not sure where he’s taking this. Could I talk Landon into that? Yes, I could. Probably wouldn’t even really take all that much talking into. More like a sorry, can’t work this text. But I just started with the department, and I don’t want to be that person. I’ve never been the type to call out for no reason, and I’m not sure I want to start now.

Ewan smiles, his ability to read me as good as mine at reading him. He can see the gears turning in my head, and is ready with an explanation to help me get there.

“We should take our new tent camping. Sneak in a couple of nights under the stars just us before the summer starts and we’re too busy to do anything but catch our breath.”

He makes a good point. The weekend after is Reel Madness, followed by my Grandmother’s hundredth birthday party two weeks after that, and then we’ll blink and it’ll be Memorial Day. Once summer hits, Ewan will be so on the go hosting fishing and camping trips, plus whatever it holds for me with the fire department, we might end up even more like two ships passing than we have been this week.

“Well, I do have an in with the fire chief,” I joke. “So I’m sure we can work it out.”

“Maybe leave out the part about how we acquired the new tent.”

I throw my head back, a bark of laughter erupting. That comment I really know he didn’t mean to be funny.

“That’s how I was going to start the conversation with my daddy, c’mon…”

“Hmmph.” Ewan makes a face, not appreciating my joke. “Leave Friday morning and be back by Sunday dinner?”

“Perfect.”