Page 82 of His Fifth Kiss

“I hate whispering,” Boone dang near yelled. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“Oh, please, Daddy,” Gerty fired right back at him. “If you want to know, I just said I was trying to butter up you and Wes so you won’t be so grouchy.” She rolled her eyes and stepped away from Mike as both Momma and Cosette started to laugh.

“I don’t need to be buttered up,” Daddy said, his plate piled high with bacon.

“I do,” Boone said. “I guess if that takes bacon, I’ll accept it.” He gave Gerty a grin, but she just motioned Mike to come join them. He did, his soul feeling lighter and lighter by the second.

“How did your shoulder fare with the drive?” Boone asked.

Mike automatically rotated it before he picked up a plate. “Pretty good,” he said. “I almost asked Gerty to drive, but when I looked over at her, she’d fallen asleep.” He grinned at her.

“For like, ten minutes,” she said, alarm on her face. “I would’ve driven. You should’ve woken me up.”

“We were almost here,” he said. “And I value my life.”

“Hey,” she said as Boone started to chuckle. “I’m a good driver.”

“No, baby,” Boone said. “You passed your test. That doesn’t make you a good driver.”

She glared at him and then threw her napkin at him. “I bought you bacon, and this is the thanks I get?”

“Stop it,” Cosette said, and quite firmly too. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, you guys. This is what happens when they leave the house together. It’s embarrassing really.”

“Hey,” Gerty and Boone said together.

“I’ve been dealing with it for fifteen years,” Cosette continued, her voice a kind of mock sad that made Mike grin even wider. “I’m the one who should be getting buttered up.” She gave Gerty and her father a stiff glare.

“Don’t you worry,” Momma said. “I’m sure they’ll treat you to a delicious meal once you reach Montana.”

Silence draped the kitchen, and then Boone said, “Yeah, yep. Birdie’s. Can’t be beat.”

Gerty reached across the table and covered her mother’s hand. “Sorry, Mom.”

Cosette grinned, and Mike sure did like how they interacted with each other. They loved her, and she loved them, and Mike appreciated how authentic they each were.

The very moment Boone finished his stack of bacon, he said, “We better get goin’.”

A flurry of activity happened then, and before Mike knew it, he stood on the front porch, Gerty in his arms. “I’ll call you when we get there, okay?”

“Yeah,” he said. “You’ll be there three days?”

“Yep.” She tipped up onto her toes and waited for him to be the one to lean down and kiss her. He did, taking his sweet Georgia time to taste her lips before he pulled away.

“Back here on Tuesday,” she said. “Then we’ll drive home Wednesday together.” She stepped out of his arms, her smile beautiful and lighting up her eyes. “I’m sure I’ll have some amazing stories to tell you.”

“Can’t wait.” He watched her dash down the steps and get in the back seat of her father’s truck, and he waved to all three of them before they continued around the wide circle-drive and left the property.

He turned back to the house, expecting to find his father there. Surprise filled him when both of his parents stood in the open doorway. “What?” he asked.

“You’re in love with her,” Momma said.

“Momma.” He sighed. “Stop it. I am not.”

“Close to,” Daddy said.

“So what?” Mike asked. “Please, don’t push me on this.” He gave his father a look and then switched his gaze to his mother. “And don’t put words in my mouth.”

She shook her head and said, “Okay, fair enough.”

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