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“Wow, that’s great, Del. You guys have got to be getting close to reaching your goal.”
His words said one thing, his weary tone another. She studied his profile for a moment, this side of the porch shedding more light onto his ragged appearance. Clearly, the poor guy hadn’t gotten much sleep this week.
“Ourgoal, buddy. You’re a part of this, too. And you’re right, we are getting really close. Aunt Faye is going to work up the numbers before our next meeting, but I have to think we’re under five thousand to go. I had my doubts early on, but now I think between tickets and the food vendors, we may actually hit our goal.”
“Or exceed it,” he said, setting down his empty container. “I’m pulling for you all to do that. Then you’d have enough to restock the shelves that had water damage.”
Again, with the “you all.” What was with him tonight?
Isaac’s knee began bouncing, his gaze roving from the porch to his front door. Whatever these deadlines were, they were weighing heavily on him. She put her cobbler back into the carryout bag and stood. She would not add to his stress levels.
“Did you get enough to eat?”
He nodded, not quite meeting her eyes.
“Then I’ll let you go so you can get back to it. And here, hang on to this. You can reheat it later, when your stomach starts rumbling.”
“That’s very kind of you, but you take it,” he said, rising to his feet. “I know how much you love cobbler.”
“I’m full. Besides, I’ve got some ice cream at home that can tide me over until next time. You should take it.”
He stared at the offered bag for a moment before accepting it.
“You’re too good to me,” he said quietly.
Del ducked to catch his downcast gaze. “That’s what I’m here for. Try not to stay up too late working tonight, okay?”
She stepped closer and put her arms around him. Slowly, his encircled her as well. Del had missed this the past few days, missed his touch and warmth. She tipped her chin up to say as much, but was silenced by his lips crashing down on hers. Ecstasy flooded her as the kiss deepened, his hands curling into her hips. If he’d been sleepy before, the man was suddenly wide awake and kissing her breathless.
She heard the cobbler bag drop onto the porch’s small side table, and suddenly Del was pinned to the siding, Isaac’s hips pressed to hers. His mouth left hers to kiss a trail across her cheek and down her neck. He slid his hands under the hem of her shirt and tugged it up, granting him more skin to explore. Del sucked in a sharp breath as his fingers brushed across her bra, glad that they were hidden from the road by the woods around his house.
“Should we go inside?” she asked, surprised at how breathless she sounded.
Isaac didn’t answer. Instead, he took her by the hand and led the way to his bed. Together, they worked out whatever pent-up frustration he was dealing with.
And it wassomuch better than the cobbler.
*
Isaac lay inbed Saturday night, holding a sleeping Delaney in his arms, riddled with guilt. His time in Bourbon Falls was near its end—he could feel it. And rather than savor every moment with the woman he loved, he’d fallen back into his old habits, choosing to remain immersed in his work rather than out living life to its fullest.
Well, as full as it could be right now. But even that might soon be changing.
Will had kept a close watch on the TikToks that’d emerged the prior weekend, clips that clearly poked fun at Katrina’s editing job. More videos had since surfaced, with thousands of people—mostly teens, interestingly enough—adding their own voiceovers to Isaac’s rant. Most were cheesy, but a few were actually pretty funny. And since funny so often ruled the social media channel, the spinoffs had begun to go viral.
Which meant Katrina’s credibility was slowly being flushed down the toilet.
Del snuggled closer. Could she hear his thoughts? Did she understand the implications? The dark cloud he’d prayed would leave him was beginning to dissolve, and with it, his time with her.
But he wasn’t ready. He never would be.
He’d considered telling her about the videos tonight over dinner—carryout that she’d surprised him with once again—but he didn’t have the heart to. Her smile had been too wide, her giving heart too big as usual.
As her smile had been yesterday when he’d looked outside to find Del and her niece in his yard, adding to the landscaping around the porch. She’d texted both him and Brooklyn earlier in the week, giving him the heads up that the girls were going to finish putting down rock and mulch. And though he hadn’t been able to step away from his work, she’d still made it happen.
He didn’t deserve her attention or her kindness, but somehow he’d earned both.
So rather than push her away tonight with doomsday warnings, he’d accepted her gifts and then made love to her, needing her to know—to feel—how much she meant to him when the words wouldn’t come. And while she moved above him, eyes bright and beautiful smile full, he committed the view to memory, fearing it might well be their last time together.
