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“Keep!” Lottie insists.
Ivy lets out a wail. “We’ve already packed like three different waffle-irons. How do you have more?”
“Don’t ask him that,” I interrupt, grinning. “He’s a sucker for the Williams-Sonoma catalog.”
“It’s my QVC,” my brother agrees. “I finish up an edit at 3am, and all I want to do it order mini-sugar-cookie-cutters in the shape of British sheepdog.”
“You’re a strange and curious man, Reeve Donavan.” Ivy gives him a kiss as she passes. “And we are not shipping a KitchenAid mixer across the country. I already have one, and I never use it!”
“Ooh, ship it for me,” I speak up. “Well,us.”
I shoot Josh a smile, and he grins back, leaning against the kitchen counter, looking entirely unbothered by my messy, chaotic family. I still can’t quite believe it, to be making plans with him like this. Not for wild, glamorous dates, but the small, everyday routines we’re going to be sharing. I can’t wait to be small and everyday with this man.
Something tells me it’ll be anything but ordinary.
“Wait, so it’s official?” Reeve asks, looking back and forth between us.
I nod. “He’s coming to Milford, for the summer with us.”
“I can work remote on all my cases,” Josh says, shooting me a private smile. “And everything slows down in summer, anyway.”
Ivy shrieks, and claps her hands together. “Congratulations! Welcome to the madhouse,” she adds, hugging Josh. “You’re going to love my hometown in North Carolina. They’re using it for the movie shoot. It’s cute, and full of nature, and absolutely nothing interesting every happens there.”
“Excuse me,” Reeve protests. “Meeting me was plenty interesting.”
“And weren’t you guys in the middle of some madcap treasure hunt at the time?” Josh adds.
“Psh. Details.”
I move closer to Lottie. “And you’re still feeling OK about it?” I ask, searching her expression. “Because if you change your mind, or don’t feel comfortable?—”
“Mom.”She gives me an exasperated look. “I’m fine. I’ve been suggesting it for weeks. I sent Josh a bunch of rental listings in town, with enough room for his office.”
“Wait, you did?” I look over at him. “Why didn’t you say?”
Josh smirks. “Because you had this look in your eyes like you’d bolt, when I even mentioned future plans.”
“Oh. Yup.” I blush. “Good point.”
“But now it’s settled,” Lottie says, looking pleased. “And I can go back to space camp for the summer, and you won’t be calling me three times a day because you’re all alone.”
“I did not—” I stop. “OK, maybe I can cut it back to twice a day.”
“Once,” she bargains. “And stop freaking out if I don’t reply to your texts within ten minutes. Sometimes, I’m working!”
“But—"
Josh gives my shoulder a squeeze.
I exhale. “Fine. I’ll get my own life,” I agree, leaning back against him. I can’t keep a smile off my face, seeing the future unfolding in front of us all like this. A new kind of family.
“OK, enough emotional bonding,” my brother interrupts with a smirk. “I have dibs on the cheese Danish.”
“I want the empanadas!” Lottie dives into the bakery boxes with him.
“Is that spinach, or chicken?”
“I don’t know, try it.”
