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“Can I have another?” Kingston asks, and Willow tosses the bag to Dalton, who helps him put one on his stick.
“So good.” I take the bag from Dalton and add another to the end of my stick.
Just as I’m putting it in the fire, Tucker’s phone begins to ring, and he sits forward to take it out of his pocket. “Shit, I gotta take this, babe.”
“Sure.” I move so that he can get up, and Miles stands along with him, the two of them walking off toward the house together.
“I hope they don’t have to leave,” Hazel says softly, catching my eye, and I bite my bottom lip. I hope not either.
I finish my marshmallow, and Kingston comes to sit on my lap. I wrap him up in the blanket with me, while Winter goes to sit with her mom, Willow sits on Clay’s lap and Dalton tells a funny ghost story.
When I hear Miles and Tucker talking quietly as they walk our way, I turn to look at them over my shoulder. With one glance, I know something has happened and that they’re going to have to leave.
“Miles and I have to head out, baby,” Tucker says quietly, and I try to hide my disappointment, but it’s difficult. He looks over at Dalton. “I’ll leave my SUV so you can drive Miranda, Hazel, and the kids home in the morning.”
“I can do that,” Dalton agrees easily as Winter gets up to hug her dad.
Tucker looks down at me, then moves his gaze to Kingston, and his face gets soft. “I’ll carry him inside and put him to bed,” he offers quietly, and I look down and find Kingston asleep.
“Thanks,” I whisper, and he squats down to pick him up. Kingston doesn’t even move as he’s lifted into Tucker’s arms.
“Do you want him in bed with you?” he asks when we get inside.
“It would probably be easier, in case he wakes up.”
With a nod, he walks to the bedroom on the first floor, and while he’s still in Tucker’s arms, I take off his shoes and socks, then pull back the blanket on the bed. When he’s down, I maneuver him out of his pants that are a little damp from being so close to the water.
“I’m sorry I have to leave you two,” he whispers, tucking the blanket around Kingston, and I meet his gaze.
“Is everything okay? Is it about Carrie’s friend?”
“We won’t know anything for sure until we get back to Nashville,” he says gently, grabbing hold of the loop of my jeans to pull me closer. “Are you gonna be okay here?”
“Of course.” I rest my hands on his chest, and his eyes scan mine as he cups my face in his palms.
“I’ll call you as soon as I get a chance.”
“Just let me know you made it back to Nashville,” I whisper, and he tips his chin down and presses him mouth to mine. When he pulls back, his thumb smooths over my cheekbone. He looks like he wants to say something, but instead he kisses me one more time, then lets me go and starts toward the door, grabbing his bag.
“Try to get some sleep.” He stops to look at me over his shoulder.
“I will,” I lie, because I already know I won’t be able to rest until I confirm he’s okay. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tell Kingston—”
“I’ll tell him you had to leave for work,” I cut him off. “He’ll understand.”
“Later, baby.”
“Later.” I watch him walk through the door and wrap my arms around my middle, then squeeze my eyes closed, because this goodbye feels all wrong, like something is missing. Rushing out behind him, I make it to the living room right when he reaches the front door, and he turns to look at me hearing my footsteps on the wood floors.
“Everything okay?”
“I forgot to tell you something.” I wring my hands in front of me. “It’s just that …” God, why is this so hard? “I know it’s too soon and that you’re going to think I’m nuts, but I just want you to know that I …” I glance around, suddenly unsure if I should admit that I’ve fallen in love with him. “Well, I …”
“I love you too, Miranda,” he says softy, and my shoulders deflate in relief.
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He closes the distance between us and wraps his hand around the side of my neck, smiling before he leans down to press a soft kiss to my mouth. “I’ll see you later, baby.”
“Okay,” I whisper, holding back the urge to jump up and down like an idiot, and he grins as he touches his lips to mine one more time before disappearing out the door.
“I’m glad he found you.” At that comment, I turn to find Clay standing a few feet away.
