“I don’t know. I feel guilty leaving you with the dinner rush.”
“Nonsense. Go home. Get ready. Have a nice evening with Austin.”
“If you’re sure.”She still wavered, but it did sound enticing.
“Go.”Evelyn fluttered her hands, swishing her away.
“Okay, okay. I’m leaving.”She turned to her mother.“And I’ll show you the plans for the seasonal room tomorrow, okay?”
“Sounds good.”Her mother nodded.
She hurried out of the kitchen, straightening a few chairs as she passed through the cafe. With a small smile, she headed home, anxious to see Austin.
Austin sent a text to Livy as soon as he got home. He’d rented a small cottage on the beach with a marvelous deck overlooking the gulf. It suited him perfectly. Almosteverythingthese days suited him perfectly. His relationship with Livy. His work. This cottage.
Livy answered his text immediately and told him she’d taken the night off. That was an unexpected bonus. They made plans to meet at his cottage and then decide what they were going to do.
After a brief shower to wash off the travel grime, he quickly picked up the cottage, though it didn’t need much. He didn’t really have much here. His computer and work things. He’d bought some casual clothing to wear here since he didn’t own much warm weather clothing. It was kind of silly to be renting two places, one in Colorado and one here, but he wasn’t ready to leave Moonbeam. Not just yet.
Occasionally he thought that maybe he’d let the Colorado condo go and move here, but he didn’t think he and Livy were quite at that stage yet. So renting two places was his best compromise.
He answered the door as soon as Livy knocked, and a sense of rightness settled over him, washing away the longing he’d felt from being away from her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.“I’ve been wanting to do that all week.”
She smiled up at him.“And I’ve been waiting for you to do that.”
He took her hand. It felt small and delicate, mixed with strong. An eclectic mix like so much about Livy.“Come in.”He led her inside.“So, have you decided what we should do tonight?”
“Kiss?”Her lips tilted into a teasing smile.
“Okay, we could do that.”He tugged her back into his arms and kissed her again. And once more.
She laughed and finally pulled away.“Though, I guess we should do something more than stand here kissing all night.”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty good with the kissing plan.”
“We could go out to Jimmy’s for dinner,”she suggested.
“Or we could stay in and I wouldn’t have to share you.”
“There is that whole dinner thing, though.”She playfully poked him in the chest.
“Luckily I picked up groceries on the way in town.”He tapped his forehead.“I’m smart like that.”
“You mean you thought I’d be working late tonight, and you’d have to make dinner for yourself.”
“Okay, that, too. But I have plenty. Want to split a steak? And I have some potatoes I can throw in to bake. And we’ll make a salad.”
“That sounds wonderful. A night in away from people? Perfect.”
“Why don’t you go out on the deck and relax? I’ll throw the potatoes in and grab us a couple of beers.”Her favorite local craft beer, of course, because it was now his favorite, too.
She wandered out onto the deck, and he hurried with his preparations. He joined her shortly, and they clinked beer bottles before taking a sip.
“Ah, this is so good. I’m glad you introduced me to it.”
“I do like an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day.”She pressed the bottle to her lips and took another sip.
His gaze lingered on her lips for a moment and heat surged through him.
