When I shake out of my head, I notice the spread on the island. It’s like a six-foot charcuterie board with varieties of cheeses, meats, crackers, dried fruit, grapes, nuts—the works. “You ladies spare no expense.”
Kendall says, “Never. This is our time to relax and have girl time, so we go all out.”
“Well, I’m impressed,” I say, grabbing pieces of dried peaches. “Are you selling?”
“No, but we’re going to use it as an investment property. Still deciding between short-term and long-term renting. I convinced Dane to wait until after the summer, so we could have it available whenever we wanted for the pool. The Lakehouse is a great option for girls’ night, but I’m having a hard time letting go of this.” Kendall twists her hair and flings it over her shoulder.
Addison makes herself a plate of food and sips her drink. “We all are going to miss this place. It’s been part of our little family for so long.”
Everyone is shaking their heads. They’re close and met in college, friends for well over a decade. Saxville is Faith’s hometown, and when college was over, they all moved into the house she inherited. They’ve been here ever since.
I’m in awe of how close they are. My best friend, Lia, is the only constant in my life. I feel a little jealous of what these four—now five, with my sister—have; it’s endearing.
“Ava, so we saw you on Saturday with Kai…” Kendall drifts off. “Sooo…what’s going on?”
My sister warned me that Kendall is a bit pushy and needs to be in the know. Although she sounds exactly like my sister, so it’s nothing new to me.
Talking about Kai…am I ready for that?
When I finally saw him on Saturday, the butterflies in my belly took flight, and every nerve ending was firing on all cylinders. I wiggle in my seat, averting eye contact.How much do I share? What do I share?
“Come on, Ava. Spill,” she insists.
I sigh and relent. “Okay, it seems as though I'm not getting out of this.”
Everyone pipes in, “Nope.” They shake their heads.
I glance over at my sister and say, “Have you said anything?”
“Only that you had spent time together before leaving for Virginia Beach.” She shrugs and continues, “No details though.”
Faith leans over and says, “Want me to share first, and then you can warm up to the fact that Kendall needs to know everything about everyone. And we’re innocent bystanders.” She laughs.
I shake my head yes. It’s kind of her to share with me, making me feel like I belong here.
“Okay, last year I went on a date with Kai.” My jaw hits the floor, and I feel like my eyes might bug out of my sockets. I tamp it down…closing my mouth and trying like hell to bring my eyes back.
She must notice my reaction because she places her hand on my shoulder. “Hear me out…Kendall set me up with him, but the timing was way off. Have you heard this story yet?”
My stomach is in knots with nausea rolling up my throat.Is it because she went on a date with Kai? Why would she tell me this story?“No, I guess I haven’t.”
“I’ll keep it short. Well, I ran into my high school sweetheart while we were in Aruba for our girls’ week. This was after Kendall set me up. Kai and I were texting while away. He was such a nice guy, listened to every word I spoke, and we had a lot in common. But after a week in Aruba, I was stuck on my ex, Jude, when I went on a date with him. He was a perfect gentleman, and if I wasn’t madly in love with Jude, he seemed like a safe choice.” She finally takes a breath.
“You can’t leave me on a cliffhanger. What happened with Jude?” I ask, anxiously awaiting her answer. My heart is pitter-pattering for the happily ever after.Who am I?They have to be living happily ever after.
She holds up her hand with a diamond that could blind you. “We were married a couple of months ago at our Lakehouse.”
I screech, “Oh, congratulations. Wow, that was quick.”
She nods her head. “Yeah, it was. I realized he was the love of my life, and I wasn’t going to let him go this time. Not after all we’ve been through. It was a whirlwind.”
“Now that’s a love story. Thank you for sharing.” I reach over the island and squeeze her hand.
Kendall moves closer to me. “It’s a beautiful love story.” Her hands flew to her heart, making googly eyes at Faith. It’s like hanging out with a bunch of sisters. “So what she’s saying is Kai deserves a woman who loves him wholly and deeply. That can appreciate his steadiness and love for another person.”
Holy shit, Kendall described Kai perfectly, and it has me questioning why I have doubts or why I’m resisting the magnetic pull we both feel. Reeling about Kai and how I’ve been protecting my heart from hurting ever again.
Is it time to let him in fully…wholly?
