The heartfelt fervor made her smile.
“I wasn’t much better.” He slanted an arched brow and rueful grin in her direction. “Pretty thankful I finally grew up, too.”
She reached over to fiddle with his earlobe, affection in her touch, but a little bit of teasing, too. His ears were sensitive, and she’d discovered playing with the lobe, or just behind it, revved his motor quite satisfactorily. “I like you all grown up, Colt Calvert.”
“That’s pretty mutual, Holly Callahan.” He captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, sensation shivering up her arm from the warm contact. She felt his grin before he released her. “You’re marrying me to preserve your monogram, aren’t you? You know, same last initial and all.”
Her smile widened. “Oh, of course.”
The light banter stayed with them all the way to downtown Bainbridge. He found a parking spot along the pretty central square with its park filled with a fountain, gazebo, and trees dripping with moss. Lights festooned the area for the holiday season, and Holly drank in the atmosphere as Colt held her door so she could climb out.
“Ilovethis.” She wrapped a hand about his biceps, hugging herself into him. She tipped her face up, inhaling clean air scented with the rich smells emanating from the American. With her lashes lowered, the lights blurred into a twinkling pattern.
His quiet laugh tickled her ears. “You love Christmas, period.”
“Well, yeah.” She snuggled into his side, using him as a windbreak. The breeze nipped at her bare legs – she really should have put on tights or something. “You can’t have a December birthday without loving Christmas.”
His affirmative noise landed in a kiss against her temple, his arm tightening about her as they crossed the brick street to the restaurant. Andy had parked around the corner, he and Grace reaching the pair of tall wood-and-glass doors flanked by the wide windowed bays the same time Holly and Colt did.
Colt held the door, laughter and chatter blending with low classic country and delicious aromas as Holly stepped inside. The dark wood floors contrasted with faded red brick and white plaster, and the smiling hostess led them through to the second dining room, leather and velvet chairs before the fireplace, the walls graced with a variety of vintage paintings and drawings. She left them at one of the booths with plush navy velvet seats, and Colt ushered Holly ahead of him on one side, so she faced Grace. A small oil lamp cast glimmering light on the polished wood table.
Colt tucked his menu under hers, and she glanced sideways at him. He shrugged. “Don’t need it. Always order the lasagna.”
“You never branch out?” The very idea boggled her mind. Her own ordering was always a hey-that-looks-good-let-me-try-it moment of impulsivity.
“Every once in a while, he gets the trout. He’s a hermit with habits.” Andy ran a finger down his menu. Colt’s leg shifted nextto her, a sharp, deliberate movement, and Andy jerked his head up to glare. “Those boots hurt, man.”
Their server arrived, bringing water and taking food and beverage orders. He did, indeed, order the lasagna, and they shared the pimento cheese board as a table. Grace, full of questions about their wedding plans, kept a conversation moving with Holly while Andy and Colt carried on their own low chat across the table. With his long, lean form relaxed next to her, Holly added the experience to her growing list of things she loved about being a couple with him.
“This one’s nice.” Andy had his phone out, the two of them squinting at the screen. “Needs a little work, but only a couple of blocks off the water.”
“Price isn’t bad.” Colt’s murmur held that note of raw honey indicating deep concentration. Holly flicked a glance at them. What were they plotting?
The arrival of their entrees shifted the conversation, and the evening passed, a smooth, rich flow of casual chatting and laughter as enjoyable as any evening with her own friends. Maybe more so, since she’d spent so long being miserable over Scott. Afterward, they parted ways with Andy and Grace outside the restaurant door.
Colt tucked an arm about her waist as they crossed the street, and she pressed into him, joy bubbling all through her, like champagne and fireworks on New Year’s Eve. She turned when he opened the truck door, cupping his jaw and leaning up to kiss him, her reward a low growl and a swat on the butt as she climbed into the seat. Hugging the evening close, she watched his long, easy stride.
“What’s only a couple of blocks off the water?” At his quizzical glance while he fired the engine, she gestured behindthem at the restaurant. “You and Andy were super engrossed before we ate.”
“Oh, yeah.” Grasping her headrest, he glanced over his shoulder and shifted to reverse. “I’m thinking about selling the cabin when we get married.”
“Wait.” She gaped. He loved that house, had designed and crafted the entire thing. She couldn’t envision him giving it up. “What?”
“All jokes about date night and a sitter aside, why do we need two houses here?” He shrugged, easing into the flow of light traffic. “It’s not a Chuck Calvert build, but the work is solid and that lot is prime. Figure I’d get enough to knock out the mortgage on your place and make a downpayment on a place down at the coast.”
“A beach house?”
“Well, yeah.” His shoulders moved in an easy shrug. “We’re talking about having a family, and a weekend place makes sense. We can look at the lake if you’d rather have something there.”
“Either would be amazing.” Her wide smile made her cheeks ache. She could see it – something cute and colorful, Colt with their kids on the sand, the two of them sitting on the deck, listening to the waves and watching stars. With the flat of her hand, she vented her excitement on his biceps. “I love you.”
“Hey. Not so hard.” He rubbed at the spot and shot her a frown before a grin tugged at his lips. “I love you, too.”
She subsided into her seat, hugging this new idea to herself, too. “We are going to have a great life.”
He chuckled, slowing for a red light. “Well, yeah.”
The confidence in that reply thrilled her all over again. This man, the life they were creating together . . . she simply could not ask for more.
