Addie turned to them. “I swear I told him not to come.”
“I believe you.” Noah sighed. “It’s fine.”
“Burt means well,” Colt agreed.
“Although, now he’ll stay, and we’ll actually have to eat it,” Noah said with a frown. “That could be a problem.”
“I can sneak slices away while he’s not watching,” Addie said. “Stash them somewhere.”
Noah grinned. “I knew you’d be a good fit here.”
“I’m sure I can wrangle some more people to help you,” Colt added.
Addie checked her watch. “It’s almost time for you guys to speak. Are you ready?”
“Speak?” Colt asked. Who the hell said anything about speaking?
“Just a quick thank you,” Noah said like it was nothing.
OfcourseNoah knew about this. So why the hell hadn’t he said anything?
Addie moved over to the music and turned it down before lifting a microphone. “Hi, everyone. If I could have your attention?”
The crowd quieted.
“I’m Addie. I take care of the admin side of things here. And I’d like to call up Noah Hayes and Colt Reed, the new owners of the park and the men responsible for the reopening!”
The crowd roared and cheered, and Colt was pretty sure he heard Becket hooting. He followed Noah toward Addie.
Noah spoke first. Because of course he did. He’d probably rehearsed an entire speech. He covered all the main points, thanking Randy’s team, mentioning everyone who’d contributed to the opening.
As Noah spoke, Colt found Indie in the crowd again. She was watching him, a soft smile on her face. And he felt the same thing he always felt when he looked at her. Love. But not the kind that just lived in the heart. It took over every part of him. His bones. His blood. It was all he felt sometimes.
When Noah handed the microphone to Colt, there wasn’t much more to add. “I think Noah covered most of what needed to be said, but he’s always been the more organized of the two of us.” The crowd chuckled. “I will add that there’s one person who has helped me get here…my wife.”
He watched as her smile widened.
“Indie, you’re my best friend. And I’ve made some pretty crappy decisions in my life, but coming home to you was the best one by far. Well, second to loving you.”
There was an audible sigh from the crowd.
“This park may be under my and Noah’s names, but it has your fingerprints all over it,” Colt finished. “I love you, Cricket.”
The crowd clapped, and tears gathered in Indie’s eyes.
Then someone from his peripheral vision caught his attention. His brows flickered at the sight of his mother, Ben by her side. She wasn’t supposed to be here.
He gave himself a mental shake as he returned his attention to the crowd. “Have a good evening, everyone. And eat—there’s so much food!”
He handed the microphone back to Addie. She turned the music back on, and the crowd returned to their conversations while Colt wove through the group, his gaze never leaving Indie. She met him halfway.
“That was beautiful,” she whispered.
“You’rebeautiful.” He gripped her hip. “I know I’ve brought a lot of baggage to our marriage with my parents—”
She touched a finger to his lips. “I love you, and nothing your parents do or say has anything to do with that. I loveyou.”
“I never had a good example of a father, and he never showed me how a good husband was supposed to act. But I will spend my life trying to do better than him.”
