As if by some weird twist of fate—like when you lose something, buy a new one, only to then find the one you lost—my phone buzzed not long after with a message from the real estate agency.
“We have a new property that fits your budget. It’s in excellent condition, though a bit out of your radius—it’s in Sunset Beach.”
“I’m off the market. But thank you,”I texted back, a grin I couldn’t wipe off spreading across my lips.
TO MY SURPRISE, OWENended up buying the monstrous car he’d rented, so our lane was clogged daily now. But coming back home, passing by the home gym he’d built, and hearing his grunt was something I could get used to.
Now, I could walk in, watch the little smile spread across his face, wait for him to return the bar with the heavy thingies to its place, and pull me to lie on top of him—right there on the bench.
He was salty and tasty, and we made out like two teenagers.
“You have to move your stuff into my room,” he mumbled into my neck. “Bring the strawberries.”
I chuckled. “I don’t have strawberries anything. You have to tell me more about this.”
“I will—when you move your stuff into mine.” He angled his head so we were looking at each other.
“Why don’t you move into mine?” I asked.
“Better idea. The third bedroom shares a wall with mine. We can knock it down and make one big room. Yours can be a nursery later or something.”
“A nursery?” My brows lifted on their own volition.
“Yeah. We need more people who appreciate football here.” He lifted his head and pressed his lips to mine.
“So you want to make your own people?”
He huffed a little laugh. “With you? I want to make everything.”
“Don’t you want to shower this sweat off in the ocean first?” I asked.
He kissed me again and pushed us both up.
We ended up in the water, close to the shore, just up to our waists in the afternoon tide. Standing in my panties and bra in the cold water, kissing, and being wrapped in Owen was the best appetizer ever.
“HE SAIDwhat?” Ruby nearly jumped out of her chair.
Daphne looked at Evangeline. “Calm her down, you’re closer,” she said drily.
The three of us laughed, all eyes on Ruby.
“I wanted to meet and break the news to her alone, but she insisted you should all hear it,” I said, glancing at the other two.
“I’m happy for you,” Evangeline said. “Finally, some good news.”
She had a heart of gold, that one—as my mom would say if she ever met her.
“Same,” Daphne said in her dry-as-dust way. “And Ruby will behave as soon as she breathes. Yes, she said nursery. Babies. Get used to it, Ruby. Your friends are on the other side of thirty-five. You’ll have more of that, if you haven’t already.”
“Sex, falling in love, river tattoos, babies. What’s next?”
“Didn’t your mother tell you sex might lead to falling in love?” Evangeline quipped.
“When’s Sebastian next in town?” I asked.
“Eleven days, but what has that got to do with anything?” Ruby said defensively.
“Nothing. Just that you know the exact number of days,” I replied, to the laughter of the other two.
