As the waitress returned with his credit card, she handed it back to him along with the credit card slip and a pen. He scrawled his name and a tip, then handed it back to her with a resigned smile when he noticed the cell phone clutched in her other hand. The middle-aged woman from the register stood behind her, and a moment later a tall, skinny guy with a white apron approached from the kitchen, peering over their shoulders at him.
“IknewI recognized you! Can I get a picture with you, K.C.? And an autograph?”
Free chuckled, but Kasey smiled with a nod and exaggerated his Texas drawl as he said, “Sure can. What’s your name, darlin’?”
FIVE
Half an hour, and several dozen selfies and autographs later, Kasey finally managed to escape the small breakfast diner, sliding in behind the wheel of his rental truck. Pulling the ball cap off his head, he tossed it into the passenger seat next to him.
Lot of good it did me in there, he thought, but then smiled. He’d had the cutest kid, little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy come up to him with his dad and ask for a photo. The kid, Oliver, the dad had said his name was, had been clutching aHot Wheelstoy replica of his car, painted with the number 33 on it.
Plugging Free’s address into the GPS in his phone, he pulled out of the diner parking lot and headed in the direction that he was instructed. He looked around as he drove, awed by the fall colors that surrounded the area on three sides. From the top of the hill, he could see the bay in his rearview mirror, and it stretched beyond to Lake Michigan.
Ten minutes later his GPS told him to make a right turn into a long, gravel driveway. As his truck rumbled along, the trees on his right opened up into a field where a small ranch-style house sat, a white Jeep Compass parked in front.
He climbed out and then reached into the backseat for his overnight bag just as the front door opened and Jodi Kendall stepped out, waving.
“Hiya, doll,” he called up the steps to her as he ascended them.
“Hi! How was your flight?” she asked as he reached the top of the steps. He draped one arm over her shoulders and squeezed, making her laugh.
“It was fine, we made good time with no headwind. Hope I didn’t wake you guys up when I messaged Free to meet me for breakfast,” he said and let her lead him into the house.
“Oh, not at all, we were up,” Jodi said and waved her hand. “He called and said you would be on your way over. I’ll be out of the house, so it’ll be nice and quiet for you to sleep.”
He nodded and yawned broadly. Hewasexhausted. Kasey followed Jodi down a hallway and into a guest bedroom with a bed that looked way too damn comfortable piled with a thick, fluffy down comforter and a pile of pillows he couldn’t wait to sink into. The windows faced east, which meant the sun was shining directly into the room as the sun was still making its ascent. Jodi crossed the room and drew the shades down, which darkened the room considerably.
She pointed back through the doorway across the hall and said, “The bathroom is just through there and help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Free should be home around five, but I’ll be out until close to six. I’m sorry the room isn’t available to you for the weekend, Roxy called dibs first.”
Kasey laughed, then stifled another broad yawn. Free, Kasey, and Roxy had been an inseparable trio while they all lived in Texas, before Free moved back to Michigan after finally admitting he was head over heels in love with the oldest Kendall daughter. Freeman’s brother, Shane, was standing as his best man, while Kasey and Roxy were groomsman and ‘grooms-maid’. Jodi’s younger brothers would stand as groomsmen as well.
“I don’t mind. I’ll just crash for a few hours and then head over to the hotel once they’ll let me check in. What time is Roxy getting in? I’ll make sure to be out before she gets here,” he said.
“I think she said her flight is coming into Traverse City at two this afternoon, so she should be here around four or five,” she said and stepped to the second window, pulling the shades down on that one as well.
“How are things with Roxy?” he asked, setting his bag down on the foot of the bed.
“They’re fine,” Jodi said and smiled over her shoulder at him. “It was a little awkward at first, I won’t lie. She’s very intimidating and seriouslygorgeous. It took some time to get used to the fact that she and Free used to…”
“Do the nasty?” he provided when she stalled, and she laughed at his exaggerated accent.
“Yes, that,” she said and rolled her eyes at him. “But Free assured me there was never any emotional feelings between them. It was just physical. Roxy and I have had many heart-to-heart chats about everything. I believe them.”
“That’s the honest truth,” Kasey said and nodded to the ring on her finger. “I’ve never seen him the way he is with you, doll. You were like this missing piece in him. I’ve never believed in that whole ‘soul mates’ mumbo jumbo. But if I did, you two would be the exception.”
“That’s so sweet,” Jodi said and smiled, her blue eyes lighting. Kasey couldn’t help but notice just how similar she and Shaun were in appearance. They shared the same brunette curls and sapphire blue eyes, but Jodi was petite while Shaun was nearly six feet tall. And Jodi was softer, sweeter, while Shaun was brash and fiery and stubborn.
He yawned again and Jodi laughed as she moved toward the door. “I’ll let you get some sleep.” She paused at the door and said softly, “Thank you for being here. I know it means a lot to Free to have you here. To me, too.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” he said and smiled, then winked. “I’m just glad he found someone to put up with his ornery self.”
Jodi laughed, rolling her eyes, which made him think about Shaun again. “Get some sleep, Kasey!”
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled as she pulled the door closed behind her as she left. He laid down on the comforter, not even bothering to take his jeans off, and as soon as his head hit the pile of pillows, he was out.
SIX
“Do you need any help?”
