Stuart clears his throat; I always forget when he’s around. Peeking around Stone and Holden, I see Stuart staring up from the tablet at the desk. “Could you do one more thing for me before you go?” He rolls his shoulder back and seems afraid to ask.
Poor kid, Stone still makes him nervous. “Sure,” I reply, my smile still intact.
“On the dock, there seems to be a guest who wants to complain about the rowboat.”
I grumble to myself. “Really?” I answer dryly. “That’s what I have to deal with before I go?”
“We would offer to step in, but we have places to go and people to see. Enjoy your free day, Summer,” Holden states as he and Stone propel themselves from the desk. Stone gives me a little nod and smiles as they walk away.
“Cookie?” Stuart’s upbeat tone is back as he holds up the basket of welcome cookies.
My brows knit together. “What shape?”
His eyes dip down, and he examines the basket. “Uh, we’re back to the traditional chocolate chip. Oh, there is this odd-shaped one.”
My hand finds my hip that tips out. “Odd-shaped one? We are serving our guests deformed cookies?”
Stuart shrugs, and I’m quick to snap the cookie from the basket, completely unenthused. I look at the cookie then do a double take. My head lolls softly to the side. Huh? Is this…
“I think the dock issue is waiting,” Stuart reminds me, and now I realize that he has been setting me up.
The cookie I’m holding between my two fingers isn’t an odd shape.
It’s a treasure chest with icing.
My frustration with work vanishes. “Thanks. I better get a move on.”
The pace of my walk is nearly a skip through the Dizzy Duck until I stop at the door to the back patio. My hand stills on the handle as a rush of blood pumps through my body. Slowly opening the door, I’m greeted with the vision that I’ll never get bored of.
Nash is standing on the dock, holding my son’s raised hands, his nephew. Bo is strong but can only walk with our help. Any day now that will change.
I make my way to them, wrapping my arms around my body to keep me warm from the gentle breeze, and the moment my feet touch the dock, I’m aware that I won’t be leaving as the same woman.
Holding up the cookie, I grin, because Nash has a suave look that shows satisfaction to his plans. “Nice cookie request.” Ceremoniously, I take a bite.
His smirk knocks every nerve inside my body to red alert that Nash will make me happy. “Beats those damn ghost shapes,” he replies.
I step closer, my eyes meeting his for a few ticks before I lean down and offer Bo the remainder of the cookie.
Nash lets his hands go and encourages Bo to sit. “Why don’t we just have you chill there for a bit, huh, buddy?” Nash rustles Bo’s hair as my son grabs the cookie from my hand with vigor and is quick to go to town on it.
When Nash and I move to stand, our foreheads bump. “Ow.” I rub my head as we part.
Nash chuckles. “Of course, that would happen. We are on the mystical dock.”
“The dock.” It’s barely a whisper from my parted lips.
“Our place.”
“Our place,” I repeat.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Just going to repeat my words?”
I’m mesmerized because every fiber in my body is aware of what he’s about to do. It’s my instinct. “That depends.”
The gleam in Nash’s eyes seems as though he’s happy with that answer.
I snicker when he begins to lower to one knee because I knew two minutes ago how this scene would go. It doesn’t faze him as he continues his quest, taking hold of my hands and peering up at me.
