“Aw, she’s giving you a kiss.” Haddy pats her back. “That’s your cousin Austin, Lulu. He carried us all around when we were your age.”
“When you weren’t out here with your parents,” Austin counters.
“She does have Haddy’s bone structure,” Edward notes, standing beside them. “But I think her eyes are more like Gavin’s. Haddy’s eyes are violet.”
“Like Elizabeth Taylor’s!” Gina walks over with Heather to stand beside Dove. “It’s why she won all those pageants.”
“Oh, those silly pageants,” Dove laughs, shaking her head. “Don’t remind me.”
I want to reassure her she should’ve won every pageantshe ever entered, but Knox would give me hell for such a comment.
“You were always so good with babies.” Gina puts her hand on Austin’s arm, where Lucy is currently propped chewing her fist. “You must miss Callie.”
“He has a plan to change that situation,” Edward says, and we all perk up.
“What?” Gina looks from him to Austin again.
Austin looks down, shaking his head. “Never could keep a secret, could you, Ed?”
“Nevermind that, tell us!” Gina shakes Austin’s arm.
“Dad’s talking about retiring…” We all let out varying exclamations of disbelief as Austin continues. “He asked if I’d ever consider moving back to Newhope and taking over as head coach at the high school. I’m at the end of my contract. I could retire, and I’d be able to take care of Callie myself.”
“Oh, Austin.” Haddy clasps her hands in front of her nose, eyes watery. “It would be like a full-circle moment. Your dad going back to Newhope with Kimmie… Will you do it?”
“Yeah,” he nods. “I’m going to talk to him and make a plan.”
“Well, that’s a happy ending!” Dove smiles, putting her hand in the crook of my arm.
Austin nods at her, and I put my hand over her smaller one holding onto me. I think about my own life and happy endings. I think about the orchard and the trees, and I wonder how I could help Dove with her happy ending.
“Glass tables.”Dove is leaning against the kitchen counter holding a mug of coffee in both hands.
Her hair is all pulled up in a messy bun, and little bits fall around her cheeks and neck. She’s wearing a long-sleeved tee and PJ pants, and her face looks freshly washed.
She’s a ray of sunshine across the smooth ocean. She’s a warm fire on a cool summer night. She makes my stomach tighten and my body lift. She’s perfect.
“I hate seeing hairy legs and feet when I’m trying to eat.” Her mouth distorts in an expression of pure disgust, and she sticks out her tongue.
“Aw!” Knox falls back with a groan, holding his neck. “So gross.”
She laughs, and I pat her shoulder as I pass. “’morning, sunshine. What are you two doing in here?”
“Oh, Mav!” She turns worried eyes on me. “Did we wake you?”
“How was the couch, Brocephus?” Knox calls to me, and I flip him off as I pull a Mountain Dew from the fridge.
“Knox was just about to tell me what he hates the most. Go.” Dove lifts her mug to take a sip, and I walk around to stand beside her.
My cousin’s eyes drift up to me, and if he says some double-entendre, innuendo bullshit about me and Dove, I swear to God…
He hesitates. My shoulders tense…
“Wicker chairs,” he blurts, dropping his eyes to hers.
“Oh lord, tell me about it,” Dove replies. “They’re scratchy, they pull your clothes…”
“They’re too weak. I’m a big guy. Breaking chairs is a legit concern.”
