“Jesus, woman. It’s too early for your nonsense.”
I pat the cushion beside me, inviting Jett to sit. “You love me.”
He hands me a plate before dropping down beside me. “I tolerate you.”
“Liar.”
His thigh is warm against my bare skin. I love our mornings spent together. I’m glad he decided to take the morning off and stay home with me. I press play andLegally Blonderesumes.
“I remember this movie,” he mumbles, mouth full.
I tip my nose in disgust. “Chew and swallow.”
He rolls his eyes.
“You should remember it. I watch it every Fourth of July.
“Since you were twelve, I know.”
“It’s patriotic.”
He chokes on his coffee. “How so?”
“She looks like the Fourth of July!”
“One line? About a hot dog.”
I shrug, and we both chuckle.
Silence falls over the room as the movie plays in the background. Our forks clink as we eat breakfast. Placing my empty plate on the table, I rest my head on his shoulder. His heavy arm wraps around me, pulling me in close.
Even with one of my favorite movies playing on the screen, I can feel the tension rolling off him in waves. It’s in the way his jaw clenches, eyes drifting from the TV to the window as he stares out over the field.
He’s somewhere else. Fighting an invisible battle and keeping something locked tight behind his armored walls.
There’s a storm brewing. I feel it in my bones.
By noon, the town is alive.
Main Street is bustling. Jett finds a rare empty spot near The Spillway, which means we’ll have to walk to the festival. Good thing I wore sensible shoes, per Jett’s request. But don’t worry, I won’t tell him it was a good idea to wear flat shoes and not my wedges, even though they look better with my dress.
He laces his fingers through mine the second we step out of the truck, eyes scanning every direction.
“Relax,” I murmur. “You look like you’re going to clear the area.”
“Habit.”
I eye him skeptically, not believing it’s a habit.
Nuzzling into his side, I press up onto my toes to leave a kiss on his sharp jaw. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His grip tightens, lips curling slightly. “I know.”
But his eyes keep moving.
Music plays on the speakers hanging from lampposts as we walk toward the lakeside park.
Silo Bay is known for its summer festivals and is a tourist destination as soon as warm weather hits. With Lake Drummond attracting boaters all over the state and Sunset Shores being the number one resort in Ohio, people flock to our tiny town from May through fall.
