“Last night when we started cleaning up, we found Alice licking the plates on the coffee table.” I shake my head remembering the sight.
“My dog would never.” Lexi puts her hand over her heart in mock outrage. “Well, I’m going to do homework. You two have fun.”
She rushes out of the room and I have zero doubts she’ll actually be reading a book instead of doing the homework she needs to do.
“Need help cooking dinner?” I look up at Peter.
“Sure.” He leans down and captures my lips with his. I could get used to this sort of welcome. Finally, he breaks the kiss. “Now we can cook dinner.”
Yeah, I’m going to miss this when we can finally go back home.
Twenty-Three
Peter
Callie and I move as one throughout the kitchen. Each takes care of a task while we prepare dinner. It’s almost like a dance, and I can’t believe the two of us can share a space like this without bumping into each other. I don’t even have this easy of a workflow with my siblings and we’ve worked together for literal years.
I hear a vehicle outside, and I think nothing of it. It's likely one of my brothers out on the golf cart because they’re bored, or nosy. They always have to know what everyone else is up to. The old ladies in town have nothing on my siblings when it comes to gossip. Moments later, the sound stops, and there's a knock at the back door. Everyone who is supposed to be here is already here. Nobody in my family knocks. They barge in as if they own the place. I have no idea who it could be. Anyone who visits comes to the front door.
I turn toward the back of the house and see Callie flinch before she faces me. “I may have forgotten to mention my brother said he was going to stop by. He's having Peter withdrawals.”
“You know, from anyone on the outside looking in, their mind would go straight to the gutter.”
“As if yours isn’t.” Callie’s giggle sends waves of happiness through me.
I make my way to the mudroom and open the back door. Miles is in fact here. He’s rubbing his hands together to stay warm. I would have thought the cold didn’t bother him as much since he works in it.
“It’s about time. It’s freezing out here.”
“I don’t know why you knocked. You usually come right in.”
“Yeah, but that’s before you were dating my sister. I don’t want to walk in on anything that’ll give me nightmares.”
My feet stick to the floor at his statement. Oh shit. “When did you find out?”
“Callie told me earlier. I guess she forgot to tell you.” He shakes his head.
“Is that why you came over? To tell me not to hurt your sister.” I don’t want Callie to hear anything I’m saying in case it upsets her, so I keep my voice low.
“I had already planned on dropping by. I haven’t seen you since before the storm. But the hurting my sister part, that’s a given. I didn’t think I’d need to voice it.”
“You don’t because I have no intention of hurting her.”
“Good.” He claps me on the shoulder. “I’m glad the two of you are finding happiness. Now, what’s for dinner?”
That’s my best friend. Always thinking about food.
Well, that went better than expected. I thought things might be weird, but nope. Miles handled our hand-holding and snuggling with grace. He didn’t even make a face. Hopefully, my family is the same way when we show up together at a function.
“So, next month we’re doing a Valentine’s Day thing at the winery, would you like to be my date?”
“When did you start doing events? I don’t remember y’all doing anything except bottling and selling wine.” Callie scratches her head in confusion.
“Piper and Paula have made it their mission to bring the community to the winery. Offering events is what is getting them here. We used to do things with Out of the Ashes at the bar. It was a win-win situation.” I grip her hand in mine. “Now, they want to do it all in house. Piper said it builds brand recognition.”
“She has a point. Your little sister has always been someone who thinks out of the box.”
“Yep. It caused some issues in the fall because Pierce didn’t want to hand over anything to Piper. It as a whole thing. He even roped Beau into it. That caused some friction between the siblings. Since then, she hasn’t really talked to Pierce. I don’t blame her one bit.”
