That Secret Crush (Getting Lucky #3)(33)

“I’ll have my fingers crossed.” I make it down the hill, turn left onto Main Street, and head straight for the giant white building with red and teal accents: the Lobster Landing. The building is iconic in Port Snow, sitting right at the end of Main Street, which is a tourist mecca with a picnic-table courtyard, the Jake’s Cakes food truck, and harbor-tour kiosks.

“What about you? What’s been keeping you so busy that you couldn’t call me back in over a week?”

If there’s one person I can talk to about my current romantic relationship, it’s Avery. She’s known all about my crush on Reid since middle school, and she’s quite aware of “the curse.”

“So, I might have started a little relationship.”

“A little relationship?” she shrieks. “With who? Oh my God, wait, let me guess. Hmm . . . is it Jake? I know you can’t get enough of his crab cakes, plus he’s so yummy.”

“Not Jake.”

“Okay, I mean, that would have been a good match, but I can let that one go. Hmm, oh, how about Oliver over at the general store? He’s so mysterious, always churning his ice cream but not saying much besides what flavors he’s making. Have you gotten him to open up?”

Oliver is kind of a mystery.

“No, not Oliver. He’s a little too quiet for me.”

“Fair enough. Okay, give me a second. I’m trying to think of all the single guys in Port Snow. Well, it’s definitely not Tracker because you’ve told me before that his man-whore ways aren’t for you. Right?”

“Correct.”

“Well, if it’s not Tracker and . . . oh wait.” A smile crosses my face, but she says, “Caleb, it’s got to be Caleb.”

Oh boy. Maybe she’s not as in tune with me as I thought she was.

“Didn’t he recently get divorced? Look at you, snagging him. He’s super sexy behind that camera of his.”

The local photographer, Caleb, shoots everything from scenic pictures of Port Snow to weddings to graduations to boudoir. He lives high up on a hill in a little cottage that overlooks a cliff, which he might turn into a wedding venue. I believe he told Mrs. Davenport, who then told everyone, that if he couldn’t make his marriage work, he could at least help others make some happy memories.

“It’s not Caleb.” I slow my pace, taking in the little shops on Main Street. I pass the local art gallery and peek inside the window, where I spot Beck, Port Snow’s new artist and curator. I give him a quick wave, which he returns, and keep moving.

“Well, then I give up. Who else is there? I mean, yeah, there are some other singles hanging around, but none that we’ve talked about.” She pauses and then laughs. “It could be a Knightly.” More laughter fills my earbuds. “Yeah, like that would happen. Who’s even left? Brig and Reid? Brig is way too—” She pauses, and I swear I can hear her mind working on overdrive. “Holy. Shit. Eve, are you seeing Reid Knightly?”

Why is it impossible to hold back a smile when I hear his name? Am I really that smitten?

“Might be him.”

“Might be or is? I need some solid confirmation here because this is huge.”

“Yes, it’s Reid,” I say quietly, making sure no one overhears me.

“Oh my God!” she screams. “You’re dating Reid Knightly? Since when? For how long? Why did you not tell me right away? I’m so mad at you!”

“Settle down, okay? It’s been a little over a week, and I honestly didn’t really think it was the real deal at first.”

“How did it happen?”

“Well, it kind of came out of nowhere. I think he’s had feelings for me for a little while and decided to act on them.”

“Of course he’s had feelings for you—any person with eyes would be able to see that. So he made the first move?”

“Yeah, he likes to think I did, but it was totally him. It was the night of my dad’s death anniversary; he was at the Inn and asked me to dance after he made me take a few shots.”

“Nice. Got you all liquored up.”

“That’s what I thought, but I never really felt drunk. And the dancing, Avery, we’re not talking about ballroom stuff; he was grinding up on me, and it was so freaking hot.”

“Oh God, was he hard?”

“Yup.”

“Ah! Then what happened?”

“I brought him back to my place because the roads were impossible to drive on. He came back, and well, I might have taken my shirt off.”

“You hussy. I love it. So obviously you’ve had sex. Are the rumors true about Reid’s assets?”

I knew she was going to ask. It’s why I love Avery so much: she has no filter. “Let’s just say he lives up to the legend.”

“Oh damn. I’m fanning my face right now. Of course he lives up to it. The Knightlys are their own breed of man.” I can’t disagree with that. “So, this is kind of amazing. Are you giddy?”

“Maybe a little,” I answer honestly. “He’s just—God, Avery, he’s the same guy who’s always teasing me, but there is this other side of him, this relationship Reid, that makes me absolutely swoon.”

“Aw, I’m so happy for you. Not at all jealous. Not even the slightest. No jealousy whatsoever.”