The Wrong Mr. Right (The Queen's Cove Series #2)(75)

“Yeah, I know.” His teeth scored my skin and I sucked a breath in. “Just wanted you to know that.”

Between my legs, pressure built. The same pressure that happened when I saw Wyatt chopping wood without a shirt, muscles rippled and sweat dripping down his forehead.

“You getting hurt was my fault, bookworm.” His voice was low and my center clenched. “And now I’m going to take care of you.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “All night long.” He slapped my ass and I yelped with surprise. He headed back out the patio door with a sly wink and I stared after him with my mouth hanging open.

My center ached and I had the urge to drag him out of here, not caring who saw or what his family thought.

I groaned and downed half my water glass. I couldn’t get turned on in my mother-in-law’s kitchen.

Wait, mother-in-law? I shook my head hard. No. No, no. Stop, Hannah. She was Avery’s mother-in-law.

He thought about us married, though. Wyatt. The guy who didn’t believe in long-term love.

“I was thinking,” Elizabeth said, stepping into the kitchen through the patio door, jarring me from my thoughts. “We should start a book club.”

“A book club?” I raised my eyebrows and blinked.

“Well,” she winced. “More like, you recommend books, I read them, and we talk about them over lunch.”

“Oh.” I blinked more. “Sure. I was going to bring you that historical romance I was telling you about anyway.”

She smiled wide at me. “Wonderful. That would be wonderful.” She watched me for a moment with a wistful expression. “I just adore you, honey. Your mother would be so proud of you.”

My throat closed up and I couldn’t breathe. I started to turn away but Elizabeth’s hands came to my arms and she turned me to her. I couldn’t hide.

“I forgot you knew my mom.” My voice wobbled and I cleared my throat.

“I sure did.” The apples of her cheeks popped when she smiled. “I remember how proud Claire was of you as a little girl and then as you grew up, as a teenager.” She nodded. “Oh, yes. If she saw you today, running that shop and chopping off your hair and camping and surfing, she’d be thrilled.”

I didn’t say anything, just let her words settle in my head. They rolled around in my mind as I considered them.

Maybe she would be proud.

“The only thing she ever wanted was for you to be happy. That’s all I want for Wyatt.” She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what that looks like, as long as he lives a life that’s good for him.” She raised an eyebrow and that wolfish gleam appeared in her gaze. “But it sure looks like what’s good for him is you.”

My mouth fell open. “I don’t—”

“It’s none of my business.” She rubbed my arms again and stepped away with a smile and a wink. “You don’t have to explain anything to anyone.” She disappeared through the patio doors and I stood there, feeling seen, special, confused, and torn.

We sat out on the patio until it got dark. Holden had to head home because he had an early morning the next day and Emmett wanted to get up for a run and Wyatt was sending me more of those worried glances, so we said goodbye, exchanged hugs, and headed home.

Holden’s reaction to Emmett and Avery’s ring discussion popped into my head. “Do you think Holden’s lonely?”

He made an amused noise of disbelief. “No. He could date if he wanted to.”

I thought back to who I was before this whole thing with Wyatt started. How I wanted someone but didn’t know how to go for it. I had hid in my bookstore with my nose pressed up against the glass, watching the world go by. “What if he doesn’t know how?”

When he pulled the truck into his driveway, anticipation fluttered in my stomach.

We hadn’t discussed where I would sleep tonight. Mid-afternoon, we had stopped at my place and I had packed a bag of clothes and books. He’d probably offer his bed to me like a gentleman and sleep on the couch.

I didn’t want that, though. I wanted more of what we did while camping.

I smiled to myself. I was going to be brave and go for what I wanted.





22





Hannah





We stepped in the front door of Wyatt’s home and slipped our shoes off. The air radiated with tension.

“Are you tired?” His hand came to my arm and he peered down at me, searching my face.

It was only nine thirty. I smiled and shook my head.

“Great. Go sit on the couch and I’ll bring you a tea.”

My heart squeezed. Staying over, him making me tea, dinner with his family, it was like I was his girlfriend. Like I was his. Like he was taking care of something precious to him.

Hannah, shut up, I told myself. It was just tea. Avery had made me tea before. It wasn’t a big thing.

I plopped down on the couch in Wyatt’s living room. His home was small and tidy, with sparse, minimalist furniture, and I got the sense he didn’t spend much time in the living room. He was either on the water, in his shop, or hanging out with his brothers. He had a TV though, and a few accent items like a sansevieria plant and a framed vintage surf poster. Perhaps Elizabeth had brought those over.

Wyatt returned from the kitchen with mugs of tea, and I remembered something Avery had said to me.