The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(90)
“Yep,” she replied through gritted teeth. “If anyone asks, drinking a Growly Bear is the less painful rite of passage.”
By the time Zoey made it back to the room and finished getting ready, her phone was already buzzing. Graham was down at the lake, and they were setting up their own fireworks to shoot off. Would she come meet him?
As if he even had to ask.
Moose Springs Lake was a short walk down the mountainside, nestled beneath the resort’s shadow. Large enough to boat and fish in but not nearly as massive as the lakes she was used to back home in the Midwest, Moose Springs Lake was the place to go for all Fourth of July festivities. Already the waters were filling with pontoon boats and little fishing boats, people playing music and swimming. On the shore, trucks and cars were parked, blankets spread on the ground, and children ran with sparklers in their hands.
“Someone’s going to lose an eye,” Zoey murmured.
“Yes, but it’ll be fun up until it happens.”
Turning around at Graham’s familiar rumble, Zoey found herself swept up in the best, most massive bear hug.
“So, are you adding to this craziness?”
“You better believe it.” He was practically vibrating with childlike enthusiasm. “Any excuse to close the diner after lunch. Here, I got you something.” Graham tossed her a small firework box with a round frog on the label. “It’s a frog prince. It matches your little money holder thing.”
“You remember my coin purse?”
“It’s a sparkly frog. A guy doesn’t forget a pretty girl with a sparkly frog in her back pocket. Lucky frog.”
Sliding his hands into said back pockets, Graham stole a kiss from Zoey’s lips.
“You’re trouble.”
“Always.” He gazed down at her, that look in his eyes.
The look that took the strength right out of Zoey’s knees and left her a mess, plastered all over him despite who might be watching. Graham didn’t seem to mind the plastering one single bit, not even when their embrace resulted in several ear-piercing catcalls.
“We might need to find a more private spot.” Graham hugged her again, pulling her up to her toes. “You look especially great today. Anything different?”
“It’s the glow of surviving my last rite of passage,” she informed him. Whispering in Graham’s ear, Zoey added, “Grace moosed me.”
A wide grin crossed his handsome features. “You know I’m going to lose a hand setting off fireworks now. I’m completely distracted by you.”
“Good. Keep that up.”
“Where’s Jake?” For once, Graham’s constant companion wasn’t with him.
“He’s staying with my parents tonight. Anchorage does a fireworks show but nothing like we do here. Jake gets scared of all the noise, and my folks aren’t big fireworks people. They’d rather spend time with their grandpuppy.”
She arched an eyebrow. “So you’re saying we have some alone time without the kids?”
“Better make the most of it.” Leaning in, Graham added, “Maybe I got a moose from Grace too.”
What was it about him that made her unable to stop smiling? Zoey’s face hurt from grinning so much, and she was hoarse from laughter. They spent the afternoon surrounded by his friends, helping the younger kids with the kid-safe poppers and spinners. Zoey happily ate what was offered her, be it delicious potato salads, incredible desserts, or unknown animal flesh formed in hot dog shapes and slathered in ketchup.
The fireworks grew bigger and better as the afternoon turned into evening. Sitting with Ash and some of Graham’s friends, Zoey found herself utterly content, watching him lighting off the fireworks, happier than she’d ever seen him. A few mishaps occurred, including one accidental tipping of a mortar. Everyone dove for cover as fiery shells zipped over their heads instead of toward the sky, exploding on the grass frighteningly close. But as she climbed back into her lawn chair, Zoey knew Graham wasn’t the only one having a blast.
Surrounded by the warm kindness of Graham’s friends, Zoey couldn’t remember ever being so happy.
When the resort started their fireworks show, each burst bigger than the last, it seemed to renew everyone’s efforts to shoot off more fireworks of their own. Zoey loved watching the colors exploding across the sky, but her eyes kept drifting back to Graham. He must have noticed the way she was watching him, because even as the resort started to roll the big ones out, Graham came over, kneeling next to her chair instead of watching.
“I parked a little way away,” he told her. “Want to help me get some blankets?”
Considering he’d waited until everyone was distracted to ask her, Zoey was fairly sure the blankets weren’t the only reason why Graham invited her to go somewhere, just the two of them, alone.
Feeling her cheeks flush in response to the heat in his eyes, Zoey nodded. “Absolutely.”
They walked around the lake to where he had left his truck. And yes, it was still near people, because everyone in town was at the lake right then, but compared to where they had spent the afternoon, it was as close to privacy as they were going to get.
Drawing her in close, Graham leaned against the side of the truck bed. Denied his hands on her for too long, Zoey pulled his face down to hers, pressing into his warm, strong body. It should be illegal to look that good, to kiss her like her legs were going to buckle, to steal her breath but keep her desperate for more. By the time it occurred to her she needed to breathe at some point, they were both winded. The air had grown cool, and it felt good on her heated neck.