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“So, only child, huh? I guess that explains why you’re so spoiled,” I teased gently as I settled back on the bench beside her, hoping to lift the mood.
“I resent that stereotype, Hayden Brandt. What about you? You’re the rebellious middle-child, huh?”
I laughed. “I may be the literal middle Brandt brother, being the older twin, but Hunter got all the rebellious genes, believe me. Though, if you talked to anyone from our hometown, they’d probably say we shared that trait, because I rarely let Hunter get into trouble by himself when we were kids. We were eight when our mom died, and that’s the way Hunter dealt with his emotions. He just didn’t. He’s still a little like that, though he stopped dragging me into his shenanigans once we hit high school.”
“Now you drag him into schemes to sell fake llamas on the internet. What a way to repay him.”
I felt my cheeks warm at the reference to the gone-so-wrong prank. I looked over at Charlotte to see a teasing glint in her eyes and felt myself relax.
“Yeah, I guess maybe I do have a bit of that middle child syndrome left in me, after all.”
A voice came over the loudspeaker, letting us know we’d be arriving at the dock in Old Town in five minutes.
Charlotte looked surprised. “Wow, that trip seemed to take no time at all.”
“I lose track of time all the time when I’m with you, Charlotte.”
A blush darkened her cheeks, already rosy from the elements. I tucked a windswept piece of hair behind her ear again. I would take any opportunity I could to touch her casually, not wanting to cross too far. The sudden jarring motion of the boat meeting the side of the dock broke us out of the moment and I put my hand back on my thigh.
“So”—she stood, getting ready to leave the boat—“please tell this only child more stories about what it was like to grow up with four brothers.”
I stood up to join her.
“I’ll start with the blackmail stories about Preston. I’m sure he’ll return the favor whenever you two meet. It’s only a matter of time after the gala.”
“When?” Charlotte looked at me, seeming shocked by my certainty. I smiled. It had been a long time since my brothers had met a woman who meant something to me. Preston, being geographically closest, would absolutely volunteer as tribute, especially since he was the nosiest one of the bunch.
“Yes, Charlotte. When. Now, let’s go get you some books.”
Chapter
Eighteen
Charlotte
Hayden and I walked up King Street from the waterfront, heading toward the bookstore I had heard about. Hayden kept me laughing with stories about Preston and his other brothers that were somewhat childish and embarrassing, but endearing. What I really took away from them was how much love the brothers shared for each other, even if they were no longer all under one roof. I knew my parents loved me, but we didn’t have many family memories that didn’t involve the bookstore as well. Hayden, his brothers, and their dad had lost so much, but had never forgotten what remained.
Was it the certainty there would be a brother to pick up the phone when he called that gave Hayden the confidence this thing between us would work out—the very thing I was trying to ignore? I figured pretending the kiss from last night didn’t happen was the least awkward way to not address it, but Hayden seemed determined to respect my boundaries while also being sure I knew he wasn’t giving up.
“Charlotte?”
I looked around, standing at the edge of the sidewalk ready to cross another street, but Hayden was no longer beside me.
“The bookstore is down this way, I think?”
I looked up at the street sign and saw he was right.
“Thanks, I was just…” I trailed off, turning to join him, continuing down the sidewalk.
“I knew the story about making mud pies naked in the backyard was one too many.”
I laughed. “No, no it’s not that, it’s just…” Would I ever finish a sentence today?
Hayden looked down at me. “I know.”
And he did seem to know, without me even saying anything, and was content to wait for me to figure my jumbled head out.
Hayden put his hand on my lower back, guiding me through the door to heaven—a.k.a. a bookstore—where all problems, like handsome men who were too sweet and understanding for me to handle, didn’t exist.
