Page 49 of Kiss the Bride

Her heart pounded. “And yours? What did he say about yours?”

Ryan barked a laugh. “He plunked that misshapen, lopsided thing on the table and said he’d always known I’d finish whatever I started. No matter how difficult it was.” His voice grew tight again. “He told me that’s how he knew I’d do whatever I set out to do. It was how he knew I’d finish the Boat Works in time for Wedding-in-a-Week. He was so sure of it, he filled out the entry form in my name and paid the fee.”

“Oh, wow,” she whispered. Getting into the contest involved a sizable chunk of change.

“Yeah, wow. This changes everything. It’s going to take some time to overcome perceptions of the past. But I think my dad and I can finally have a real relationship. My brothers, too.”

“Does this mean you’ll go to work for Court Builders?” She held her breath. Ryan had put a lot of time and effort into building his own business. He wouldn’t give that up, would he? She hated to think of him walking away from his dreams.

Ryan shook his head. “Dad and I both agree my place isn’t in the family business. We’ll find a way to work together. Refer clients to one another. That sort of thing. Enjoy Sunday dinners without feeling like we’re on pins and needles the whole time.”

He’d braced his palms on the rock wall. Tentatively, she placed her hand on one of his forearms. Beneath the sleeve of his sweatshirt, she felt his muscles tense. “I’m glad for you, Ryan. Truly. I know how much it bothered you that things weren’t good between you and your folks.”

“You did?” He swung toward her, his eyes scouring her face. “I never complained about it, did I?”

“You didn’t have to. I knew anyway.”

“Huh. Guess you know me better than I know myself.” He turned to face her, his arm still braced on the wall. “That’s one thing about you, Evelyn. We’ve known each other practically our entire lives. You’d think by now I’d know everything there was to know about you, but you constantly surprise me. There’s still so much more about you I want to learn.”

Her breath caught. She’d been thinking the same thing, but she’d never in a million years thought Ryan returned the feeling. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

She welcomed his touch when Ryan put an arm around her and hugged her close. They stood for a while, their hips grazing as the twilight deepened. As they watched, a large ship steamed into view and began making its slow trip across the horizon.

Ryan aimed his chin at the big boat. “A cruise ship out of New York,” he murmured. “I wonder where they’re headed.”

“Someplace warm and sunny,” she suggested, relishing the weight of his arm across her shoulders. “The Bahamas, maybe? Or Antigua?”

“Have you ever visited the Caribbean?”

“No. I’ve always wanted to. It’s just …” She hesitated, then shrugged. Ryan had shared his innermost thoughts and fears with her tonight. She wanted to repay his trust by opening up to him, too. “Until now, it’s been hard to get away from the Captain’s Cottage. When Uncle Dave died and my parents retired, Jason and I suddenly found ourselves in charge. It was a lot sooner than either of us expected and, even with a lot of help from Alicia and Connie, we struggled a bit. It took us a while to settle into a new routine. It took even longer for me to figure out this isn’t what I really want to do for the rest of my life.”

“It’s not?” Surprise showed in Ryan’s features. “I thought you liked your job.”

“I love the Captain’s Cottage,” she corrected. “And Jason’s the best. We work really well together. But I don’t think the role of Maiden Aunt is a good fit for me. And you have to admit, I’m not your average bookkeeper.” She touched one finger to her eyes. “No horn-rimmed glasses. No pencil stuck in my hair.”

He laughed at that. “No, you’re not. You’re an original.”

“Once Tara and Jason get back from their honeymoon, I think it might be time to move on.”

Concern flashed in Ryan’s eyes. “You’re not … not leaving, are you? Not going back to New York?”

She gave her head a firm shake. “No. I closed that door. Like you, I’ve decided I want to stay in Heart’s Landing. It’s my home. But there has to be more to my life than numbers and inventory lists. I just don’t know what it is yet.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Ryan said. He sounded far surer of that than she felt.

“I hope so,” she whispered.

“You will.” His voice firmed. “You’re the most capable person I know. Look how well you’ve done running the Cottage while Jason’s been away.”

“I don’t know.” She scuffed one foot across the cement walkway. “Alicia and Jenny have helped a lot.”

“You’re too modest.” He eased his arm from her shoulders and stepped to the side. “Not only have you kept things going smoothly at the Cottage, you’ve taken on the Wedding-in-a-Week festivities. I can pretty much guarantee Brianna wouldn’t be walking down the aisle on Sunday if you hadn’t calmed her fears and helped her realize how much she and Daniel love each other.”

“That’s one thing I have enjoyed. Bookkeepers don’t usually play a hands-on role in the lives of our brides. Whatever I end up doing, I’d like to do more of that.”

When she stopped for a breath, Ryan’s quiet, “You should. You’re good at it,” warmed her heart and encouraged her to go on.

“Once Jason and Tara get back, she’ll take over as the official hostess of the Captain’s Cottage. Which means I’m going to have plenty of time to figure out my next step.”

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