Page 67 of Return to You

“Of course! You know I love Foster Pond and I get to spend the day with you. I’ve missed you.”

The past month had been crazy with tourist season in full swing but also because in addition to his jiu-jitsu classes KJ had decided to play summer league baseball and Ricky was volunteering at a summer reading program and had joined the Whisper Lake Playhouse teen program. He auditioned and was cast as Danny Zuko in Grease. It made things a lot easier having Kade around, and not just because she hadn’t had to cook and there was an extra driver. The boys were happier, she was happier…and it was nice not having to cook and having an extra driver.

Ali’s phone buzzed and she pulled it out and saw it was a text from Kade. It just said:

I love you

She messaged him back.

I love you too.

Since they’d told each other how they felt he rarely went more than a few hours without saying those three words to her. Her favorite was at night, when she was drifting off to sleep in his arms, she’d hear him whisper it. “I love you.” It was as if now that he’d said it, he couldn’t stop and she loved it almost as much as she loved him.

“I would ask how things are going with your secret lover, but from the goofy grin on your face, I assume good.”

The “goofy grin” Ali hadn’t even known she was wearing spread wider. “You assume correctly.”

“When are you going to put that man out of his misery and go public?”

“Soon.”

Kade had made it clear he was not happy about keeping things between the two of them, well, them and Ethan and Jess private but Ali had insisted. With the exception of a few stolen kisses, she and Kade had fallen into a routine of business as usual during the day, and then he’d sneak into her room at night for some business of the adult variety and sneak out before the boys got up.

It wasn’t ideal but things were so good and Ali just wanted to enjoy it. The twins were happy. She was happy. Kade was happy. She just wanted to enjoy the happy.

But even she had to admit that it was starting to feel wrong hiding it from the twins. It was starting to feel a lot like lying. She didn’t want the boys to have trust issues because of her.

“In other relationship news,” Jess interrupted her thoughts, “did I tell you that I saw Presley and KJ walking down by the lake yesterday? They were holding hands.”

A couple weeks ago KJ answered the door when she came over. Ali had been shocked, but not as shocked as she was when he invited her in to play video games. They’d been “together” ever since.

“They are so cute.” Ali turned and pointed at Jess. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

KJ didn’t like it when people made a “big deal” about them; and evidently commenting on them at all was considered a big deal.

“Not a word.” Jess promised. “I have to say, I’m impressed by that girl’s persistence. She put in time.”

“Yes, she did.” Ali snapped her fingers. “Speaking of relationship news, I think I might know who the next victim of the Needlepoint Mafia is.”

“Who?”

Since Jess had revealed that she’d overheard the women talking about Keaton there had been no talk of anything gossip worthy at the salon.

Ali watched her friend’s face closely as she said, “I think it’s Ethan.”

Jess had always insisted that she had no feelings for him, but Ali never bought it. It was definitely a case of her protesting just a little too much. She wasn’t sure why Jess wouldn’t just admit it, but Ali knew she had feelings for the hunky sheriff.

“Why do you think it’s Ethan?” Jess’s voice was calm, cool, and collected but Ali noticed a twitch in her right eye.

Her bestie had always had one of the best poker faces Ali had ever seen. But there was one tell that she had: her right eye twitched when she was nervous.

“We went to get ice cream after Ricky got his cast off yesterday—”

“Ricky got his cast off?”

“Yep, and we saw Kennedy at The Snack Shop.”

“Oooh, running into the ex.” Jess made it sound much more scandalous than it was.

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