Page 84 of Summer with the Single Dad

He forwarded the email to all of his brothers because just like he asked them not to make rash decisions without running it past him first, he needed to offer them the same courtesy. However, his situation was a little different. They all spent money without telling him, this was an opportunity to make money. A lot of money. And they needed a lot of money.

A ripple of excitement rushed through him as he finished his coffee and rinsed out the mug. A quick glance at his watch said “Tad and Ashli” would be there in an hour.

They’d never hosted a wedding before, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t do it. It would take a lot of work, particularly on his and Jagger’s part, but he believed they could pull it off. Wyatt would probably love to come up with a signature menu for the event, and Dom was always looking for an excuse to create new cocktails. And this couple already struck Bennett as the type of people who totally wanted a few signature cocktails with cutesy names, even if she was pregnant. Dom could just create her a virgin option.

Text messages started to vibrate his phone where it sat on the counter. Every message was from one of his brothers. All of them were intrigued about the idea and not dismissing it.

Jagger: We should meet to discuss this further. Do they want to get married on the beach or the patio?

Wyatt: I’m already thinking up ideas for the menu. Tuscan or Moroccan come to mind first.

Dom: How would tips for the staff work with an open bar? Automatic gratuity on the whole bill?

Clint: Will the cabin be ready in time? Is it worth it for us to close down the restaurant to the public for an entire Saturday? That’s a buttload of money.

All of these were valid questions and concerns. However, the excitement percolating through the phone was something he made sure to absorb as well. This was their collective dream. It was one of the reasons why they wanted Bonn Remmen’s land so badly. It was adjacent to theirs and perfectly set up for not only more cabins, but a beautiful wedding venue as well. He could already picture the altar adorned with flowers, the covered outdoor pavilion for the reception, and a field of hops behind, while the backdrop of the Puget Sound elevated the wedding pictures from great to spectacular.

Noise upstairs drew his attention. It didn’t sound like children’s noises though.

His heart rate spiked as he waited for Justine to come down the stairs. Then he realized he was holding his breath.

He exhaled through the burn in his lungs and blinked dry eyes.

This woman put a spell on him, but he was unsure if he wanted the counterspell or not. Her temperature fluctuations exhausted him.

She entered the kitchen and the moment their eyes met, she dropped her gaze.

Shit.

“The trailer isn’t here,” she said, still not looking at him.

“I know. Fuck, I’m sorry.” He threaded his fingers through his hair and sighed. “I forgot to tell you that it wasn’t going to come until later today. They needed to repair a few things, and wanted to dump the sani-tank and stuff before bringing it over. But it should be here around lunchtime.”

She busied herself with making some muesli. Still not looking at him. “That’s okay.”

“There’s coffee in the French press. It’s fresh.”

“Thank you.”

He spun around to face her, leaning back against the L-shaped counter. “Justine, can we please talk?”

She poured oat milk into her coffee. “I—”

“You’re avoiding me again and I want to know why. You didn’t run this morning. Or you did, you just left insanely early and got back before even I woke up. And yesterday at the funfair, you … you just left.”

Her throat moved on a hard swallow as she stirred a spoon in the hand-thrown mug. “I choked, Bennett.”

“No. Barnacle choked.” He cringed every time he had to say that kid’s name. His parents were idiots of the highest order naming him that. And there were some really fucking strange names on this island. But Barnacle took the cake. Or at least one of the cakes. He was a bit of a bully in Talia’s class too, taking his parent’s messy divorce out on his classmates. That didn’t mean he deserved to die via popcorn, or anyway, for that matter. But maybe his near-death experience helped the seven-year-old gain some perspective on kindness and what mattered most in life.

She finally met his gaze. “No. I choked when he was choking. I forgot what to do. I couldn’t move. I froze. Like an idiot.”

Shame filled her eyes and her hand trembled as she picked up her mug and blew on the steam.

“I choked. I am … I was a surgeon, and I choked.”

Slowly, he nodded in understanding.

“I can’t trust my instincts. I froze. I went catatonic when faced with the simplest first aid practice. So I know I can’t return to medicine. Now what?”

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