Page 47 of A Wedding in the Bay

She leaned into him a little, relishing the strength and support of his shoulder against hers. “Of course. I couldn’t be happier with what we decided.”

Johanna glanced down at the package that was lying on the seat next to her as she drove. She bit her lip as her eyes returned to the road in front of her. She felt giddy with excitement, since she was on her way to Everett’s house for another date.

She made the final turn onto his street and smiled when she saw his little house. She’d been seeing him so often that his place was almost starting to feel like a second home to her. It was odd, she reflected with a chuckle, that she would feel at home in a place that was so different from her own immaculately clean, well-organized home, but she did. Whenever she spent time with Everett, whether it was on his boat or at his place or at her place, she felt a sense of calm that was like being at home. She hadn’t known anything like it in a very long time.

She glanced down at the package again as she drove down Everett’s street. She’d wrapped it in a dark green, shiny wrapping paper that she thought suited him, and decorated it with a silver ribbon. Despite how carefully she’d wrapped the package, she was still on the fence about whether or not she was going to give it to him.

She pulled into Everett’s driveway and parked, her nerves making her stomach flutter. She stared down at the package for a few more moments, and then she worked up the courage to grab it.

She hopped out of her car, holding the bulky gift as if it were made of glass. She carefully tucked it under her arm and then hurried over to Everett’s front door, smiling as she heard Oliver barking from inside.

Before she even had a chance to knock, Everett opened the door with a big grin on his face.

“Hello there,” he said, resting his hand on the doorknob. “Nice of you to drop by.”

“Nice of you to let me,” she countered, grinning at him.

Oliver snuffled adoringly around Johanna’s feet, wagging his tail ecstatically. She bent over and petted him, smiling as she scratched him behind the ears.

“You look beautiful,” Everett said, clearing his throat.

She looked up and blushed slightly. “You look very handsome yourself.”

She meant it. He looked handsome and rugged—the more she got to know him, the more she’d started to become attracted to his ruggedness. She liked that he was big and burly and rough around the edges—it made the parts of him that were soft and sweet so much more endearing. She liked the way he dressed in workman’s clothes, and the stubble on his face.

“I do, huh?” He grinned, but she detected a trace of color at the tips of his ears.

“You do,” she said, stepping closer to him until they were only a foot apart. “You look like a hearty fisherman.”

“Mm. The hearty fisherman would like to kiss the beautiful lady.”

“He may.”

Grinning, Everett leaned his face toward hers and kissed her sweetly. “Why, thank you.”

“Thank you,” she said primly, and he chuckled.

“Come on into the living room,” he said, taking her hand. If he’d noticed the package she was carrying under her arm, he hadn’t said anything about it.

“Okay,” she said, following him. As she walked, her nerves returned with a vengeance.

Oh, I just can’t give it to him, she thought. I’ll feel so silly.

She crossed her arms, trying to hide the package, but it made crinkling sounds and Everett turned around in confusion.

“What—” He paused, noticing the package peeking out from underneath her left arm. “What’s that?”

“Nothing,” she said hastily. “It’s nothing.”

An amused smile spread across his face. “Nothing, huh?” He stepped around behind her, where he could get a better view of the present. “A very carefully wrapped present is nothing?”

She sighed, realizing that she couldn’t deny that she’d brought a present for him now that he’d seen it. “Oh, all right. It’s a present. I brought it for you.”

“You did?” he asked, looking touched. His eyes took on a tender glow. “Johanna, that’s so thoughtful of you.”

“Don’t get too excited,” she warned him. “It’s—well, it’s not a big deal.”

He grinned. “I think you giving me a present is a big deal, no matter what the present is. It makes me very happy.”

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