Page 106 of Kiss and Tell

“I’m leaving today?” Lucy asked, even though she was perfectly aware her ass would be headed to the car this minute if she didn’t have to prepare.

“Ofcourseyou are,” Remi said. “We’re not taking a chance on you changing your mind.”

Now that she’d made her decision, wild horses couldn’t keep Lucy from getting to Baltimore.

“Okay,” Lucy said, several hours later, closing the lid on her suitcase and taking one last look around her bedroom. “That’s enough to start with. If I need more clothes or if there’s something I forgot to pack that I want, I’ll just grab it over the holidays.”

Lucy had spent an hour this morning in a meeting with Theo and Sam, as they tried to hammer out her new position at the brewery. The three of them owned equal shares, splitting the earnings three ways. They’d discussed Theo and Sam buying her out, but none of them wanted that. It felt too permanent. Instead, it was agreed she’d be a silent partner, the profits divided up differently, with Theo and Sam getting equal larger portions, hers smaller. This left the door open for her to return if she decided to.

After that meeting, she stopped by the B&B to say goodbye to Aunt Claire and Uncle Rex. Her sisters had done a good job spreading the word about her departure, so her quiet goodbye turned into a larger one as Levi, Jace, Maverick, Grayson, and Everett were there, waiting to see her off. The fact that no one seemed shocked by her sudden exit told Lucy just how shitty a job she’d done at hiding her misery over returning.

What her sistershadn’tshared with the family was her feelings for both Joey and Miles. They’d all decided to keep that a secret until they saw how things panned out.

Lucy was grateful the goodbyes were all joyful ones, not a single tear shed. Her family was truly happy for her, their support going a long way toward convincing her she’d made the right decision.

Remi grabbed her suitcase, while Lucy slung her backpack and laptop case over her shoulders before walking downstairs. Mila and Nora were waiting for her at the foot of the staircase.

Mila had a brown paper bag in her hands. She lifted it. “Peanut butter and honey sandwich for the road.”

Lucy smiled as she took the bag. “My favorite, Millie.”

She and her sisters had just stepped out onto the porch when the sound of an approaching car reached them.

“Maybe someone else wants to say goodbye,” Nora suggested.

“I’ve already said goodbye to everyone who—” Lucy gasped when the car turned the corner, coming into view.

Remi stepped around her so she could see the vehicle. “Who is it?” Then her sister glanced her direction. “Is that…”

“It’s them,” Lucy said with a huge grin. “They’re here!”

ChapterSixteen

Joey stepped out of the car, smiling when he spotted Lucy and her sisters standing on the front porch.

He suffered a serious case of déjà vu when Lucy yelled, “You’re here!”

He turned to look at Miles, his expression suddenly serious.

“You okay, man?” Miles asked.

“It’s her,” Joey whispered.

Miles glanced past Lucy, obviously confused by who Joey was talking about. “Her who?”

Joey watched their petite strawberry-blonde descend the stairs, walking in their direction with a huge smile on her face. She wore painted-on blue jeans with a deep purple sweater under her brown leather jacket. Her hair was loose and hanging over her shoulders, the way he loved it. Just like the first day he’d met her, she was wearing her favorite pair of Doc Martens, the ones covered in pink and purple flowers.

“Joey?” Miles prodded.

He grinned, unable look away from her. “The woman we’re going to marry,” he replied, fixing the pronoun from that first day they were here, when he’d made the same pronouncement.

Miles laughed. “Yeah, I think we are.”

Joey rolled his eyes. “No thinking about it.” Then he turned and headed toward Lucy, who picked up her pace, now racing across the yard.

He’d just gotten his arms open as she reached him, leaping into his embrace. He didn’t have a chance to say a single word before her lips were on his, and she was kissing him like he was the very air she breathed.

Joey had anticipated things starting much differently, with he and Miles sitting her down to roll out all their reasons why she should leave the farm and come with them. Failing that, their backup plan was to chisel out definite ways to make a long-distance relationship work. Either way, the two of them had decided on the way here that they weren’t leaving without Lucy in their lives, however they could get her.

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