Page 25 of Beneath Southern Stars

“Nah, we’ve had enough excitement tonight. I need to get this little pink elf home.”

Her tongue flicks out then disappears again, her bottom lip nestled between her teeth. “Right, of course. Yeah, I was going to head home too.”

“Where are you parked? We’ll walk you.” I begin walking and she falls in step beside me. I feel little puffs of air on my neck and know Pepper is asleep.

“I actually parked in the lot at The Bagel Bin. By the way, you have to stop there one day. Best bagel sandwiches ever.”

We take our time walking down Kingston Way, Laney listing all the places I need to visit while I’m in town. Gone is the awkwardness after she spoke to her friend, but in its place is something closer to a Magnolia Grove information pamphlet than two adults who like each other and spent an evening kissing under the stars.

My truck is parked farther down from the lot Laney’s in so we stop there first, her car parked under a streetlamp. Her lights flash when she unlocks the door. I stop a few steps from the door and when she opens it and turns, I’m far enough not to be in her personal space but close enough to see the gold flecks in her eyes reflecting off the streetlight.

“Would you like to come over for a glass of wine or cup of tea?” I ask, internally cringing at the words as I speak them.

Laney laughs and with a horrible British accent says, “A spot of tea.”

Groaning, I shift Pepper a little, hoping to get some circulation back in my arm. Laney steps forward, gently placingher hand on Pepper’s back and shocks the hell out of me when she says, “She talked to me tonight. Twice.”

“Really?”

Nodding, she looks up at me, her eyes misty. “Yeah. She told me you got lost and then commented that the tree was pretty all lit up.”

“I—” Emotion clogs my throat. “I don’t know what to say.”

Laney’s smile is gentle and kind as she gives Pepper another pat and looks up at me. “Nothing to say. I’m glad she feels comfortable to talk to me.”

“Come over.”

“I shouldn’t. It’s getting late and?—”

“Please.”

She hesitates a few seconds, her focus on something in the distance before slowly nodding her head.

“Bring Steve too. He’s probably missing you.”

“Not at all. I gave Nash ten bucks to play with him and feed him dinner. He’ll be fine. I’ll give you some time to settle her, then I’ll come over.”

I begin to lean forward and stop myself from making a fool of myself or scaring her off with a kiss. Instead, I step back and watch as she settles behind the wheel. When her car starts, I turn, cross the lot, and head back to the street and my truck.

Chapter Sixteen

Ryan

I’mquiet as I move through the house, humming a tune I’ve been working on since we arrived. Something’s not connecting for me, and it’s frustrating. I shouldn’t be surprised; my creativity has been close to zero since losing Katie. But, since being in Magnolia Grove, I’ve tinkered with a few ideas and can feel creative juices flowing. Unfortunately, they’re going in three different directions and so far, it’s all a mess.

I step onto the deck, looking over at Laney’s yard. A few lights glow inside the house but it’s the greenhouse that catches my attention. Did she decide to work instead? I wouldn’t mind watching her in that space again. The entire process is fascinating, and I admit to doing some online reading about what she does. What I found was a lot of science and data that surprised me. I had no idea it was such an intricate process.

Since I’m not a creep, I move inside and try to channel the anticipation coursing through me by picking up toys and straightening pillows. The décor in this house is minimal, which I suppose makes sense since it’s a rental. That also means there’s not a lot of things for me to distract myself with, so I move to the kitchen.

Wiping counters and placing a few dishes in the dishwasher, I consider looking off the deck again when I hear a faint knock on the door. Taking a deep breath, I take a second to shake off my nerves. I cross the room and catch myself in the mirror on the wall. I don’t look any different than I did the last time we saw one another but still, I run a hand through my hair, trying to tame the messiness after wearing a hat.

I open the door, a smile on my face, and my breath falters slightly. Standing on the stoop, Laney has changed out of her holiday themed shirt and is wearing a loose-fit sweater, one shoulder has slipped, exposing her bare skin, her legs are clad in a pair of leggings and she’s wearing... reindeer antlers. I chuckle and step aside.

Once inside, she slides her feet out of the slippers.

I close the door. “Those are unexpected.”

“They were a gift from the Jubilee committee. Kind of silly but also adorable. I wasn’t sure if Pep—Violet?”

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