Page 105 of Summer Love

Brady appeared to be just as stunned as Hazel. They exchanged a look, then Brady shrugged, putting his arm around Hazel. “We couldn’t deny the attraction anymore.”

If they were dating, no one else knew about it. Had they kept their relationship a secret until they knew for sure it was the real deal?

“And you thought you’d ruin your friendship,” Mabel chortled.

“I mean it’s a valid concern—” Hazel began, and Brady squeezed her shoulder, and said, “But we should have known that we were headed for this.”

Now that the shock had passed, everyone took turns congratulating them, and they sat next to us.

“You have some explaining to do,” Elena said to her.

Hazel’s mouth opened, then closed.

Mabel leaned forward and said, “We’ll have to plan an engagement party to celebrate. I don’t have much to look forward to anymore, but this will keep me entertained.

Brady leaned over and whispered something in Hazel’s ear.

“I had no idea anything was going on. It seems quick,” Elena said to me so no one could overhear.

“When you know, you know,” I whispered in her ear.

Elena smiled at me, evidently unable to argue against my point. I couldn’t wait for the evening to be over so we could be alone together. Each day was better than the last.

I got up to talk about Kingston Construction’s offering for the night, and Luna spoke about her interior design package. Then the MC started yelling out numbers. Everyone focused on the cards in front of them, talking occasionally about who won which prize and what they were hoping to snag for themselves.

Afterward, my family hung around to help clean up the hall. Grams took the shuttle home. Then finally, we were in my truck and headed home.

We spent more time at my house. But we ate dinner at Grams several times a week, and I was building shelves in a few rooms of Grams’s house.

Elena wanted to give Grams space but be nearby if she needed her. Grams had an active social life, and we didn’t want to cramp her style.

“What do you think about Hazel and Brady getting engaged? Did you have any idea it was coming?” Elena asked me.

I glanced over at her before refocusing my attention on the road. “I had no idea they were dating, much less close to getting engaged.”

“You think they wanted to make sure it was the real deal until they announced it?”

“I have no idea what’s going on, but I want to talk to him about it. He’s been giving me a lot of relationship advice lately, and I feel bad that I missed what was going on in his life.”

“I wouldn’t feel bad. I think they wanted to keep it a secret until they were sure about each other. I know both of them value their friendship.”

I reached over and interlaced my fingers with hers. “I want Brady to be happy. To have what we do.”

“Moving home was the best decision I ever made. I’m happier here than I ever was in Boston.”

When we pulled up to the house, I asked, “Do you want to go for a walk?”

Elena smiled. “You know I love walks on the beach at night.”

I grabbed the flashlight from my glove compartment, and then we wandered around the house to the narrow path to the beach.

On the beach, there was a distant rumble of thunder, and the air was heavy with humidity. “Are we going to get caught in the rain again?”

I grinned. “I hope so. It’s kind of our thing at this point.”

I guided her to the spot where we’d made love. There was a blanket, a bucket filled with ice and a bottle of wine, and red rose petals scattered over the sand.

Nerves fluttered in my gut.

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