Page 4 of The Glass Dolphin

“Told you she wouldn’t pick,” Chelsea said. She rolled her eyes, and Maddy looked around for her fiancé.

“Where’d Ben go?” she asked.

He came into the kitchen then, another specialty market box marked with a Thanksgiving dinner, and she couldn’t believe his level of detail. She wanted to kiss him again, this time without the audience, but she helped him get it unpacked and get the turkey breast into the oven to get heated.

“I’ll do it,” Bea said, coming to Maddy’s side to take over. “Kyle, Knox is fussing. Will you go grab him for your mother?”

“Oh, this is Daddy,” Chelsea said, lifting her phone as it rang. She bustled into the front of the house to take the call, and Maddy took the opportunity to grab Ben’s hand and duck into her bedroom with him.

“You’ll move in here permanently, right?” she asked as she closed the door behind him. He stayed with her sometimes now, but she wanted him to live here.

“Yes,” he said. He took her into his arms again and lowered his head to kiss her. It started sweet and slow, but as things tended to do with Ben, it turned heated and passionate rather quickly. She tipped her head back, and he slid his mouth along the column of her throat.

“Thank you for getting my kids here,” she said breathlessly.

“I’m regretting it a little,” he admitted.

She grinned at him, feeling flirtatious and far younger than she actually was. “You want me to yourself.”

He growled, his eyes meeting hers. “I want you to myself,” he admitted before he claimed her mouth again.

When he pulled away, Maddy looked at him, not wanting to tease him anymore. She wanted him toknow. “I want you to myself too,” she said.

“When do you want to get married?” he asked, simply holding her now.

“Spring,” she said. “Right here in the cove. I’ll talk to Robin about the weather, but maybe April?” She looked at him. “Did you tell your parents?”

He nodded. “Showed them the ring last week.” Another rare smile came to his face. “She’s going to drive you crazy at Christmastime.”

Maddy groaned, but it was all in good fun. His parents were great, but his mother did like to shower Maddy in gifts, as if she needed another skin care kit. His brother worked for a huge skin care corporation, and his mother was simply regifting things.

“Mom,” Kyle called, and Maddy pushed away from the door.

“Coming,” she called. She looked at Ben again. “I’m so in love with you. You know that, right?” She needed him toknow. She spoke her feelings quite often, actually. It was Ben whoshowedher how he felt.

“I know,” he whispered. “I love you too.”

She nodded and turned to go see her grandson. Then she’d call Robin and see about booking her to plan the spring wedding Maddy was going to have. She’d also need to talk to her boss, make sure she could have time off in the spring, and balance everything with The Glass Dolphin.

If Ben can get away from the Coast Guard, she told herself as she went out into the kitchen and saw her beautiful grandson. He kicked and squealed, and she laughed as she took him from her son.

Then you can make a spring wedding work with your job.

ChapterThree

When the doorbell rang, Kristen Shields dusted her hands against her apron and hurried out of her cramped kitchen. The only people who’d ring the doorbell were exactly the people she’d been baking for, and her pulse knocked against the back of her throat.

“Coming,” she called. She very nearly tripped over the rug she’d put down between the kitchen and the doorway, but she managed to stay on her feet.

She opened the door to find Theo standing there with a man who looked very much like him.

His son.

Kristen hadn’t met any of his children yet, and she wished she wasn’t so nervous about doing so. Theo had made it clear his feelings for her wouldn’t change based on his children’s opinions, but Kristen still wanted to make a good impression.

“Terry, this is Kristen,” Theo said. “Kristen, my oldest, Terry.” He stepped back and indicated the woman there. “His wife, Cleo, and their kids, Marty and Violet.” He beamed at his grandkids, who were both in their teens. Mid-teens, if Kristen had to guess.

“Hello,” she said. “Come in, come in.” She stepped back, pulling the door open further to make more room for them.

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