Page 74 of Love on Deck

Lauren’s approval did something weird to my stomach. I couldn’t hold her gaze, so I lowered mine to the plate of cookies. “It was years ago.”

Mom shook her head. “That hutch was last summer.”

That was true. I’d brought it to her garage last June and spent a few weekends down here restoring it for her. It had been a little project to get my brain out of work when things had become overwhelming. It had done its job.

“That’s amazing, Jack.” Lauren grinned. “Now the HGTV obsession makes sense.”

“I only tried to watch it once,” I defended.

“Twice. The boat and the plane.”

Oh. I hadn’t known she’d noticed that. I guess it was paused on Property Brothers when I stopped her in the walkway on her way to the bathroom.

Dad yawned. “I better hit the hay.”

“I made up Tucker’s old room for you, Lauren.” Mom pushed herself up in silent agreement. “No special Jack furniture in there, I’m afraid.”

“But there’s a great poster of Carrie Underwood,” Tucker defended.

Dad took Mom’s empty plate to the kitchen. She looked at me. “You’re in your old room.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Fletcher.” Lauren stood and stretched. “It was nice to meet y’all.”

“Come on. I’ll get you a toothbrush and something to sleep in,” Mom said, moving toward the staircase.

“You haven’t seen the last of us,” Colt promised.

I slugged him in the arm. “Don’t scare her away.”

Lauren laughed, following Mom up the stairs.

When the women had gone, I settled back down on my chair. My dad was still in the kitchen, doing the dishes if I had my guess, but Colt and Tucker were on the sofa, watching me. “What?”

“New girlfriend?”

“We’re not really labeling things yet.”

“You labeled her when you brought her to Arcadia, man,” Tucker said, snagging a chocolate chip cookie from the plate and popping the entire thing in his mouth.

“She’s more like an emotional support blanket than a statement to the town.”

“You were that scared to come home?” Colt asked.

I looked at Tucker. “I didn’t know if I was wanted.”

“Don’t do that to me, Jack. I’m not going to invite you to every little party one of the mommas throws, or you’d be down here every weekend.”

Time to be honest. “This is different, though. You’re my brother, and I want to support you.”

“Well, come around more often, then.”

I should. He was right. It was just as much my fault for staying away as it was his for not asking me to come.

“Or better yet, move home,” Colt said with a grin.

Tucker laughed. “They don’t have marketing executive jobs out here in big fancy offices.”

I laughed, but the sound was hollow. True, they didn’t have advanced, well-paying marketing jobs like the one I was doing in Dallas. But Arcadia Creek did have both of my brothers, my parents, my cousins, aunts, uncles. It had people I missed, that I hadn’t realized how much I enjoyed being around until this evening. Why had I fought so hard to leave this place? Was my sterile, clean apartment really better than open fields and unimpeded sunsets and races down Alburn Road and Burgers at Gigi’s Diner?

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