It Happened One Summer (It Happened One Summer 1)

They slept in their assigned rooms that night, although some naughty texts had been exchanged between herself and Brendan, and the next morning they piled into the truck to head back to Westport.

With her hand clasped tightly in Brendan’s on the console and Hannah’s road-trip mix drifting from the speakers, Piper found herself . . . looking forward to going home. She’d called Abe this morning to let him know she would be late for their walk, followed by a quick call to Opal to arrange coffee later in the week.

There were over a hundred text messages and countless emails on her phone from LA acquaintances, club owners, and Kirby, but she was ignoring them for now, not wanting anything to steal the lingering beauty of the Seattle trip.

Apart from those increasingly urgent messages about September 7, Piper was delighted to have two texts from girls she’d met in Blow the Man Down. They wanted to meet up and help plan the Labor Day party. And how would she feel about a group makeup tutorial?

Good. She felt . . . really good about it. With her growing number of friends and the grand opening on the horizon, Piper suddenly had a packed schedule.

What if she could actually belong in Westport?

Yes, Brendan made her feel like she already did. But he had his livelihood here. A community he’d known since birth. The last thing she wanted was to be dependent on him. If she stayed in Westport, she needed to make her own way. To be a person independent of their relationship, as well as a member of it. And for the first time, that didn’t seem like a far-fetched possibility.

When they arrived in Westport, Brendan dropped Fox off at his apartment first, then completed the five-minute drive to Piper and Hannah’s. His expression could only be described as surly as he shoved the truck into park, visibly reluctant to say good-bye to her. She could relate. But there was no way she’d make it a habit to leave Hannah alone.

Her sister leaned over the front seat now, chin propped on her hands. “All right, Brendan,” she said drily. “Piper was singing ‘Natural Woman’ at the top of her lungs in the shower this morning—”

“Hannah!” Piper sputtered.

“And since I like seeing her happy, I’m going to do you a solid.”

Brendan turned his head slightly, his interest piqued. “What’s that?”

“Okay. I’m assuming you have a guest room at your place,” Hannah said.

Piper’s boyfriend grunted in the affirmative.

“Well . . .” Hannah drew out. “I could come stay in it. That would alleviate Piper’s sister guilt and she could stay in the captain’s quarters.”

“Go pack,” Brendan responded, no hesitation. “I’ll wait.”

“Hold on. What?” Piper turned on the seat, splitting an incredulous look between these two crazy people she loved. “I’m not—we’re not—just going to move into your house, Brendan. That requires a-a . . . at the very least, a serious conversation.”

“I’ll let you chat,” Hannah said merrily, hopping out of the truck.

“Brendan . . .” Piper started.

“Piper.” He reached over the console, brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. “You belong in my bed. There’s nothing to discuss.”

She puffed a laugh. “How can you say that? I’ve never lived with anyone, but I’m pretty sure a significant portion of time is spent with no makeup and . . . laundry! Have you taken dirty clothes into consideration? Where will I put mine? I’ve managed to maintain a certain air of mystique—”

“Mystique,” he repeated, lips twitching.

“Yes, that’s right.” She batted away his touch. “What’s going to happen when there is no more . . . mystery left?”

“I don’t want any mysteries when it comes to you. And we have to leave on a fishing trip on Saturday. Two nights away.” Just a few days from now. “I want every second I can get with you until I pull out of the harbor.”

“Saturday.” This was news to her, although she’d known at some point he would be going back out on the water. Usually the turnaround was even tighter, but they’d taken a full week off after crab season. “Do you think you’ll be back for the grand opening on Labor Day?”

“Damn right I will. I wouldn’t miss it.” He raised a casual eyebrow, as if he hadn’t just made her pulse thrum with undiluted joy. “Will separate laundry baskets sway you?”

“Maybe.” She chewed her lip. “There would have to be a no-kissing-until-I’ve-brushed-my-teeth rule.”

“Nah, fuck that.” His gaze dropped to the hem of her skirt. “I want to push right into sleepy Piper and make her legs shake first thing in the morning.”

“Fine,” she blurted. “I’ll go pack, then.”

His expression became a mixture of triumph and affection. “Good.”

Frowning at her boyfriend, even though her heart was tap-dancing, she pushed open the door of the truck. Before she could close it behind her, she remembered her promise to meet Abe and walk him to the museum. “How about we come over around dinnertime?” she said to Brendan. “We’ll get groceries on the way. Maybe you can give me a cooking lesson.”