Page 85 of Booked for Summer

‘So you’re moving back to Nantucket?’ Jade’s gaze swivelled between the pair of them.

‘Liam’s finding me a house in Siasconset.’

‘I’m buildingusa house,’ he corrected. ‘We’ve been through this.’

‘And I told you, no.’ She batted a hand in his direction. ‘You’re a single guy in his prime. You don’t want to be living with a silly old woman.’

‘True. But I do want to live with you, so deal with it.’

Jade cleared her throat. ‘This is exactly what I talked about in the kitchen.’ She patted his grandma’s hand. ‘Excuse me while I give him his first lesson in how to be more human.’

His grandma sat up, all perky now. ‘This, I want to hear. You go ahead, sweetheart. It’s about time somebody dared to stand up to him.’

Stand up to him? Between Jade, Jeremy and his grandma, he’d never been put in his place so frequently. Or so effectively.

Jade grinned before turning to him. ‘Why do you want your grandma to live with you?’

‘So I can take care of her.’

‘And?’

Christ, it felt like he was in the dock. ‘Keep her out of trouble.’

Jade raised her eyes to the ceiling. ‘And?’

What was he, five now? ‘And because I fucking love her and I want to keep her close to me.’

‘Bingo.’ Satisfaction lit up Jade’s face. ‘Now I could be wrong, but I believe that’s what she wanted to hear.’

‘Oh no, you’re not wrong dear. In fact you’re very, very right.’ There was a glisten to her eyes when she looked at him, and a tremor to her voice. ‘Do you really want me with you? I won’t be a burden?’

For the love of God. ‘Of course I do. I told you I did.’ He saw Jade’s smirk and sighed. ‘Fine. If I didn’t make myself clear before. We’re a team. Always have been, always will be. Where you live, I live. End of story.’ Because he felt his own voice begin to crack, he jumped to his feet. ‘Now let’s go and eat this damn fish pie.’

He set off to the kitchen, but not before he heard his grandma thanking Jade. ‘I really thought he was just doing it to make me happy.’ She sniffed. ‘Didn’t realise it would make him happy, too.’

He glanced back over his shoulder, expecting to find Jade giving him a triumphant smile, but instead she looked troubled. ‘I can’t imagine your grandson does anything he doesn’t want to.’

A few months ago, he’d have agreed with Jade’s statement, but now he was starting to wonder. He’d wanted to knock down the bookstore. Instead he was contemplating not just keeping it, but changing all his plans for the waterfront.

He’d also wanted to keep everyone at arm’s length, protect himself. Now he was going to be a best man for Jeremy, and had let a blonde dynamo get so close he was worried he’d not be able to let her go when the time came.

ChapterThirty

The boat ride back to Nantucket was mainly silent, and Jade knew that was down to her. She was the chatty one, but her mind was such a whirlwind of emotion, she was afraid if she opened her mouth, she’d say something stupid.I think I’m falling for you. Yep, something like that.

And it was all his fault for taking her to see his grandma. The sight of this hard, uncompromising man getting choked up when he’d told her they were a team… God, even now she felt her eyes blur with tears.

He held her hand to help her off the boat, expression full of concern. ‘You’re quiet.’

‘Thought you might appreciate some silence, after enduring me and your grandma chattering all evening.’

‘I enjoyed watching you together. She loved you,’ he added. ‘But then I knew she would.’

‘The feeling was mutual. She’s one amazing woman.’

‘She is.’ He peered down at her. ‘So you’re not annoyed I didn’t take you to a restaurant?’

‘Annoyed? Of course not.’ Scared shitless more like.

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