Page 109 of Finding Us

“I really want to get her a fairy costume and some sparkly stuff. Is that okay?”

He laughs. “If you really want to, then yeah. I’m sure she’d love that. You really like kids, huh?”

Before she can answer I say, “On Sunday, when we were all out on the beach, Harper told Sean she wanted one and I thought he was going to have a stroke.”

“Is that why he looked that way during the volleyball game? He came back with the ball and I thought he was gonna pass out.”

Harper rolls her eyes. “He wasn’tthatfreaked out. He loves kids. He just doesn’t want them right now.” She gets up. “I’ll get out of here so you two can get back to your honeymoon. I’ll call you later, Jade.”

When she’s gone, Garret asks, “What were you guys talking about when I came down here?”

“She was checking out your abs.” I can’t even say it without laughing. “And don’t tell her I told you that or she’ll kill me.”

“Checking them out as in checking them out?”

“Yeah, she thinks you’re hot. I yelled at her for looking at you that way, but she gave me permission to check out Sean whenever I want.”

“You better not be checking him out.” Garret wrestles me down on the couch and kisses me, his lips tickling my neck.

“Okay, I’ll try not to,” I say, laughing.

“What does that mean? You think he’s hot?”

“He has a good body but he’s not my type. I’m not into blonds. And he’s too short.”

Garret stops his kisses and looks at me. “He’s 5’11. That’s not short.”

“Anything under 6 feet is too short for me. I like tall men.”

“So I guess that means you won’t be checking Sean out.”

“I don’t need to. You’re way hotter.” I lean up and kiss him. “Could you take your shirt off?”

“I thought we were leaving to get the boards.”

“We were, but then you had to flaunt your abs for the world to see and now I have to have you.”

“I wasn’t flaunting anything. I didn’t know she was here.”

“I know. I’m kidding. But I still need you to take your shirt off.”

“We’re never leaving here today, are we?” he asks as he kisses me.

“Probably not.”

And we don’t. I blame Harper. She started the whole thing by saying Garret was hot, which I already know, but whenever someone else says it, I think he’s even hotter.

The next day, we actually do make it to the store to buy the bodyboards and we try them out in the afternoon. The water is cold and it’s not very sunny so we don’t stay out there long. We try it again the next day and are able to stay out there longer because the sun is really hot. Turns out I really like bodyboarding. It’s easy and fun and something Garret and I can do together. I’m glad he suggested it.

Friday morning, we pack up and head to Grace’s house. Sean and Harper are following us there in her SUV. They’re going home after the party but Garret and I are staying and spending the weekend with Grace.

When we get to her house, she’s out front, trimming her rose bushes. I race up and give her a hug.

“Hi, I hope we’re not too early.”

“Not at all.” Grace locks her garden clippers and sets them in a bucket that has roses sticking out of it. “I was just cutting some roses for the party.”

“Go ahead. We’ll just take our stuff in and start setting up.”

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