Page 86 of Guarding My Love

“We can leave and do our own thing,” she said. “But we are still staying in their house. Which is big. Don’t worry. We’ll have our own wing on the lower level, but it’s still in their house.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “I want you to visit with your family as much as you can.”

She would and wouldn’t feel guilty about it, but it was going to be nice to have a few days to get out and do things with her boyfriend.

They’d left last night to stay in Plymouth again so they could get on the first ferry this morning. Being the holiday, it was packed with people going to the island just for the day to hang out at the beaches.

“There is a party later tonight with fireworks,” she said. “If you need to leave or want to, you can.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “It’s not that many people, right?”

It was the grin on his face as he made his way closer to the ferry to board.

“It’s Drew’s parents, his brothers and their families. Bode and his wife, Sam, have a daughter, Gemma. She’s a little over a year old. You know about Drew and Amanda’s family, and then Coy is the youngest and his wife, Angel. She’s pregnant. I haven’t met her yet. She’s a dentist like Coy. They work together too.”

“Urgh,” he said. “I’m not sure I could work and live with someone.”

She reached over and pinched his arm. “Not funny. How about being neighbors with someone?”

“Oh,” he said. “That’s easy. I just send you back home when I’ve had enough.”

Charlotte wanted to be offended over those words, but he started to laugh.

A free laugh she’d never seen from him before.

Was it possible that he was changing who he was because of her?

She didn’t know if she liked that or not.

His family was thrilled, but she wanted him to be who he was.

She liked the gruff side of him and wondered where it’d gone.

“Can I ask you something?”

Might not be the time for it, but she felt she needed to get it off her chest.

“Always.”

“Are you trying to be different?”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“Everyone is calling me a miracle worker. Saying that you’ve changed. I don’t know that I like what has happened. I didn’t think you were that bad before. I fell in love with the other Foster.”

His shoulders dropped. “I haven’t changed,” he said. “I think I’ve always been someone to joke with people, but when I’ve had enough, I just leave. Maybe I’m happy with you and my patience is better? I can’t explain it. But if it makes you feel any better, I was glad to have my bed back to myself on Sunday night.”

Her jaw dropped. She thought he might be joking, but he was serious.

“Why is that?” she asked.

“You ate a lot of those beans on Saturday night.”

Her face turned red. “Foster. That’s mean. You ate more than me.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t farting in my sleep.”

She was mortified. She was waiting for him to start laughing, but all he did was lift an eyebrow.

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