Page 39 of Marrying Chrissy

Chrissy startled and let out a squeal followed by a little jig.

“What’s wrong?”

Chrissy gripped his arms and looked down at her feet. A strand of seaweed had wound its way around her right ankle.

Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. “I’m so sorry.” She allowed one arm to fall to her side. Heat burned her face, rivaled only by the lingering memory of their kiss.

Wyatt chuckled. He bent down and freed her foot before tossing the seaweed back into the ocean. His watch beeped. After a quick glance at it and the direction they’d come from, he sighed. “We’d probably better head back so we’re not late for dinner. Besides, between the peeing dog and attacking seaweed, we may need to quit while we’re ahead.”

They both laughed. She took the hand he offered, and he threaded their fingers together before giving her hand a squeeze. Chrissy knew he was right about returning to the resort, but the last thing she wanted to do was leave the beach. Besides, she knew all too well that the magical feel of the afternoon and that amazing, toe-curling kiss was going to be replaced with reality.

She took in his profile framed by a brilliant blue sky. What if this could be her new reality? Was that even something Wyatt wanted? Hope blossomed as they walked hand in hand.

~*~

Unlike lunch and breakfast, Chrissy and Wyatt ended up sitting at the same dinner table as his parents, Violet, and three other family members. Truthfully, Wyatt had hoped to avoid this situation for the duration of the trip but knew that it was highly unlikely.

While breakfast and lunch had been served buffet style, dinner was a much fancier occasion. They’d already been served soup and salad and were waiting for the main course to be brought to the tables.

Wyatt rested his left arm across the back of Chrissy’s chair and softly brushed her shoulder with his thumb. He didn’t do it just because he wanted to maintain a point of contact with her, although that was certainly the primary reason. He also hoped to remind the others at the table that she was with him, and as such, he expected them to behave themselves. So far, conversation had mainly centered around a trip an uncle took to Paris and how his mom intended to mirror that trip in the next year or two. Honestly, Wyatt had started to tune the topic out.

Instead, he kept thinking back on his time on the beach with Chrissy. It’d been one of the best afternoons he’d ever had. Then to end it with that kiss…

At the time, he’d known he shouldn’t kiss her again. It didn’t matter how much his brain tried to remind him of that, nothing short of a tidal wave could’ve stopped him. He’d been pulled toward her with a force he couldn’t explain. That kiss was sweet, but when she sighed and kissed him back, it was even more amazing.

Wyatt could’ve gone on kissing her forever. He’d sure rather be doing that now instead of listening to details about Paris. This weekend was going by way too fast. They’d be headed back to Clearwater by nine tomorrow morning.

Was there even a possibility that some of the magic from their trip could follow them back? If he kissed Chrissy goodbye when he took her home and asked her out on a real date, would she object? It was a gamble, but the more he spent time with Chrissy, the more he thought it would be worth it to take the risk.

Something his father said broke through his thoughts and jerked Wyatt right back to the conversation at hand. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

Violet flashed him an annoyed look, the corner of Mom’s mouth pulled to the side like it did when she disapproved of something, and Dad only pierced him with that no-nonsense glare of his.

“I was saying that if I did take your mother to Paris next fall, I’m sure my son would have no trouble overseeing the family businesses while we were gone.”

Next fall? Wyatt had every intention of having Joyful Hope up and running by then. While he was sure he could look in on a few things for them, running all the many businesses was not something he’d be able to do. A new company—no matter what the goal—was like a campfire. It had to be tended to, protected, and constantly stoked to keep it going.

This wasn’t the time or the place to talk about that, though. Instead, he swallowed back what he really wanted to say. “I’m sure we can discuss all of that sometime next spring.”

That should’ve placated them for the time being, but Violet smoothed her hair back as though even a strand would dare be out of place. “Maybe he’s finally going to open up that ridiculous charity he’s talked about for years.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Of course he’s not.” Mom patted her lips with her napkin. “He wouldn’t start up a new hobby while we were out of the country.”

Despite every effort to maintain a cool composure, Wyatt’s eyebrows rose right along with his temper. Mom said this as though they hadn’t just now started to consider going to Paris. And hobby? Really?

He sat up straighter and brought his arm down from Chrissy’s chair. “Any plans I have for my stables were set in motion long before I heard about the possibility of this trip tonight.”

Dad had just finished his salad. He set his fork across the plate, wiped his hands off on the cloth napkin he’d laid across his lap, and leaned back in his chair. “Son, you work for me. If I need you to oversee the company while I take your mother on a well-earned trip to Paris, I expect you to do so. I’d hoped you’d gotten over that silly notion of opening a charity stable by now.”

Wyatt hadn’t realized he’d balled his hands into fists until Chrissy covered one of his hands with her own. He forcibly relaxed and focused on the feel of her soft palm against his.

“I think Wyatt’s plans are admirable,” Chrissy spoke from his side. “A place like that will help so many people.”

Her praise made Wyatt’s heart swell with pride. Not just because she was supporting his business idea, but because she’d spoken up forhim.

Violet made a noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a laugh before addressing Chrissy. “I’m sure charity is something Chrissy is more than familiar with.”

Wyatt pointed a finger at her. “See here, Violet—”

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