Page 87 of The Kiss Keeper
Natalie’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “How can you be jealous of me? Leslie, you’re a doctor. You’ve always been the one in charge who had it together. If anything, I wished I could be more like you.” She stared down at their dangling bare feet and remembered the time growing up before Leslie started teasing her. A time when they’d climb trees together and stare down from their leafy perch. She tapped Leslie’s foot with hers just like they used to do when they were younger. “Is everything okay with Leo? You guys seem a little tense.”
Leslie released a slow breath. “Wondering how we couldn’t account four hundred thousand dollars can do that to a marriage.”
“Are you guys going to be all right?” Nat asked.
Leslie chuckled. “Believe it or not, Leo found a solution.”
Nat cocked her head to the side. “Somebody wants all those cinnamon roll-scented shoe inserts?”
“Yeah, Sweden has an actual Cinnamon Roll Day in October. The organizers of a cinnamon roll festival said they’d buy them all to give away as prizes. Can you imagine?” Leslie gazed down at her wedding ring. “You know, Leo really is a good guy when he’s not all foot obsessed. And you’ve got to give Leo a little slack. You do have nice feet, Nat. Your arches are to die for. That’s my professional opinion,” she added with a wink.
“Well, if you ever need a foot model to peddle pizza or lobster-scented inserts, I’m happy to help,” she answered, extending her leg and wiggling her toes.
Her cousin shifted on the branch. “Nat, are you going to be okay after what happened with Jake? I still can’t believe he’s your kiss keeper.”
Natalie swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried to ignore the twinge in her heart. “I guess now we know the Kiss Keeper Curse is real.”
Leslie frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Jake didn’t kiss me at the well. Night patrol came, and we ran back to the cabin. He kissed me there by the screen door.”
“Wow! I guess Otis Wiscasset can hold a grudge,” Les answered, wide-eyed.
“So, I’m going to put all my energy into the camp,” she answered because that was all she could do now.
Leslie tapped her foot. “Nat, I don’t want to upset you, but Leo saw Jake this morning.”
Natalie nearly lost her balance. “Where?”
“In town. Leo went in to talk with Grandma and Grandpa’s lawyer to get a document ready for the cinnamon roll people. They really want these inserts.”
“Did Leo say how Jake looked?” she asked, her pulse kicking up at the mention of the man.
“He said that Jake asked about you.”
Natalie blinked back tears. “Oh yeah?”
“Then he told Leo to stay the hell away from your feet,” Leslie said with a sympathetic smile.
Natalie toyed with a leaf. “I thought he was going to be my last Jake. The right Jake.”
“And Lara and Marcus thought cinnamon roll shoe inserts would be the next big thing. Shit happens,” Leslie teased, but the warmth in her eyes said she was only trying to ease the pain.
Natalie reached out and squeezed her cousin’s hand. “Thanks, Les,” she said softly, grateful to have her cousin back.
“Shit does happen, and that’s why we need someone to clean the latrine,” came her grandfather’s booming voice that gave them such a startle they nearly fell off their branch.
“Have you been listening the whole time?” Nat called down.
“We’re your grandparents. We’re entitled to eavesdrop! And we all need you to shake a leg. You need to be ready for the vow renewal on the island in less than two hours.”
“And the latrine?” Leslie called as the women cringed.
“Two are better than one at getting a job done,” her grandmother replied.
Natalie shrugged. “I’ll get the sinks. You take the floor, and we can split the urinals?”
“Deal. And you can tell me all your ideas for when you take over Camp Woolwich,” Les replied with her genuine smile in place.
