Page 132 of One Small Spark
“I’m just cold. This skirt has a really high slit.”
He tilts his head to examine my long stretch of exposed leg. “Not high enough.”
I cross my arms and try to give him my best unimpressed look, but he’s gone all blurry. Again.
He runs his hands over my back. “Are you sure that’s the cause of the tears in your eyes?”
“Shh.” I look past him, but nobody’s paying any attention to us. They’re too focused on getting to the cake Tess made.
“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
I thought I’d seen the last of this dumb weepiness when the wedding ceremony ended, but Hope’s speech brought it back to life.
“It’s just a lot of change over the last year for us girls. We were all happy enough a year ago.” I cringe. “Maybe not Lila, who’d just found out her ex was cheating on her. Anyway. We were fine, you know? Solid sevens and eights on a scale out of ten. And then you doofuses came along and showed us the scale really goes to fifteen. And you made us happier.”
I groan and tuck my forehead against his chest. “Never mind. I’m talking stupid. It’s wedding brain. Ignore me.”
He massages my shoulders, his low chuckle rumbling through him into me.
“It’s not stupid. I know exactly what you mean. I was a solid seven on the happiness scale a year ago, too.”
I tilt my face to look up at him. “And now?”
He smirks down at me. “Sixteen.”
He really is the best.
“I love you, Callahan.”
“Oh, Krause. I love you, too.”
He kisses me, pulling my body flush against his. He cups my jaw, almost speaking to me through every slide of his mouth. Whispering plans. Making promises. Giving me hints of things to come.
When he draws back, I realize Leo’s walking through the living room, a grin almost too wide for his faceflashing at us.
“Just for that,” he says, “I’m bumping you up a rung on the marriage bracket.”
BONUS EPILOGUE
WREN
“This is my favorite so far.”I stand facing the ocean at Onemana Beach, my arms outstretched as the waves wash over my toes. It’s hotter than I thought it would be for early March, but I’m not complaining. A warm breeze ruffles my coverup skirt, my thin linen top billowing around my waist. My dual braids are almost shot this late in the afternoon. I’m windswept and sunburned and have several hellaciously itchy bumps around both ankles.
But we’re here, and I’m loving every second of it. Itchy bumps aside.
Shepherd wraps his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on top of my head. “You say that about all of them.”
“I mean it about all of them. Look at this place. Beautiful green trees on shore. White sandy beach along the bay. Pure blue ocean stretching out in front of us. Yup.” I nod, making his chin bob above me. “My favorite.”
We’ve been in New Zealand a week already, with six days of exploring left to go. We decided not to overwhelm ourselves with too many options, so we’re sticking to the upper end of the North Island for our stay. We move from tiny house to tiny house, beach bums with nothing better to do than sit in the sand and take a dip in the ocean. I’ve got my swimsuit on beneath my clothes, ready to get back in the water at a moment’s notice.
“There’s room in the beginner classes for us every day we’re here.” Shepherd releases me so we can stand side by side. He nods down the beach toward a small surf shack. “If you want to give it a try.”
I sigh.I’vegot nothing better to do than sit around. He’s trying to convince me this is a good time to learn how to surf. He’s a big fan of doing things, that one.
“Mmm.” I try to work up a grumble, but it’s not very serious. This trip is too out of the ordinary to pass up something like that. When will I get the chance to surf in New Zealand again? “Okay. Tomorrow, though. Tonight, I just want to watch the sun set and eat all the noodles we have in our hut.”
He swoops in to kiss my cheek. “That’s my goddess.”
