Page 78 of Ocotillo Kisses
“What is?” he asked.
“Britt gave him an idea of how to propose to Ginny on the Fourth of July.”
“It’s with sparklers,” Austin said. “I need you guys to help me with it. We’re going to spell it out, and her grandpa’s band is going to play our song.”
“What’s your song?” Con asked. He didn’t think either of them were particularly music fans.
“Ah, well, I have to look it up. We danced to a song in Kimmel, and I thought I’d use that.”
“So not something she’d notice right away.”
“Maybe just pick a romantic song and that could become your song,” Con’s mother said. “I have a list of songs we had at our party. You could listen to those and pick one.”
But Con wasn’t listening any more. He straightened slowly, his gaze on the entrance to the courtyard. That couldn’t be—
And then she turned and smiled right at him.
Britt.
He banged his thighs on the table, he stood up so fast. He didn’t even care that everyone was staring as he pushed his way through the guests to get to her, while she waited patiently, hands folded together in front of her.
“Hi, Con,” she said, at the same time he said, “What are you doing here?”
Her smile flickered for a moment, but she shored it up.
“I traded with Jenna.”
He frowned for a second. He knew her sister Jenna was supposed to come stay with Mrs. Drexler next, but that meant Britt was just here temporarily, again.
She must have seen the confusion on his face, because she pressed on. “She decided it would be too hard on her girls to miss so much camp and whatever it is city kids do in the summer, so I said I’d come back. I wasn’t sure what my welcome would be, to be honest.”
Con caught her hand in his, rubbed his thumb along her palm. She was back—she’d chosen to return. And if she didn’t know what her welcome would be, well....
He stepped forward and curved his other hand around her jaw, letting her cool hair fall against his fingers. In just that minute, he saw the uncertainty that had been in her eyes shift over to joy. The same emotion swelled up in his chest.
They had a lot to talk about, a lot to discuss, but right now the most important thing was that she did not doubt her welcome.
Her lips were stiff only for an instant before she softened against him, melted into him, pulling her hand free to wrap both arms around his neck. He was vaguely aware of shouts and whistles around them, but mostly he was focused on Britt, the taste of her, the warmth of her. Just...her.
He lifted his head to smile down at her, stroking his thumb over her cheek, her lips.
“All right, all right, Britt’s back, whatever,” Ginny said, shoving a couple of bottles of beer between them. “Break it up. It’s my party, not yours.”
Britt blushed and took the offered bottle, but Con just grinned and guided Britt to the table where his mom was now standing. Britt hugged her too before sitting down.
“I didn’t think I’d make it back for the party,” she said, leaning back in the chair. “I’m glad I did.”
“I’m sure they were wishing you were here to help them plan it. Austin was just telling me about the proposal. He said he hasn’t told all of the group yet because he’s afraid someone will blab.”
“I’ll admit, I was pretty sad to think I’d be missing out on that,” Britt said with a smile.
“I think it’s a brilliant idea, and so special. I’m so happy to see you back.”
“Now what happened?” Con asked for clarification. “Your sister didn’t want to come?”
Britt sat back in the folding chair and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “I think it was her kids who wanted to spend time with their friends over their summer vacation, which I guess I can see, summer vacations are shorter now than when we were kids, and a month in a small town is a long time if you don’t know anyone.”
“I thought you had work to do,” he said. “Christmas parties to plan.”
