Page 21 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“Most likely in the apartment.” He set the cake on the counter while his brother-in-law put the covered dish beside it.
Cash swiped a handful of chips from the bowl in the center of the table. “What pretty blonde?”
Becca quickly summarized how Kaiah came to stay in Reid’s empty apartment. “Have you talked to her since yesterday?”
“Piper invited her for breakfast this morning. Then we gave her a tour of the town and stopped at the grocery store on our way home.” Reid pulled a stack of plates from the cabinet. “I invited her to join us for supper, but she said she had to do some research for her next article.”
Becca arched an eyebrow. “Well, that sounds like a full day. Did you have fun?”
Reid nodded. “Yeah. She and Piper seem to have clicked. Piper wouldn’t stop chatting and sharing stories with her.”
“Well, Piper is so shy,” Cash joked, and they all laughed.
Becca grinned at her twin. “You should tell her to invite Kaiah for supper.”
“Becks, the woman said no. She’ll have her car back in a couple days and head to her next destination for her travel series.”
His sister was quiet for a minute. The next time she spoke, her voice was soft. “Reid, it’s been four years. You’re allowed to open up to someone again.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and forced his eyes to keep from rolling upward. He’d heard this lecture so many times, he could almost recite it along with her. “Becks, come on. I know you mean well, but I have my daughter to think of. I don’t need Piper to get attached and then have her heart broken when Kaiah leaves.”
“So that’s all this is about, huh? Just Piper?”
Reid shook his head and pulled cups out of the cabinet. Hewasn’t in the mood for one of his sister’s interrogations. Dating wasn’t on his radar, and his twin knew better. But she still insisted on pushing him.
“Want me to warm up the grill?” Cash offered.
Reid was grateful for the change in subject. “How about you pull out the fixings, and I’ll start the grill?”
While Reid concentrated on grilling the burgers, Becca and Cash readied the toppings and sides. As soon as his parents, Blake and Sue, arrived, the supper was on the table.
“Can we invite Miss Kaiah to join us?” Piper asked while she and Astrid sat in their usual spots across from Reid.
“Who’s Kaiah?” his mom asked.
“She’s busy, Piper. She told you that earlier.” Reid glanced over at his mother and took in her intrigued expression. “Kaiah is an out-of-towner who had some car trouble. She’s staying in the garage apartment while her car is repaired.”
“I invited her for breakfast, and Daddy made us pancakes. Then we showed her the town,” Piper explained to her grandmother. “Miss Kaiah and Daddy talked on the boardwalk while I played with Megan at the beach.”
“Is that right?”
Reid could’ve sworn Mom had a twinkle in her eye.
“Miss Kaiah writes stories,” Piper continued. “She used to have a dog named George, but her friend took her dog. She misses him—the dog, I mean. I don’t know if she misses her friend. I have to ask her. I like her a lot, and I hope she stays a long time. I think Daddy likes her too.” Piper took a bite from her cheeseburger and settled back on her chair.
His mother nodded slowly, a smirk on her face as she turned her attention toward Reid. “That’sveryinteresting. Is Kaiah single?”
Here we go again...
Reid took a deep, cleansing breath. “I don’t know, but she’s leaving very soon.”
“What a shame, son. She sounds lovely.”
Reid glanced across the table at Cash, hoping his brother-in-law would rescue him with another subject change, but he was busy helping Astrid add copious amounts of ketchup and pickles to her cheeseburger. He decided to instigate his own subject change. “What were you saying about the festival?” he asked his twin.
“It’s not good,” Becca began, her expression turning grave. “Our marketing budget is slashed, and the newspaper doesn’t have a huge online footprint. Somehow we need to get the word out about the festival, or it will just be a waste of money.”
Cash rubbed his wife’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay. It always is.”
