Page 74 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“That means I’ll get to see you,” she said.
They enjoyed the view for a few more minutes before theystarted down the stairs. When they walked outside, Kaiah motioned toward the lighthouse. “I need to get more photos. I might use them for my write-up after the festival.”
She snapped several photos with her phone and then grabbed his arm. “We should take a selfie with the lighthouse in the background.”
She handed him the phone, then snuggled up to him, and he held the phone up high before snapping several photos.
“Send me those,” he told her.
“I will.” She held his hand while they descended the steps. “I’m going to write another article tonight and include the winner of the photo contest. I can’t believe we had a thousand folks vote online for the entries.”
After they walked back to Reid’s Suburban and climbed inside, he leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. He began slowly, taking his time to explore her velvet lips as the world around them fell away. Her hands moved to the nape of his neck, and her fingertips combed through his hair.
When he broke away, he pulled in air, working to slow the shock waves still rocking his body.
Her lips were a swollen pout as she touched his face. “I could get used to that,” she whispered.
He grinned. “I think I could too.”
Chapter 18
Rain drummed on the roof above Kaiah Thursday morning. She peeked out Reid’s kitchen window. Droplets of rain peppered the windshield of the Suburban while bushes filled with pink and white azaleas danced in the gentle breeze. Dark clouds promised that the storm would last throughout the day.
Reid came to stand beside her, and the aroma of fresh coffee filled her nostrils as he sipped from his mug. Then he leaned over and brushed a java-flavored kiss over her lips. She would never get tired of kissing him.
“Any idea how we’re gonna set up the market tents and that huge music stage while it’s raining?” she asked.
He shrugged and sipped more coffee. “We’ll figure it out.”
Kaiah pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jean shorts and consulted the forecast. Her shoulders sagged when she saw rain clouds dotting the weather grid for the next six days. “Oh no, it’s supposed to rain untilnext Thursday. It’s going to ruin all of our plans. How on earth will the festival happen in the rain?”
“We’ll go with the flow. It can still work.”
She took in his bright smile. “But what if no one comes?”
“It’s going to be fine, Ky. I just know it.”
The front door opened and shut with a bang before Becca came into the den. “It’s raining!”
Reid and Kaiah shared a smile before he addressed his twin. “It’s not a problem.”
“How can you be so calm, Reid?” Becca demanded. “It’s a mess out there.” She pointed toward the window.
“It’s going to be fine, sis. I promise you.”
Becca narrowed her eyes at her brother.
“Look,” he began, “since I have to work tomorrow, we’re going to get as much done today as we can. We’ll roll with the rain as we need to.”
“If you say so,” Becca said. She started toward the door. “Let’s go, guys. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
A few hours later, Kaiah stood under the large tent while rain continued to fall. She glanced around at the different booths where vendors had begun to set up. The wind blew the flaps of the tent open, and a cool breeze rushed over her before a cold river of liquid began streaming down her back.Why don’t I ever pack my rain jacket on these reporting trips?she thought. Sheesh!She shivered and wiped her hand across her neck before craning her neck upward just as more rain snuck in between the seams of the tent.
The rain hadn’t let up all day long. In fact, the rain and the wind had only gotten worse as the day progressed. Kaiah moved through the large tent where merchants were stacking product and readying displays. Her phone dinged with a text, and when she found Hayes’sname on the screen, she groaned. She hadn’t responded to his text on Tuesday.
Hayes: Kaiah, please. Can we talk?
Instead, she’d told Reid about their breakup, and it had felt good to get it off her chest. Reid had been so kind to her. And she had nothing else to give to someone who’d taken so much from her.
