Page 52 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“Me too,” he whispered.
He moved his gaze and locked eyes with hers. And when an intense expression—was that... longing?—overtook his face, her breath seized in her chest.
“Daddy?” Piper said.
And Reid’s posture went rigid.
“Yeah, sweetie?” He returned to the counter beside his daughter.
“Is this enough icing?” She pointed to her lighthouse cookie, which was smothered in a rainbow of colors.
“I think it’s beautiful.” He moved it to the rack with other cookies that were drying. “Let’s get started on another one.”
Kaiah tried her best to remember how to breathe while she returned to rolling out dough and cutting out cookies.
A couple hours later, they had four dozen lighthouse cookies tucked into ziplock bags and stacked in boxes, ready for the bake sale. Kaiah set the last cookie sheet in the dishwasher, placed a detergent packet in the slot, and started the humming machine to life.
Piper wiped off the counters she could reach with a paper towel before running off to play with Ariel, and Reid stowed the baking supplies.
“I think our lighthouses will be a hit at the bake sale,” Kaiah said while surveying the boxes.
Reid rested a hip against the counter. “I do too.”
“We can take them to the office when we drop off Piper at school.”
“Yup.” He pointed to the clock. “It’s about time to eat. Would you like to stay for supper?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to impose.”
“Is that right?” he asked, tossing a dishrag into the sink. “You forced me to spend my afternoon baking and decorating cookies, butnowyou’re worried about imposing?” His lips twitched.
She opened and closed her mouth. He had her there.
“Kaiah, I’m kidding.” He rubbed her arm. “You’re not imposing.” His expression became serious. “Stay for supper. Please.”
Piper popped her head in the doorway. “Can we have chicken nuggets and french fries?” she asked. “Please, please,please, Daddy?”
Reid gave Kaiah an apologetic expression. “What do you think, ma’am?”
“A food fight, cookies, and now chicken nuggets and fries?” Kaiah asked. “I can’t think of a more perfect evening.”
“Yay!” Piper sang before dancing on her way to the family room.
Reid shot Kaiah a look that sent her pulse jumping. “Thank you. Seriously.”
“For what?”
“Just for being you.”
While he opened the freezer door, Kaiah hugged her arms to her chest, hoping to slow down her racing heart. She had a sneaking suspicion that Reid felt their connection deepening the way she did.
Whew. Talk about a detour.
Later that evening, Kaiah flopped onto the sofa, foundYou’ve Got Mailon a streamer, and settled under a blanket. She was worn outfrom the day, but she also couldn’t stop smiling. She’d had such a good time with Reid and Piper. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much.
Before the movie got too underway, she pulled out her phone to check on her Coral Cove article. She pulled upThe Traveler’s Instagram feed, and she saw her article already had more than—
Oh my goodness!
