Page 116 of Nothing Serious

“We wanted to see if Holly was interested in interning with me part-time.”

“Yea? I bet she’d love that. Are you thinking of expanding your business into Maple Cove?” His eyes light up.

“I think we’d like to try, yeah.”

“Oh, Liv! I meant to tell you,” Viv pipes up. “The Hotel EdenReed pulled the plug on the sale.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know. I heard through my brother that the financial firm that was helping the investor manage his money dropped his account. Supposedly, the investor then tried to move forward with the sale anyway, but his checks bounced. So I don’t know, maybe some bad money management? It looks shady as hell though.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” Viv’s eyebrows meet her hairline. “We might have dodged a bullet with that account. I’ll keep tabs on EdenReed though. Maybe we still have a shot at their rebrand after all.”

The conversation around the table shifts to Josh and where his plans will take him tonight, but my eyes keep finding their way to the man next to me. I squeeze his hand gently, and he leans in, kissing me on the cheek before returning to the conversation around the table.

Pop, sitting in the chair next to me, pats my knee and nods his head. “I’m happy for you, kiddo,” he says so only I can hear.

A soft breeze pushes the loose strands of my ponytail, and for a moment the big fluffy white clouds part, allowing the sun to shine, warmth splashing against my skin. I close my eyes and soak it in.

A hug from above.

One month later

Luke

Liv sits wrapped in the blanket, resting between my legs on the lounge chair. The inky sky is crystal clear with stars spilled across like a thousand tiny diamonds. It’s another beautiful night, but all I see is Liv.

She sighs into me, laying her head on my shoulder. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this view. All these stars.”

I hug her a little tighter and look up just in time to see a star streak across the sky. “Make a wish.”

Liv smiles and closes her eyes.

When she opens them and looks at me, there’s a note of seriousness in them. “You know, the last time I made a wish on a shooting star, I wished for you.”

“You did?”

“I wished to keep your arms around me, and to stay right here under these stars.” She swallows, eyes closing as if she’s finding courage from some well deep inside herself.

“But I was afraid—I’m still afraid—you’ll decide I’m not…”

“Trip,” I say, shifting so I can stare into those beautiful hazel eyes. I’m about to utter the words that will take this thing between us to a new level, hoping desperately it’s not too soon. “I love you. I love you so damn much.”

Her eyes jump between mine. I hope she’s searching for any sign of doubt because I know she won’t find it.

“Every perfectly imperfect thing about you, I love. More than the stars that fill the sky,” I say.

The tension in my chest drains away the moment she smiles, eyes sparkling. I exhale, the last of my breath rushing from me as she plants soft kisses on the tip of my nose, my cheek, my lips. “I love you too, Romeo.”