My hands scrubbed down my face and I groaned.
“You didn’t remember about the costumes, did you?” she asked in a soft voice. “That’s why you agreed so quickly.”
Dropping my hands to my side, I forced myself to smile. “Nah, but it’s okay. We’ll have fun.”
A beautiful smile appeared on her face, and she walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m so glad you think so. I’ve got some great ideas! Meet me at my folks’ place later?”
I nodded, then took her mouth in a kiss that said I’d miss her. Kynslee melted against my body and I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her up and holding her for a moment until we ended the kiss.
“I love you, Kyns.”
God, it felt good to just say it. To finally be standing in front of her and pouring out the words I’d kept inside for over a decade.
Her eyes searched my face before her gaze connected with mine. “I love you, too.”
I set her down and slapped her ass. “You better get going before I strip you again. I really do need to get back to the farm and work.”
“See you later!” she said, grabbing the rest of her things and heading toward the door.
I walked her out to her car and leaned into her window to give her one more kiss.
“See ya soon, princess.”
“See ya soon!”
As I watched Kynslee drive off while I headed over to my truck. I slipped inside and said a quick prayer. “Please don’t let any of the costumes be food. Please!”
Kynslee
“KNOCK, KNOCK,” I said as I pushed the screen door open and stepped into my parents’ kitchen.
“Kynslee, darling, you’re early,” my mother said as she wiped her hands on her apron.
My father gave me a quick hello before he went back to putting a spoonful of cookie dough on a cookie sheet. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hey, Daddy.”
“That salad looks amazing!” my mother said, a little bit too excited. From the moment I asked about dinner and Miles coming over, she had been on a mission. She left the store, headed home, and started to make her famous lasagna that Miles adored.
“Are those oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?” I asked, scrunching up my nose.
My father sighed. “They’re Miles’s favorite, so your mother insisted we needed to make them.”
I glanced over my shoulder and called out to my mother, “I thought you were making cherry pie!”
When she walked back into the kitchen, she huffed. “Cherry pie is your favorite, not Miles’s.”
My mouth fell open.
“Welcome to my world,” Daddy whispered next to me. “Now I’m third in ranking.”
“Third?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes as if I should have already known this. “I was first, until you came along,” he said, jerking his head in my direction. “Then I dropped to second. Now, Miles is back, and your mom envisions grandbabies in her near future, so that bumped you into second, me into third.”
I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from laughing. “Daddy, I didn’t bump you to second and Miles hasn’t bumped you either.”
“Father’s Day last year. I wanted to grill some steaks. You were in the mood for hotdogs, so what did I grill?”
Pressing my mouth into a tight line, I attempted not to giggle.
“Hotdogs. That’s what I made. And we had cherry pie.”
I moaned at the memory. “Oh man, I love cherry pie.”
He huffed. “It’s the only dessert your mother will make anymore because she knows you like it.”
“She didn’t make it tonight!” I said, still trying hard not to laugh when he shot me a look that said not to even go there.
“So, I’m guessing things are going well with you and Miles.”
I took a scoop of cookie dough and placed it on the cookie sheet. “Yes.” Our eyes met and something passed over my father’s face. “You don’t have a problem with Miles, do you?”
He shook his head. “I never understood why you waited around for him, but then again, I don’t really know what has transpired between the two of you over the years. I know you’re close.”
I chewed my lip. “Daddy, I tried to move on, but I think deep in my heart I’ve always known Miles was the one.”
With a soft smile, he nodded. “I know, baby girl. It’s still hard for me to let you go, no matter who it is. You’re my daughter, and it’s my duty as a father to give Miles a hard time. He’ll see some day when you have kids.”
That thought had me doing a little dance. I leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, Daddy.”
“Miles is here!” my mother cried out with excitement.
I placed my hand on his arm and gave it a slight squeeze. “I love him, Daddy. Please remember that.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Be careful, Kynslee Marie. He’s only been home a short time. I know the two of you were best friends, but being friends and more than friends is…different. This man has hurt you before.”