“Really?” Austin knew gossip traveled fast in this town, but he figured with the festival, his return might just fly under the radar.
“Oh, yeah. Your ears should be on fire.” Ali’s grin grew even larger as she glanced over her shoulder. “You’ve already met, right?” Ali’s eyes bounced between Austin and Sara.
“We have.” Austin smiled. “Where are the kids?”
Sara’s mouth parted as she sucked in a tiny breath of air. “They’re in the office watching YouTube videos.”
As he stared into Sara’s eyes, he was vaguely aware that Kade and Ali were standing beside them. But really, all he saw was the crystal blue stare that hypnotized him. His brow rose and his heart was pounding in his chest as he asked, “Were you the cause of my burning ears?”
A deep pink flush flared on Sara’s cheeks as she rushed to clarify, “I just said you were nice.”
Somehow, the fact he’d made her blush so easily made him want to do it again, this time in a much less public place, and show her just how not nice he was.
Ali’s head fell back and she laughed. “Actually, Mrs. D is the president of your fan club.”
Bummer.
“Hey, I have an idea.” Ali snapped her fingers as she spun back toward Sara, who still looked a little shaken. “Every year the locals go up to Foster Pond and have a barbeque the night before the summer festival starts.” Ali pointed at Austin. “You’ve been, right Austin?”
“Yep.”
“You guys have to come.” Ali smiled with glee. “You can meet Jess.”
“Umm…” Sara’s eyes shot to Austin, and she froze like a deer in headlights.
It probably shouldn’t have made him feel a swell of pride that she looked to him, but it did.
Kade slapped his hand on Austin’s shoulder. “Yeah, man. I’d love to catch up. And I know that Ethan would love seeing you. Plus, Mr. Myers is making his famous ribs.”
“I love ribs,” Austin grinned.
“Great. Then it’s settled. Ali clapped her hands together. “We’re all going out there around six.”
Just as Ali made the declaration, Charlotte, Trevor, and a teenager that looked like the spitting image of Kade, of all people, walked out of the office.
“Austin!” Trevor and Charlotte both shouted when they saw him.
“KJ, this is Austin. He was a friend of me and your dad’s.” Kade introduced him to Patrick’s son.
“You’re Cliff and Alma’s grandson.” KJ smiled as he shook Austin’s hand. “My dad talked about you a lot.”
“Don’t believe everything he said.” Austin teased.
“Yeah,” Kade nodded. “He liked to exaggerate.”
Kade and Austin chuckled, since they both knew that out of the four friends Patrick and Ethan had practically been choir boys and Austin and Kade had a wild streak.
“I’m going to take the kids back to the B&B and freshen up.” Sara picked up Charlotte who was lifting her hands up toward her. “Can I get the address to the pond?”
“I’ll drive.” As soon as the words left Austin’s mouth, he realized it sounded like a statement and not an offer.
Instead of being offended by him crossing a line he had no business crossing, Sara scrunched her face up in a way Austin found equal parts sexy and cute. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He might be confused about a lot of things right now, but whether or not he wanted to take her and the kids to Foster Pond for the annual BBQ was not one of them.
“Okay,” she agreed hesitantly, tilting her head with an expression he easily read as her thinking he had no idea what he was getting himself into.
They said their goodbyes and headed back toward the B&B together. Charlotte wiggled to get out of her mom’s arms and before they crossed the street, she placed her chubby little hand in his. The small gesture had his heart swelling and floating like a helium-filled balloon.
Maybe Sara was right…he had no idea what he was getting himself into.