Page 10 of Steinbeck (The Minnesota Kingstons #5)
He stood back as if to protect her modesty, and she climbed up and found a small deck platform secured to the top, and on it, a thick foam cushion, a bucket of ice, and a bottle of champagne.
Bam. See?
And sure, no stars sparkled overhead, just the girders of the garage, but maybe he feared it would rain?
Whatever.
He climbed up and sat next to her on the cushion. “What do you think?”
“It’s... fun.”
“Yeah, it is. Imagine lying up here at night, watching the stars.” He reached for the champagne, the top already popped. “It’s nonalcoholic. I know you don’t love the real stuff.”
Sweet. She lifted the two plastic stem glasses, and he poured out the bubbly. Felt like maybe they should wait until after the proposal, but...
He set the bottle back in the ice and took a glass. Turned to her.
Sometimes she felt like she was back in high school, falling hard for Big Jack, the eldest of the Kingston family. Swept up by his intensity, the sense of bold adventure that emanated from him. And sure, he’d broken her heart once upon a time, but a girl never forgot her first love.
And Jack would always and forever be her first and only love.
He lifted his glass. “Bee. I never would have finished this project without your help. Your insights, your opinions, so many hours helping me overhaul the engine and fix the brakes and wire the bus, adding cabinetry and benches, painting... It’s better than I could have imagined.”
He was talking about them, not the bus, right?
“And I want to thank you.”
Oh. “Absolutely, Jack. I mean... Flo is... she’s something special.”
“Yes, she is.” His gaze held hers. “Just like you.”
Okay, that was a little romantic. Sappy, but he’d never been a poet. A wannabe lawyer, maybe, which translated to him knowing what to say at the right time. She’d take it. “Thanks.”
He tapped her glass with his, then leaned forward and kissed her. Sweetly, lingering. Then he leaned back and took a sip. Set his glass on the rooftop deck.
Looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling. “Okay. So I need to ask you a question.”
Her heart thumped. She set down her glass too. He took her hand.
“It’s important. It’s permanent and it’s... well, I feel like it’s a decision we need to make together.”
Well, clearly. But she just smiled.
He blew out another breath. C’mon, it wasn’t that scary. She’d been an all-in yes and about time, Jack for a few months now.
Maybe a few years.
“Would you consider...”
She held her breath.
“Naming the bus?”
She blinked at him. “What?”
“I mean, I know that we’ve been calling her Flo and that I nixed the Power Flowers, but you never really liked Flo and.
.. well, I need to get new license plates, and I wanted to buy custom plates.
But, you know, it’s a big decision. Permanent registration and.
..” He was still grinning. “And I was thinking we could come up with a new name together.”
What?
Seriously?
She looked away, hating the terrible fist in her chest, and what—now her eyes burned? C’mon, Jack ?—
He still had hold of her hand. And she didn’t want to be a jerk, but... whatever.
Her breath hitched. “I think Flo is... fine.”
“Really?” He released her hand. “I got the distinct impression that you weren’t a fan of Flo.”
“Flo is a great name. I mean... why not?” She needed to leave, but she didn’t want to take off in an all-out run.
Okay, maybe she did, but she needed a ride home and...
“I think Flo is perfect.” She forced a smile. “You know, I need to get back home. I’m on the last couple scenes of my book, and my deadline is this weekend.”
“What about the state fair?”
The fair. Right. “I don’t know, Jack, I?—”
“Please? Austen is coming home, and the whole family is going. And I thought I’d take Flo for a test drive this weekend.”
She found herself nodding. Glancing past him to the steps. “Sure. Fine.”
“I need to make sure she’s running well before she hits the road.” He took another sip of their fake champagne. Just like their fake future.
She didn’t know what to think, really. And suddenly, it just felt so... raw. And maybe desperate to ask him... Am I going with you?
Nope. She wasn’t the lovestruck high schooler who’d sorta, maybe, a little, tricked him into kissing her so many summers ago. Paved a road of regrets.
She refused to force his hand. Because then, well, how would she know if she was truly the one?
So... “Jack, I really need to get back to work. With Mom gone, the house is quiet and?—”
He frowned. “Sure.”
He got up and helped her as she climbed down the ladder. Landed beside her. No blindfold needed as she headed back outside to his Geo.
She got in, grateful for the darkness. Don’t cry. Don’t ? —
“You okay?” He pulled out of the lot, heading toward the King’s Inn and her mom’s cottage, located next door.
“Yep.” Oh, she sounded strained. She swallowed. “Just... thinking about my next scene.”
“It must be romantic. I know how you get when you’re working on a romantic scene.”
He looked over at her, and she caught his wink. “Need to act it out?”
A spear in her heart, despite the humor in his voice.
“No. I think I got this. They’re breaking up, so... you know. No kissing.”
“Sad.” He reached over, squeezed her hand. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Yeah, she would, thanks. He let her go.
But when he pulled into her driveway, he said, “You sure you’re okay?”
Nope. But she just couldn’t...
She reached for the door handle.
“Harper?”
She turned back, her throat tight. His smile had vanished, concern in his eyes now, a frown. “I love you.”
Oh. She found a smile. “I love you too.”
Then she got out and closed the door. He waited until she went inside before he pulled out, his headlights disappearing in the night.
Then she grabbed a blanket and the envelope from the top of the trash, went outside, and sat on the round cobblestone patio, the twinkle lights splashing around her. She pulled out the contract inside and stared at it one more time.
A job offer from PopMuse magazine in Nashville, in-house editor of their “Hot News and Hot Stars” section. Straight from Clarice, her manager, who’d had lunch with the publisher and two weeks later, landed her a second chance and a contract for a job...
One she hadn’t wanted.
Until today.
Now, Harper stared at the blurry stars.
Clearly, the answer was yes.