Page 38 of Steinbeck (The Minnesota Kingstons #5)

Boo handed it over, put her hands on her hips, surveying the place. “So, your mom is really selling the place.”

“Yeah. She’s contacted a Realtor. They’re going to stage the house and get it on the market. She gave me until the end of the month, but... I need to go.”

Boo moved the stack of T-shirts and sat on the overstuffed chair. “No, you don’t.”

“The rest of those are for Goodwill.” She pointed to the box on the floor.

“Really? This one is from when we went to the Ben King concert. What were we—fifteen?” She held up the concert tee that featured the singer emblazoned on the front.

“It’s in the past. I don’t need it.”

Boo tossed it at her suitcase. “What you don’t need is to be packing at all.”

“Boo—”

“My brother Jack is not in a good way, Harper. He’s... dark and crabby again and... well, I blame you.”

Harper turned, her eyes wide. “What?”

“You broke the poor man’s heart.”

Boo wasn’t kidding by the solemn look on her face.

“Boo. I don’t want to leave. Are you kidding?” She sank down onto the sofa. “I’ve cried for a week straight.” Her voice wobbled. “I’ve loved your brother since I was... I don’t know?—”

“Twelve years old.”

“Yes. At least. But...” She shook her head. “It appears we want different things.”

“Like what—a family, a home?”

“That’s what I want. He wants... I don’t know what he wants. He took the bar, Boo. Without telling me.”

Boo nodded. “Maybe he was afraid he’d fail.”

“Oh, I’ve seen him fail before. It doesn’t scare me.”

“It might scare him.”

“You know what scares him?” She stood up, grabbed the stack of T-shirts, and dropped them into the box. “Proposing.”

“What?”

She rounded on her. “Not that I would know, because he hasn’t. And?—”

“You’re mad because he didn’t propose ?” Boo stared at her.

“When you put it like that... no. But... fine, yes. Sort of. I don’t know. I guess...” She frowned. “Why did you come over here? To make me feel like a total jerk?”

“Is it working?”

“A little.”

“Good. We’re having a family dinner. Steinbeck is back, along with his”—and she finger quoted the word—“‘girlfriend.’ Although I think they actually are together. He’s all weirdly doting on her and... Anyway, since we’re all in town at the same time, Mom wants us to have family dinner.”

“Great. Have a lovely time.” And she didn’t mean for the words to emerge so sharp, even brittle.

“You’re part of the family, Harper.”

“No, Boo. I’m not.”

Boo stood up. “Yes. Actually, you are. You’ve always been. And for the love, will you just talk to him? Sheesh—you’re the one who’s supposed to be good with words.”

Harper apparently wasn’t done crying. She wiped her cheeks. “For the record, I wasn’t going to take this job. But he told me to.”

Boo arched an eyebrow. “He did not.”

“Stood right there, and when I asked him why I shouldn’t take it... he had nothing. Said it was an opportunity of a lifetime. So...” She shrugged, quick and sharp.

“Okay. That was... weird. But love is patient and maybe you should give him another chance.”

“For him to destroy me in front of your entire family? He laughed at me, Boo. Laughed . Again.”

Boo stepped up to her, took her shoulders. “He’s not laughing now. I promise you, my brother looks like he’s lost his best friend. And frankly, so do you.” She pulled Harper close.

“I still have you. That counts.”

“That does count.” Boo held her away. “I remember telling you right before my wedding that I’d learned that God had good things for those who trust in His love for them.

God loves you, Bee. I know you know this.

But sometimes we’re not the easiest people to love.

And if he doesn’t give up on us, maybe we shouldn’t give up on others. ”

Harper sighed.

“If you come to dinner, I’ll tell you a secret.” Boo smiled. Put her hands on her tummy.

Harper’s breath caught. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm. But only my mom knows. Oaken and I are announcing it at dinner. You don’t want to miss that.”

Harper sighed. “No, no, I don’t.”

“Then how about you change out of this—what are you wearing?”

“What? You don’t remember this shirt?”

Boo paused. “That’s my shirt. My Scooby-Doo shirt.”

“And you’re not getting it back.”

Boo looped her arm through Harper’s. “C’mon. I promise, it’ll be okay.”

“Doubtful.” But she slid on her sandals and followed Boo up the trail, across the yard to the King’s Inn, and then past it, over the lawn to where the family had congregated.

The chrysanthemums bloomed along the front of the porch, and it was hard to miss Jack throwing a football to Steinbeck and Doyle in the yard.

Conrad and Oaken drove up in the UTV with firewood, then got out and added it to a stack of logs. Clearly a bonfire was on the agenda.

She’d probably be back at her house by then, packing her car.

“Bee!” This from Austen, who came down the stairs of the porch, her auburn hair tied back. She hugged Harper. “Jack told me this terrible story about you leaving for Nashville.”

She glanced over at him. He appeared as if he was trying very hard not to look at her. Shoot, he looked good in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that stretched over his shoulders, his torso.

Don’t look.

She climbed the porch stairs and went into the kitchen, where Tia was mashing potatoes.

“Hey. I didn’t know you and Doyle were back.

” She didn’t know Tia well—mostly through Tia’s sister, Penny.

Dark hair, pretty, tan, smart, and in Penny’s opinion, a little bossy, but then again, she was the older sister.

Penny came in carrying an oversized jar of pickles. Set it on the counter. “Okay, this was the last jar in the cellar.”

“That’s the one,” said Mama Em, and she glanced over at Harper. “Thank you for coming.”

Oh. Harper nodded. “How can I help?”

“Get the guys to set the table.”

She sighed, then went outside and stood on the steps and called them in.

Stein ran over and up the stairs. “I’ll check on Emberly.” He moved past her.

Conrad came in and headed to the kitchen, came out with placemats and a stack of dishes. Doyle went in, maybe for glasses.

And then there was Jack. He came up the steps, stopped.

He glanced at her. Gave her a tight smile. “You haven’t left yet.”

“Tonight.” Or tomorrow. Or right now.

He nodded. Oh, he did look rough, but then again, she was wearing cutoff shorts and a Scooby-Doo shirt, so...

She didn’t want to leave it like this. Didn’t want to leave at all, but...

“I—”

“Leave it, Harper.” He held up a hand. “We’ll get through this dinner and maybe someday figure out a way to...” He shook his head. “Whatever.”

He started to walk away, toward the door.

Conrad stood in front of him.

“Move.”

Penny came out behind him, holding a tray of pickles. Looked at Jack, then at Harper. “For Pete’s sake, will you two have a conversation?”

“We did,” Jack said. He took the pickles from Penny. “It’s done.”

Boo had come up, holding Oaken’s hand. “It’s not done. Harper spent the week crying her eyes out.”

“Hey. That was private information.”

“Jack is about as friendly as a mule,” said Doyle, sliding out from behind Penny.

Jack shook his head.

“Just... propose to the woman already.” This from Boo.

Harper might have worn the same look as Jack. “Boo!”

“Well. That’s the problem, right?”

Jack frowned. Cocked his head.

Austen had come out of the kitchen carrying the bowl of potatoes, Tia behind her. She stopped at the roadblock by the door. “What did I miss?”

“Jack is going to propose to Harper,” said Conrad.

“I am not!”

And Harper had never felt more slapped. She recoiled, caught her breath. “Sorry, Boo.” She turned, headed down the stairs.

And nearly plowed over Declan Stone. He stood in her way, and she stared at him. Right. Austen was dating the billionaire.

He reached out and steadied her. “You okay?”

“No, she’s not okay,” said Tia. “Apparently, Jack won’t propose.”

Jack rounded on Tia. “What?”

She held up her hands. “I’m just catching him up. It’s good for everyone to have all the information so they don’t walk into something unprepared.”

Declan gave her a look.

She smiled.

“Okay, for the record, I’m very busy, and clearly you and Doyle figured it out.” Declan looked at Austen. “Help me out here.”

“Oh no. I agree. It’s important to communicate, especially when you have feelings for someone.” She smiled. “Otherwise, they could, I don’t know, think they’re just the hired help.”

“I’m wondering if I got invited to the right party.”

“Hey, Dec.” Steinbeck stood at the door, Emberly leaning on his arm.

“What happened?” Harper said, her gaze on Emberly. “Are you okay?”

“Long story,” Emberly answered.

“It might involve saving the life of the president’s daughter,” Stein said, and they were clearly together, because the way he looked at the petite redhead...

Jack had looked at Harper that way, once upon a short time ago.

And it hit her then. Why... How did they get here?

Maybe it hit Jack too, because his gaze was on hers, hard. She couldn’t move.

Oh, Jack . This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

Another woman came out behind them. Olive skin, dark hair, pretty. She carried a casserole and set it in the middle of the table. “This is quite the table.”

“I made it,” Stein said.

Jack broke her gaze and looked at him. “I made it.”

Stein held up his hand. “Okay, I helped.”

“I made it because Mom wanted our entire family to sit around it.” Jack turned to Harper. “All of us.”

She just stared at him.

He took a step toward her. “Is there anything...” He drew in a breath. Closed his eyes.

“C’mon, Jack,” Stein said softly.

Silence, and her heart thudded.

Jack opened his eyes. “Is there anything I can say to make you stay, Bee?”

Austen looked at her, then Jack, back at Harper.

Boo, behind him, was nodding.

The words simply formed, fell out. “You... could ask me to marry you.”

Oh no, had she really said that? Silence fell, thick around her.

Oh, she was an idiot. She turned.

“Are you kidding me?”

She rounded on him, her eyes wide. “No. I’m not kidding you.” Her mouth opened, then closed, her eyes filling. “I...” She wiped her cheeks. Oh great, in front of everyone too . “I know it sounds stupid, but... I thought?—”

He took a step toward her, so much in his eyes she couldn’t read—anger? worry? pain? “It’s not stupid. And when I asked if you were kidding me, I meant... of course . I was going to propose two weeks ago and then, I’m not sure what happened.”

“Your stupid joke happened,” Conrad said.

Jack ignored him.

Harper glanced at Conrad. “What stupid joke?”

“I was going to ask you that night on the bus and then, I don’t know. It wasn’t perfect, and I panicked, and the next thing I know, Conrad is telling me that you got a job in Nashville?—”

“I thought you saw the letter—and that’s why you didn’t propose.”

“What letter?”

“The letter that—never mind.” She glanced at Penny, back at him. “Why did you take the bar without telling me?”

“You took the bar?” Doyle said.

Jack held up his hand. “I took it so that... if you wanted to stay here, I could... I could give you that.”

“But... what about... Flo? I thought...”

He stepped down one stair. “Flo is a great adventure. But I thought maybe... maybe someday you’d want to come back here. And I don’t know... Except, you’re moving, so...”

“My mom is moving. And I wasn’t going to take the job—but then you came in and told me to take it?—”

He took another step. “No, I didn’t.”

“You did. You said it was a great opportunity.”

“It is a great opportunity!” He stepped down another step. “You should take it.”

“Oh no,” Conrad said. “Here we go again.”

“But I don’t want it—I mean, I do, but...”

Jack looked slapped as he drew in a breath.

“Stop.” Austen came down the steps. Faced Harper. “Bee. Do you love my brother?”

She cocked her head at Austen. “Seriously?”

“Right. Jack.” She turned to her brother. “Do you really want Harper to leave?”

Jack clenched his jaw, shook his head.

“Then will you two idiots please make up so we can all live happily ever after?”

“Austen, Harper is not an idiot,” Jack said. Then he looked at Harper and smiled. “I am.”

“About time,” said Stein.

Austen patted him on the cheek and headed back up the stairs.

Which just left Harper and Jack, standing there, in the grass, the family on the porch.

And Jack bending to one knee.

Wait —“I was kidding.”

“No. You weren’t. And I’m not either.” He took her hand. “Harper. You are... my best friend. And the love of my life. And the woman I can’t live without. And... just, please, for the love, will you marry me?”

She caught her breath. Stared down at this man, their future in his impossibly blue eyes. And nodded.

Jack smiled. Then he stood up, caught her to himself. “Wow, I was miserable without you.”

“Yeah, you were,” she said, holding on, her face in his neck.

He laughed, then he set her down, took her face in his hands. And in front of his entire family, he kissed her.

Sweetly. Perfectly.

But when he lifted his head, a spark shone in his eye. “That’s for now.” And he winked.

When she looked up, the family was setting the table, but Mama Em stood holding Grover’s hand, grinning.

“Now it’s a family dinner,” she said.

They laid the table, pulled out chairs, and sat down to a pot roast, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans, salad, and prayer.

Jack held her hand under the table and squeezed.

They began to pass the food, Doyle and Tia asking Declan about an exhibit, and Oaken and Boo talking about his concert tour, and Steinbeck asking Conrad about training camp, and then the woman beside Emberly said, “Who’s Flo?”

A few smiles all around, and Stein passed her the beans. “Flo is?—”

And that’s when the King’s Inn blew up.