Page 14 of Take Me (Cherry Blossom Lake #5)

Scratch-made biscuits with local raspberry jam.

Fresh-squeezed mimosas with sparkling estate Pinot Gris.

“Looks good,” Erika says. “Think we have to pick, or can we try everything?”

“Dunno.” I’ve always admired her appetite. “Look, they’ve got a bike tour and hiking trails.”

She looks where I’m pointing at a rustic wood sign that spells out the terms of the bike tour, plus three different choices for self-guided hikes. “That three-mile one looks fun. Wanna try it?”

“If we’ve got time before the welcome reception.

” I glance at my watch, glad we left early.

It’s beautiful here, even with the rain.

Wispy clouds wiggle their way through the trees, thick clusters of evergreens ambling their way up a crest. Off to the right, thick rows of grapevines march in neat rows over lush, rolling hills.

I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with fresh air and the spice of damp soil and pine. There’s something else, too, a bright tang of citrus that stirs something deep in my chest.

“Are you wearing perfume?”

Erika blinks. “Me? No. Why?”

“I smell limes.”

“Probably my shampoo. Smell me.” She stops walking and sticks her head in my face.

I’m left with no choice but to breathe deeply, inhaling more than just lime zest. There’s her usual fern-leaf scent, on top of something spicier. Ginger and sage and lime, a lot like the tea my mom used to drink. My throat closes up as I recall the words of an article Lucy once read me.

“It says here that smell is our most powerful trigger of memory.” She’d looked up from her magazine and grinned. “What makes you think of home, Mace?”

I’m not sure what I said back then, probably some kinda smart-ass comment. But breathing the scent wafting up from my buddy, one word pings through my brain like a pinball.

Home.

“It’s nice,” I choke out, nudging her away from me. “Come on. Let’s get checked in.”

“It’s not too strong?” She’s dragging her suitcase as we head up the walkway. “I grabbed it at Target when I drove to Eugene for a part.”

That’s what I’m smelling, the faint whiff of motor oil swirling around with all those good scents. “You smell like you.”

Erika laughs. “Sometimes you say the weirdest things, Mason.”

We’re at the door now, so I grab the handle and yank just a little too hard. She smiles as I open the door and gesture for her to go ahead of me. “You don’t have to play the chivalrous boyfriend when no one’s watching.”

“Practice, baby.” I stride forward and jingle the goofy brass bell on the counter.

A pretty brunette pops out in a low-cut red sweater, wiping her hands on her jeans. Her nametag says Larissa, and her friendly smile says she’s happy to see us. “Good morning, guys. Looks like you’re checking in?”

“I’ve got a reservation for Spencer-King.” Probably need to be more specific. “ Mason Spencer-King. Some of my siblings might be staying here, too.”

“Yes, I remember the name. Give me a sec to find you in the system.” She taps a few keys on her laptop, then smiles. “I see you booked our honeymooners’ cabin. There’s a delicious sparkling rosé and fresh strawberries in the room, along with a few extra touches.”

“Honeymoon cabin?” Erika shoots me a look. “I thought you switched us to one with two beds.”

“I thought I did, too.” There’s a chance I forgot, what with one of my fermentation tanks going down. “It’s been a busy week.”

“Uh-oh.” Our hostess’s gaze darts between us. “Will a room with one bed be a problem?”

As soon as she says it, the door swings open behind us. I turn to see Hayley Nixon from back home. She owns the Mischievous Mermaid lingerie store, and guess who she’s pals with?

Annabelle Hanlon.

I glance at the guy by her side as I gather my bearings. Luke Lovelin moved to the coast a few years back from over near Juniper Ridge. He works in construction and seems like a pretty cool guy. I didn’t know he and Hayley were dating.

“Hey, guys.” I shake Luke’s hand while Erika hugs Hayley hello. “You’re staying here, too?”

“Yep.” Luke glances at Hayley, and I get the sense they haven’t been dating that long. They’re stiff with each other, though maybe they’d say the same about Erika and me.

“Us, too.” I try slinging my arm around Erika, but she chooses that moment to step closer to Luke.

I fake like I meant to hug thin air, turning it into a fun little two-step.

“Those parts you ordered came in yesterday,” Erika’s telling him. “You can swing by the shop anytime.”

“Thanks,” Luke says. “Kaleb said he got a tip about a ’67 Chevy in Corvallis?”

As the two of them chat about cars, I sidle over to Hayley. “Should be a great wedding, huh?”

“Can’t wait.” She smiles as our hostess keeps tapping her laptop.

“Crap,” Larissa murmurs. “We’re completely booked.” She looks up with apology in her eyes. “I can see about asking another guest to switch with you if sharing a bed poses a problem for?—”

“It’s no problem.” Erika snatches my arm. She digs in her nails in as she smiles for our hostess like this is all some silly misunderstanding. “Mason kicks in his sleep, so we sometimes prefer to be separate, but I’d rather snuggle. Wouldn’t you, hon?”

There’s a big, gloopy lump in my throat that wasn’t there a minute ago. I feel myself nodding, swallowing hard to force words from my mouth. “Absolutely, babe.” I smile like this isn’t my nightmare come true. “Looking forward to it.”