On the Shore (Cottonwood Cove, #3)(61)

“My brother, Hugh, and Lila are going to get married here. My sister Georgia, and her fiancé, Maddox, have a gorgeous home looking out at the cove. They have the yard for it, so Hugh and Lila are going to have the ceremony and reception there next month.” She fiddled with her napkin in her lap. “And Georgia and Maddox are having a small wedding in Paris in September. So, we’ve got a lot to look forward to over the next few months.”

“Wow. Your parents must be thrilled.” My mother clapped her hands together like she’d never heard anything this impressive.

Didn’t people get married every day?

The woman was an over-celebrator. Always had been. And I wouldn’t change a fucking thing.

“Yeah. They are thrilled about it. I think it’s hard in our family with the example my parents set in a way, you know?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, curious about this because we had never discussed it. And we discussed a lot. We worked out for hours every day with just conversation or music, so you could get to know someone pretty quickly that way.

“Well, they’ve been married for thirty-three years, and they’re still ridiculously in love. My dad freaks out every year when my mom goes on a girls’ trip with her best friend. He wanders around the grocery store aimlessly like he’s missing a limb.” She laughed and shook her head. “He still tells the story about how he knew she was the one because all the hair on his arms stood on end when they met. So, I think we all have the bar set pretty high. And we don’t want to settle for anything less than the real deal.”

Interesting.

This, I could relate to.

I never believed in settling.

“That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. I love that they have that kind of love. And it’s an amazing thing for their children to grow up surrounded by it. What do your parents do, Brinkley?”

“My mom is a therapist. So, she’s a fabulous listener and not shy on the advice.” She smiled. “And my dad owns a bar and a restaurant in town, but when he got diagnosed with cancer a few years back, he stepped away from the business. My brother, Hugh, and his fiancée run everything now. My dad does constant projects around the house, and they’re traveling a lot now. And apparently, they’ll be heading to New York because the whole family has season tickets to see the Thunderbirds.”

More clapping from my mother. Her glass was always endlessly half full. She loved to make a big deal out of the good things, and she had a gift for spinning bad news.

When I’d get upset about other kids going on trips with their fathers or throwing the football with their dads, she’d always say that we were lucky that he walked away if he wasn’t going to be what we needed.

Surround yourself with good people, Lincoln.

She said those words to me every day growing up. I’d kept my circle small. I’d used those words to guide me when I made the decision to leave San Francisco and the team I’d been playing for since I started my professional career.

Simple words with a whole lot of meaning behind them.

And right now, I was surrounded by the two best women that I knew.

“Well, then, I hope I’ll get to see you at a game this season,” my mom said.

“Oh, yes, I hope so. We haven’t really talked about that stuff yet,” Brinkley said, glancing at me with a smile.

“Are you a reporter now, Mama?” I teased.

“No. I just thought—I, er, you two are spending a lot of time together. I just wondered where you saw it going.”

“Annnnd that’s our cue. We should get going if we’re going to take the boat out.” I pushed to my feet.

Brinkley laughed over her words. “Has he not told you about the three-question rule?”

“What’s that about?”

“He only allows me to ask three questions a day. I try to sneak in a fourth question all the time, but he sticks to his rules.”

“He’s always been a bit of a rule follower.” Mom chuckled. “I’m just going to go to my room and get changed. Give me about thirty minutes?”

“Take your time,” I said as I watched her go down the hallway into her room and close the door.

“Why are you getting all agitated? Her questions didn’t bother me,” Brinkley whispered.

I took her hand and tugged her down the hallway to the bedroom and closed the door.

My mouth was on hers the second the door was closed. “I’ll tell you why I’m agitated. I fucking missed you. Your smart mouth. Your body.” I kissed down her neck.

“Your mom is right down the hall,” she hissed, but her fingers were tangled in my hair, tugging me closer.

“What if we’re quiet?” I said against her ear and nipped at her lobe. She nodded.

I pulled back and moved her to the dresser, where a large mirror sat on the wall above it. I turned her around, and she watched me in the mirror, her hooded gaze locked with mine.

“I missed you, too,” she said, her voice low and laced with desire. She shoved her shorts down her legs and kicked them to the side before jutting her ass back in my direction.

I took in her peach-shaped ass and white thong that was doing very little to cover it. “God. I love your fucking body so much, sweetheart.”

“I need you now.” Her head fell back against my chest, and I reached into my pocket for a condom and had my shorts and briefs down within seconds. I rolled the latex over my throbbing cock and watched her in the mirror.