Devon joined him.
Megan, who'd been sitting several feet away, moved closer. “I couldn't help overhearing, and it doesn't matter whose heart Tripp loves you with. It's his now, and you two are so perfect together, I'm glad you met.”
Keely smiled without opening her eyes. Megan thought Tripp loved her. “I couldn't move on with my life, but then I met him.”
“And broke Will Laughlin's heart.” Megan chuckled. “Seriously, he's dating someone now.”
“I hope his folks raised his allowance or she has a job.”
“Didn't I tell you? He's working at Hoosier Hot Wings.”
“Will's working?” Keely let out a shout. “He must be in love.”
“Who?” Tripp's head appeared and then the rest of his body as he clambered aboard the pontoon again.
“You.” Megan pointed a finger at him.
He dropped down beside Keely and smiled. “Could be,” he said so softly that only she could hear.
Devon hit the deck like a beached whale, and the water he threw on everyone brought shouts and retaliation. Laughing and splashing, they played until Megan complained she was hungry and everyone stopped to eat. But all the while, Keely hugged Tripp's words to her heart, and whenever she caught him looking at her, gave him what she hoped was a mysterious smile.
On the way home, in the back seat of the Hendrix van which Megan was driving, Keely teased Tripp about his red and blue striped swimming trunks, asking where the white stripes were. “You are going to dress like Uncle Sam for the Fourth, aren't you?”
“If you'll dress like Mrs. Sam.” Leaning his forehead against hers, he looked far more serious than his words. And then he bent his head to steal a quick kiss. Breathless, Keely looked up into his eyes.
“I am in love,” he whispered. “Are you?”
Nodding, she raised her lips for another kiss, and received one better and longer than before.
*****
CHAPTER 10
Tripp wished he had the whole week of Freedom Days Festival free, the same as Keely whose mother was between cheerleading camps. But his schedule was busier than usual. Branburg's biggest Little League tourney of the year was scheduled for the morning of July 4 th , and Joey wanted to practice daily. Tripp had “his kids” to visit, especially Rosa who'd been moved to the top of the list of patients who needed heart donors. Her father was supposed to be her only visitor but hospital rules were bent for Tripp. He was part of the staff and as important as her medicine, Rosa insisted, and her doctors agreed.
Aunt Ev had surprised him by volunteering to help decorate a float for Heartland. “I used to help with the PTA float when Mark was in grade school,” she told Tripp over breakfast one day. “And with George in the nursing home, I decided to get involved there. Now that he's calmer, I believe he recognizes me sometimes. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll call me Sweetie again one day.”
Tripp gave her a hug before carrying his dishes to the sink.
“Tripp? I think I should apologize to Keely for spilling the beans about her and Mark. I think she saw I was taking advantage of you before I did, and I want her to know I wasn't trying to cause trouble between you two when I mentioned her dating.”
“I haven't told her I know. That same afternoon, a nurse at the hospital mentioned my transplant, and I’ve been afraid to bring up Mark since.”
Surprise lit Evelyn’s blue eyes. “You think because you're staying here, she might make the connection?”
Sitting down at the table again, Tripp folded his hands. “That and a dozen other things, like my tastes changing, so I often imitate Mark. Liking tea. And Mexican food.”
“And you think that may be the reason you like Keely? Because he did?”
“That occurred to me, and I gave it a lot of thought. But she's exactly the kind of girl I've always wanted, and the way I feel about Keely has nothing to do with Mark. It's not just my heart, but my head and my whole being that
Megan, who'd been sitting several feet away, moved closer. “I couldn't help overhearing, and it doesn't matter whose heart Tripp loves you with. It's his now, and you two are so perfect together, I'm glad you met.”
Keely smiled without opening her eyes. Megan thought Tripp loved her. “I couldn't move on with my life, but then I met him.”
“And broke Will Laughlin's heart.” Megan chuckled. “Seriously, he's dating someone now.”
“I hope his folks raised his allowance or she has a job.”
“Didn't I tell you? He's working at Hoosier Hot Wings.”
“Will's working?” Keely let out a shout. “He must be in love.”
“Who?” Tripp's head appeared and then the rest of his body as he clambered aboard the pontoon again.
“You.” Megan pointed a finger at him.
He dropped down beside Keely and smiled. “Could be,” he said so softly that only she could hear.
Devon hit the deck like a beached whale, and the water he threw on everyone brought shouts and retaliation. Laughing and splashing, they played until Megan complained she was hungry and everyone stopped to eat. But all the while, Keely hugged Tripp's words to her heart, and whenever she caught him looking at her, gave him what she hoped was a mysterious smile.
On the way home, in the back seat of the Hendrix van which Megan was driving, Keely teased Tripp about his red and blue striped swimming trunks, asking where the white stripes were. “You are going to dress like Uncle Sam for the Fourth, aren't you?”
“If you'll dress like Mrs. Sam.” Leaning his forehead against hers, he looked far more serious than his words. And then he bent his head to steal a quick kiss. Breathless, Keely looked up into his eyes.
“I am in love,” he whispered. “Are you?”
Nodding, she raised her lips for another kiss, and received one better and longer than before.
*****
CHAPTER 10
Tripp wished he had the whole week of Freedom Days Festival free, the same as Keely whose mother was between cheerleading camps. But his schedule was busier than usual. Branburg's biggest Little League tourney of the year was scheduled for the morning of July 4 th , and Joey wanted to practice daily. Tripp had “his kids” to visit, especially Rosa who'd been moved to the top of the list of patients who needed heart donors. Her father was supposed to be her only visitor but hospital rules were bent for Tripp. He was part of the staff and as important as her medicine, Rosa insisted, and her doctors agreed.
Aunt Ev had surprised him by volunteering to help decorate a float for Heartland. “I used to help with the PTA float when Mark was in grade school,” she told Tripp over breakfast one day. “And with George in the nursing home, I decided to get involved there. Now that he's calmer, I believe he recognizes me sometimes. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll call me Sweetie again one day.”
Tripp gave her a hug before carrying his dishes to the sink.
“Tripp? I think I should apologize to Keely for spilling the beans about her and Mark. I think she saw I was taking advantage of you before I did, and I want her to know I wasn't trying to cause trouble between you two when I mentioned her dating.”
“I haven't told her I know. That same afternoon, a nurse at the hospital mentioned my transplant, and I’ve been afraid to bring up Mark since.”
Surprise lit Evelyn’s blue eyes. “You think because you're staying here, she might make the connection?”
Sitting down at the table again, Tripp folded his hands. “That and a dozen other things, like my tastes changing, so I often imitate Mark. Liking tea. And Mexican food.”
“And you think that may be the reason you like Keely? Because he did?”
“That occurred to me, and I gave it a lot of thought. But she's exactly the kind of girl I've always wanted, and the way I feel about Keely has nothing to do with Mark. It's not just my heart, but my head and my whole being that
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