I’ll shut up.”
Kate fisted her hands on her hips. “I’m not climbing that tree. If the park rangers show up, we’ll be trapped like raccoons.”
Geoffrey groaned. “ God , will you stop worrying about the rangers and live a little?” He motioned dramatically to her.
“I live just fine,” Kate argued. “What if–what if my mama finds out?”
“Cool it, will you? Your mama hasn’t found us out yet. I doubt today is the day. Now, are you coming up here or are you going to be a scaredy-cat?”
Kate exhaled and scanned the area. There was no one in sight, and Kate didn’t hear anything but cardinals and finches in the trees. The summer was disappearing, and when it was gone, it would take Geoffrey with it, leaving Kate with nothing but the fall and its slow death. How could she deny him the time he continued to ask for, especially when she began to live for the moments she spent with him?
She and Geoffrey had been meeting every other day in the park’s forest like a couple of thieves stealing away to play with their loot. They’d picked different locations each time, and every other day, Kate concocted some reason why she needed to be outside for hours at a time. The lies were piling up like garbage, and Kate wondered when she’d suffocate beneath the mess.
Today’s spot was the sacred area that had once belonged to her mama’s Cherokee tribe. Visitors to the area could see fifteen original and reconstructed buildings, as well as the burial ground. The area was designated as hallowed ground by the Cherokee, but it was also a national landmark. Kate doubted the rangers would want kids monkeying around in the trees. Would her mama feel as though they were being disrespectful? They weren’t vandalizing the site, but when Kate had visited the area with her mama, they had always been quiet, not even speaking to each other.
She looked up at him. “I’m always bending the rules with you.”
“Bending, not breaking.”
“If we get caught, I’m blaming you. I’ll tell them you forced me into the tree.”
“Deal.”
Kate climbed the oak in a matter of seconds, and she swung onto the branch beside Geoffrey.
“I wanted you to see this view,” he said, scooting closer to her. Bark tore from the limb and dropped to the forest floor.
Kate’s brow furrowed. “But we can see the same view from the top of the ridge.”
“You’re right. I really wanted you to come up here so I could kiss you.”
She gaped at him.
“What? Have you ever been kissed in a tree?” he asked, grinning at her, tempting her.
Kate shook her head. I’ve never been kissed anywhere until you.
“Then, I have no choice but to kiss you so you can cross it off your list.”
“I don’t have a list.”
“We could start one.” Geoffrey moved his hand through the air as though he was writing a note. “Number one, kiss Kate in a tree. Check.”
Kate laughed and Geoffrey kissed her.
K ATE WALKED INTO Bea’s Bakery and smiled as she inhaled the scents of baking sugar cookies and vanilla cake. The display cases were overflowing with chocolate donuts, red velvet cupcakes, crullers, jelly-filled danishes, and chocolate chip cookies. A caramel chocolate cake sat beneath a glass dome.
Mrs. Beatrice O’Brien walked out from the back room. “Good afternoon, Miss Kate.” She wiped her hands on her pink apron. “I was hoping I’d see you this week. Tell your mama thank you for her lavender cookie recipe. It fills the kitchen with such a peaceful smell, and they sure are good. I can barely keep Joe from eating them all as soon as they’re out of the oven.”
Kate nodded. “Yes ma’am. She’ll be glad to hear it. My daddy loves them too.” Kate walked to the first display case, and her eyes widened.
Mrs. Beatrice smiled. “I see you’ve spotted a new creation. Those are the double chocolate chunk brownies. They’re for chocolate lovers and for those who are falling in love and need to calm their nerves. Want to try a
Kate fisted her hands on her hips. “I’m not climbing that tree. If the park rangers show up, we’ll be trapped like raccoons.”
Geoffrey groaned. “ God , will you stop worrying about the rangers and live a little?” He motioned dramatically to her.
“I live just fine,” Kate argued. “What if–what if my mama finds out?”
“Cool it, will you? Your mama hasn’t found us out yet. I doubt today is the day. Now, are you coming up here or are you going to be a scaredy-cat?”
Kate exhaled and scanned the area. There was no one in sight, and Kate didn’t hear anything but cardinals and finches in the trees. The summer was disappearing, and when it was gone, it would take Geoffrey with it, leaving Kate with nothing but the fall and its slow death. How could she deny him the time he continued to ask for, especially when she began to live for the moments she spent with him?
She and Geoffrey had been meeting every other day in the park’s forest like a couple of thieves stealing away to play with their loot. They’d picked different locations each time, and every other day, Kate concocted some reason why she needed to be outside for hours at a time. The lies were piling up like garbage, and Kate wondered when she’d suffocate beneath the mess.
Today’s spot was the sacred area that had once belonged to her mama’s Cherokee tribe. Visitors to the area could see fifteen original and reconstructed buildings, as well as the burial ground. The area was designated as hallowed ground by the Cherokee, but it was also a national landmark. Kate doubted the rangers would want kids monkeying around in the trees. Would her mama feel as though they were being disrespectful? They weren’t vandalizing the site, but when Kate had visited the area with her mama, they had always been quiet, not even speaking to each other.
She looked up at him. “I’m always bending the rules with you.”
“Bending, not breaking.”
“If we get caught, I’m blaming you. I’ll tell them you forced me into the tree.”
“Deal.”
Kate climbed the oak in a matter of seconds, and she swung onto the branch beside Geoffrey.
“I wanted you to see this view,” he said, scooting closer to her. Bark tore from the limb and dropped to the forest floor.
Kate’s brow furrowed. “But we can see the same view from the top of the ridge.”
“You’re right. I really wanted you to come up here so I could kiss you.”
She gaped at him.
“What? Have you ever been kissed in a tree?” he asked, grinning at her, tempting her.
Kate shook her head. I’ve never been kissed anywhere until you.
“Then, I have no choice but to kiss you so you can cross it off your list.”
“I don’t have a list.”
“We could start one.” Geoffrey moved his hand through the air as though he was writing a note. “Number one, kiss Kate in a tree. Check.”
Kate laughed and Geoffrey kissed her.
K ATE WALKED INTO Bea’s Bakery and smiled as she inhaled the scents of baking sugar cookies and vanilla cake. The display cases were overflowing with chocolate donuts, red velvet cupcakes, crullers, jelly-filled danishes, and chocolate chip cookies. A caramel chocolate cake sat beneath a glass dome.
Mrs. Beatrice O’Brien walked out from the back room. “Good afternoon, Miss Kate.” She wiped her hands on her pink apron. “I was hoping I’d see you this week. Tell your mama thank you for her lavender cookie recipe. It fills the kitchen with such a peaceful smell, and they sure are good. I can barely keep Joe from eating them all as soon as they’re out of the oven.”
Kate nodded. “Yes ma’am. She’ll be glad to hear it. My daddy loves them too.” Kate walked to the first display case, and her eyes widened.
Mrs. Beatrice smiled. “I see you’ve spotted a new creation. Those are the double chocolate chunk brownies. They’re for chocolate lovers and for those who are falling in love and need to calm their nerves. Want to try a
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