Strawberry Wine (Strawberry Inn Book #2)

Chapter 3

BLAIR

“I should have figured I’d find you here.”

I finished all of the tasks on my morning to-do list and when work could no longer distract me, I went searching for Angela. She wasn’t in her office, which was quite strange for a weekday morning, and then she also didn’t answer her phone or any of the texts that I sent. It was unlike her to be gone and she never would have left without telling somebody where she was going. After walking around the entire hotel, I decided to try her place.

Angela lives in a cute little cottage that is located at the back end of the hotel’s property. When she first moved here she lived there with just her mom, but her fiance Harrison moved in recently. He was the one who answered the door when I knocked, but he was wearing nothing but a pair of athletic shorts. Angela was at the kitchen sink, her hair looking freshly touseled. It didn’t take Sherlock to figure out what was going on here.

“Harrison just got home from a 24-hour shift. I wanted to make him some breakfast before he got some sleep.” 

“Breakfast? Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

Angela blushes but Harrison just chuckles in that low rumbly voice he has. I probably shouldn’t be teasing her so much about this seeing as though Harrison is my cousin and nobody wants to think about their cousin’s sex life, but the two of them are adorable together and I love the love that they have.

“Breakfast was great, in case you were wondering, Blair,” Harrison teases.

“I don’t need to know all the details, thank you very much.”

“I don’t know what you’re little head is imagining. Maybe you should get it checked out.”

“A therapist probably would be a great idea, thanks for the suggestion.”

Harrison laughs again, “Alway the comedian, Blair. So hey, today was Hayes’s first day at the day program, right?”

“I forgot that was today!” Angela exclaims. “Dang it, Blair, I would have let you come in late if you told me.”

“It’s okay, really. He had to leave before I needed to be here anyway. He hasn’t checked in at all, but I assume it is going well. Nobody has called me, so that has to be good news, right?”

“He’s not going to be doing anything dangerous his first day, Blair. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Ahh, spoken like a true non-parent. Danger or no danger, there is ALWAYS something to worry about. Don’t get me wrong, I am so proud of him for wanting to join the fire department. He’s grown up a lot and matured this last year but he’s still my baby boy.”

“Your baby boy is over six feet tall and could probably grow a full beard.”

“Shut up, Harrison, you’re not helping me.”

“Leave her alone, babe,” Angela steps in. “You don’t need to be teasing her right now.”

Harrison swings his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head, “Oh, she knows I’m just messing with her, Blondie. Hayes is probably having the time of his life right now. Once he finishes up, I can’t wait to get him signed up to volunteer at the station.”

“What?” I squeal, “He’s too young for that! Not even trained yet!”

“Jesus, woman, why are you so loud? I didn’t mean throwing him on the front lines, but he can get used to working around the house.”

“No fires.”

“Not until he finishes schooling and passes all of his exams, I promise.”

“Thank you, Harrison.”