Hearts Like Ours | Red View Romance #1

🍏 Thirty Two

Rushing Waters was busy that night, but it didn't stop Kenzie from leaping out of her chair and weaving through the tables to envelop Gabriela in a hug as soon as she entered, grinning as she wrapped the darker-haired woman in her arms. Marshall smiled as he watched his soon-to-be wife greet her best friend, the menu in his hands all but forgotten.

Gabriela's laughter was clear as they headed for the table where Layla sat between Annie and Marshall. The first thing she noticed about the woman was that she wasn't the only one who noticed--like moths to a flame, several men in the restaurant watched her as she walked by, a vision even in a simple t-shirt and jeans. 

"You act like I was gone for a year," she said, voice carrying an accent that reminded Layla of one long-ago summer in Buenos Aires.

"In wedding-time, a month practically is a year," Kenzie joked. 

Gabriela accepted Marshall's one-armed hug as he stood from his seat, then she turned to face Layla and Annie with a wide, red-lipped grin. "Finally, I get to meet the girls. We don't get a lot of new people in Red View around our age--figures we get two while I'm away."

"Kenzie's told us a lot about you," Layla said with a smile, falling back on the classic opening line. "And we're all excited to have you join the workouts."

"I am too!" She sat down next to Kenzie, dark eyes bright with enthusiasm. "I've never worked out with a trainer before. Seeing what you've done to these two already, I'm even more excited. You'll have me whipped into shape and turning heads."

Kenzie rolled her eyes, but her lips quirked as she joked, "Like you need the help."

"How's your sister?" Annie asked, reminding Layla why Gabriela had been away in the first place--to be a good aunt and help with her sister's newborn.

She laughed, flipping long hair over her shoulder. "Overwhelmed. But happy, mostly."

Layla's nerves about meeting the Maid of Honor faded away as the group fell into easy conversation. Still, there was one thing distracting her that she couldn't bring herself to deal with: telling the truth. 

As much as she wanted to, it was a special night for Kenzie, seeing her closest friend for the first time in a month and catching her up on everything wedding, house, and orchard related. Layla's big secret could wait until the morning.

Thankfully, with how chatty Kenzie was, the topic of Layla's own life didn't come up in detail—only the passing fact that she was thinking of opening a gym in Red View. Which meant that at the very least, there was one less person she would have to worry about coming clean to.

Gabriela—or Gabby, as Layla learned she preferred—had a lot to take care of now that she was back in town, so she declined joining everyone for a workout the next morning, but promised she'd be there the day after. This meant Layla would have the perfect opportunity to tell Kenzie, Marshall, and Annie the truth. That left only Jack, Roman, and Lillie Mae.

At least, that's what she thought until dawn the next morning, when Dawson accidentally woke her with a kiss to her cheek as he slipped out of her bed.

"Sorry," he whispered, running a hand over her hair. The room was still lit only by the moon, and Layla's eyes were quick to fall shut again, getting only a blurry glimpse of Dawson. Even the quick look made her smile--his skin was luminous, hair perfectly mussed by sleep. 

"'S'okay," she mumbled, rolling over, already missing his warmth. "I'm just a light sleeper."

"Well, as long as you're up, I forgot to mention something last night." 

And who could blame him? He'd snuck in her room again, and with the way they'd jumped each other there hadn't been time for talking, or even thinking. Still, his intriguing words did little to wake her--she'd been out at the restaurant until late, and he'd kept her up even later.