Kisses After Dark by Marie Force Read Free Book Online

Adele!”
    “It’s already done, my love.” To everyone else, she said, “Meet the new owners of the Sand & Surf Hotel!”
    A collective gasp preceded cheers and congratulations for Owen and Laura, who were visibly stunned by the extravagant gift from his grandparents.
    “I want all my other grandchildren to know you’ll receive a gift of equal value on the day you marry.”
    “What if we never get married?” Julia asked.
    Adele shrugged. “Then you’ll have to wait for us to kick the bucket, which we don’t plan to do for a long, long, long time. So it would be easier and quicker to fall madly in love and get married.”
    “That’s right,” her husband, Russ, said. “We’re going to live to be really old and really crotchety, so you’re better off getting married than you are waiting us out.”
    “You’re already crotchety, my darling,” Adele said to laughter from her husband and the others. “While I have you all, I have one more thing I’d like to say. Something happened yesterday that I feel you should know about. There’s a hero among us, and we owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude.”
    Shane felt his stomach drop as Katie sucked in a sharp, deep breath next to him. Without thinking, he reached for her hand under the table.
    She held on to him almost as tightly as she had the day before when he’d saved her from drowning.
    “While everyone was getting ready for the wedding, our beautiful Katie took a swim and was pulled into a rip current that took her quite a ways from the shore.”
    “Oh my God,” Sarah said, her gaze shifting to Katie.
    “Fortunately,” Adele continued, “Shane was also on the beach, realized she was in trouble and swam out to rescue her. I saw the whole thing from up here on the deck. You saved her life, Shane, and we’ll always be grateful to you.”
    Seeming stunned by the news, Laura looked at him with tears in her eyes.
    Everyone began talking at once, asking Katie if she was all right and telling Shane how thankful they were for what he’d done. All the while, Katie clung to his hand like a lifeline.
    “Why didn’t you say anything?” Owen asked them.
    Shane cleared his throat. “We didn’t want to put a damper on your special day.”
    “God,” Owen said, unable to take his eyes off his sister, “I can’t even imagine…”
    “Neither can I,” Julia said tearfully, reaching across the table to grasp her twin’s free hand. “Thank goodness you’re all right.”
    “I’m fine,” Katie assured them. “Thanks to Shane.”
    “Proud of you, son,” Frank said gruffly. “And I’m glad you’re both okay.”
    “We’re fine,” Shane said for both of them as he squeezed Katie’s hand under the table.
    “I’m sorry.” Laura handed Holden to Owen and got up to come to where Shane was sitting. “But I really need a hug right now.”
    Shane had no choice but to release Katie’s hand to get up and hug his sister.
    “Thank you so much,” Laura said for his ears only. “Owen never would’ve gotten over losing her.”
    “It was no big deal.” He was grateful that Adele had left out the part about Katie panicking and nearly taking him down with her.
    “It’s a huge big deal, and we’re so thankful you’re both all right.”
    “Couldn’t let anything ruin your big day,” Shane said.
    “That would’ve ruined a lot more than our wedding.”
    She released her brother and hugged Katie, too. And then Laura wiped up her tears and went back to her seat. “I’m better now.”
    Shane sat and was stunned when Katie reached for his hand, smiling as she gave him a squeeze that caused his heart to contract. Before he could begin to contemplate the meaning of her sweet gesture, she released his hand to accept the breadbasket from Julia.
    For the rest of the meal, Shane was acutely aware of Katie next to him, her leg occasionally brushing against his, the flowery scent of her hair blowing in the morning breeze, her quiet laughter and her easy rapport