Love in a Nutshell (28 page)

Kate had called them from Matt’s cell phone on the way to the hospital and said she’d been a little delayed, but would be home soon. She figured this sort of story was better delivered in person. That way, everyone could see she was still in one piece.

Matt looked toward a set of double doors. “I should warn you that a whole lot of people are out there waiting for you.”

“Really? Why?”

He smiled. “It’s Keene’s Harbor. Word got out among the locals about what happened, and they want to be sure you’re okay.”

So this was what it felt like to belong. Kate never wanted to lose the feeling, even if she did have a couple of tears threatening to roll.

Everyone was there. Ella and Lizzie, the whole Culhane clan, Marcie Landon, Junior Greinwold, a horde from the Depot, Mayor and Missy Mortensen.

Kate waved Miss America style. “I’m fine,” she said.

Marcie made a clucking sound. “Not yet, you’re not.” She held out a brown paper bag. “No Keene’s Harbor local comes out of the hospital without getting some of my chicken noodle soup.”

Kate accepted the gift. “Thank you. That’s really sweet of you, Marcie, but you didn’t need to fuss.”

“You’re family, now. It’s no fuss.”

Kate sniffled. “Okay, now I’m going to cry. How uncool is that?” But, really, she thought this whole scene was cool, possibly the coolest thing ever.

Kate moved through her friends, accepting hugs and words of reassurance until she finally found herself face-to-face with Junior Greinwold.

Junior held out the blue cooler to Kate. “I feel really bad about the mess I made, what with all the bees and dooky. This is for you.”

Kate opened up the cooler. It was filled with Snickers bars and wadded-up hundred dollar bills. Enough to cover the cost of Kate’s repairs.

Junior leaned close to Kate so he could whisper in her ear. “Don’t tell anyone. I won the lottery a bunch of years ago, but I like being a handyman.”

Matt finally pulled her away from the crowd. “We’d better get you home.” Which was exactly how Keene’s Harbor now felt to her.

*   *   *

TWENTY MINUTES
later, Kate and Matt sat in his truck, the last in line behind three luxury cars in The Nutshell’s driveway.

“So,” Matt said, “are you going to be okay in there?”

“About that…”

“Yes?”

Kate had thought this was going to be hard, but everything felt so right. “I was wondering if you’d like to come in and meet my family?”

“You’re not asking me just because you don’t feel like explaining what happened, are you?”

She laughed. “And if I were?”

He smiled. “You know I’d do it.”

“I’d love the help, but that’s not why I asked. I want them to meet you. I want them to see why I’ve fallen in love.” She unbuckled her seat belt and slid closer to Matt. “If I’m going to stay in Keene’s Harbor and put down some roots, this is where I want to start.” She leaned in until her lips met Matt’s. “Right here.”

And this time the kiss was perfect.

ALSO BY JANET EVANOVICH

Explosive Eighteen

Smokin’ Seventeen

Sizzling Sixteen

Finger Lickin’ Fifteen

Fearless Fourteen

Lean Mean Thirteen

Twelve Sharp

Eleven on Top

Ten Big Ones

To the Nines

Hard Eight

Seven Up

Hot Six

High Five

Four to Score

Three to Get Deadly

Two for the Dough

One for the Money

Plum Spooky

Plum Lucky

Plum Lovin’

Visions of Sugar Plums

Motor Mouth

Metro Girl

Wicked Appetite

How I Write

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Janet Evanovich is the #1 bestselling author of the Stephanie Plums novels, Between-the-Numbers novels,
Wicked Appetite,
and
How I Write
. She lives in Florida. Please visit her at
www.evanovich.com
.

Dorien Kelly lives in Michigan with one or more of her three children, a couple of random and crazy rescue dogs, and a very spoiled West Highland White Terrier who is under the mistaken impression that he runs the whole pack. Please visit her at
www.dorienkelly.com
.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.

LOVE IN A NUTSHELL
. Copyright © 2011 by The Gus Group, LLC. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.stmartins.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Evanovich, Janet.

Love in a nutshell / Janet Evanovich & Dorien Kelly. — 1st ed.

        p. cm.

e-ISBN 9781429952514

I.  Kelly, Dorien.  II.  Title.

PS3555.V2126L68 2012

813’.54—dc23

2011033804

First Edition: January 2011