No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,64
were better. Reece and Owen cleared the table while she loaded the dishwasher. The discussion about which superpower they’d like to have lasted until they got outside. Owen took Baxter into the yard to play. Robin and Reece sat down in the Adirondack chairs Kait had picked up at a garage sale.
“Thanks for dinner,” Reece said. “The Shepherd’s pie was great, but the company was even better. One of the downsides of being single is how many meals I have to eat alone.”
“I know what you mean. Having Owen here has reminded me that dinner should be more than hastily-prepared food gulped down in front of the television. There’s something to be said for everyone sitting down together to share the last meal of the day. Food tastes better when you’re not mindlessly eating, and the conversations have been interesting. I’ve learned all kinds of things about Owen, Kait and Miles.”
Reece smiled faintly. “I can attest to that. I would never have known Creedence Clearwater Revival was your favorite band. How did that come about?”
“One of the families I lived with inherited an old farmhouse in Alabama. When I was helping clean out the attic, I came across a box of old record albums. They were bands from the 1960s and 70s. Nobody else wanted them, so I took them home. I saved up my allowance to buy a used turntable so I could listen to them. Along with CCR, I discovered REO Speedwagon, Fleetwood Mac, and Hall & Oates.”
“I got goosebumps the first time I heard Stevie Nicks sing ‘Edge of Seventeen’,” he said. “That’s when I decided I had to learn how to play the guitar. My dad wasn’t happy about my choice of music. To this day, he thinks rock and roll is the ruination of youth and destroyer of brain cells.”
Robin laughed. “Do you still play?”
“Almost every day. You unwind with a hot bath. I do it by playing the guitar.”
“I never realized there was such a demand for vintage guitars until I heard you and Miles talking about it.”
“It’s like anything else vintage. Limited quantities mean more demand. Nostalgia plays a big part as well. Who doesn’t want to own the same guitar as their favorite music idol?”
“Do you agree with Miles that vintage guitars make better music?”
“Yes. The wood used to make the guitar makes a big difference in the sounds it produces. The guitars from the 50s used wood from trees that were thousands of years old. Think rain forest. You can’t get that wood anymore. It’s considered endangered.”
“Now I know why you’ve known Van for twenty years.”
“Yep. I’m not sure there’s anyone else in this part of the world who knows more about guitars. This is off the subject, but I see what you mean about Miles and Kait.”
“If they make it through the summer without getting engaged, I’ll be shocked.”
“Which means at some point you’ll lose your roommate.”
“For the best of reasons. Getting married is one of life’s greatest experiences.”
“It should be. Finding a soulmate is an accomplishment in itself considering there are over seven billion people in the world.”
Her lips twisted. “It helps if you know what love is. I thought I did. I was wrong.”
Reece smiled a little. “It’s easy to get it wrong. We hear about love in song lyrics. We watch actors fall in love onscreen. We see it happen to people we know. But the truth is, you don’t understand the real meaning of love until you experience it. That’s when you realize you haven’t even scratched the surface. Love encompasses every emotion and touches every part of your life. You find yourself dependent on someone else in ways you never imagined, and you don’t even try to fight it. You offer your heart willingly, completely, and without any intention of getting it back.”
Just as he finished, the back door of the house opened and Kait appeared.
“Isn’t this cozy?” she asked, her amused glance sliding from Robin to Reece and back again.
Reece rose to his feet. “Here, Kait. Take my seat.”
“Thanks, but I’d rather stand. I’ve been sitting for hours going over the plans for next weekend. My parents decided to do a scavenger hunt at this year’s 4th of July party.”
“Did you get an early start by hiding Miles?” Robin asked.
“He has a presentation in the morning. He said it would be easier to prepare if I wasn’t around.” Kait looked at Reece. “If you don’t have plans for next Sunday, you should come with