In the dark, after she’d just told him all that about her life, he could do nothing but respond in kind. “Like what?”

“What are your parents like?”

“My father is a shouter. He’s got a baritone voice, and when he wants to, he really gets the volume up. He’s gotten less and less patient over the years. Like the more money he makes, the less tolerance he has for pretty much everything. He started out working in a factory. Making woodstoves. And now he’s the CEO of that company. It’s one of those stories you’d see on cable television. Scrappy blue-collar family rides into California, where everything is golden. Anyway, the yelling. It used to embarrass me so much because you could hear him outside the house, yelling at everyone. My mother convinced him that if he wanted to rise in management, he had to stop being such a vulgar asshole. She said it nicer, I’m sure. It came in handy in the army. Some of those guys you got the feeling they’d never been yelled at ever in their lives. And they’re in basic training and pretty much everyone is yelling all the time and they fall to pieces.”

“Do your siblings yell?”

“My siblings don’t, no. They’re much better bred than my father, you see. My brother is a younger version of the man my dad has been since they moved to California. My sister is very successful, but she married a guy my father keeps employed while my parents pay the mortgage. That way they can disapprove on even more levels because they have a hand in my sister’s finances.”

She remained quiet but he knew she listened to every word.

“So there are some lovely details. But don’t worry, other than them saying they’ll come to the grand opening, you’ll never see them again. I haven’t spent a holiday there in years. I expect I’ll go for various graduations of my nieces and nephews and that sort of thing. Otherwise, my home is here.” And they all seemed fine with that.

She snuggled into him tighter.

“Wow, so really, pill-popping crazy mother isn’t looking that bad next to shouty dad. That CEO thing works in his favor, though.”

She’d known he needed a little levity and gave it to him.

“Maybe that’s why you’re so easygoing. To counter the shouty intensity.”

He’d often thought that was part of his personality. His way to cope early on and it’d stuck.

“Whatever it is, I’m glad home is here but I’m sorry you’re not close with them. I’m sorry they’re missing out on you.”

He had nothing else to say so he held on and let himself glide into sleep, knowing he was understood.

CHAPTER Twenty-one

Duke pulled a hat from his back pocket and put it on her head. “There.”

She tipped her face to look up at him, clearly amused. “Was this the one thing I was missing in my festival-going ensemble?”

“I live in fear of you getting burned.” She was so pale and the day was already clear and bright. They’d be outside for hours yet.

“I have sunscreen on. Like nuclear blast protection. But I’ll keep the hat too. You have the bill all folded up just right.”

He bent to kiss her, knocking the hat askew. “I like it on you. And the fact that a hot woman is wearing a cap advertising my shop is gravy.” She was adorable. Which he didn’t share because he’d come to find short women had a thing about being called adorable. So he’d only think it.

Duke looked her up and down, pausing to take his time checking out the way her T-shirt clung to her tits. Smart woman that she was, she had sneakers on.

“Should I be afraid of what you’ll do when we’re alone next?” she murmured. “That look of yours usually spells really delicious trouble for me.”

He waggled his brows before pushing his sunglasses up his nose. “I thought it was pretty obvious that I always have delicious trouble waiting for you.”

There was no other word for her smile but dazzling. “Thanks for inviting me today.”

“Thanks for being my date.” He bent to kiss her again because he wanted to and she was his.

“I’ve lived in Seattle my entire life and I’ve never been to any of the big festivals on a date. Not Folklife or even Bite of Seattle.” She shrugged. “You’re my first.”

“You’re my only. So I guess we’re even.”

She slid her hand into his.

“Get a room or get a move on!” Mick called out.

Mick had a friend with a house not too far from Seattle Center so they parked at his place and would walk over to Bumbershoot from there. That way when it was time to leave, they wouldn’t get caught in the snarl right around the area.

Duke flipped him off and stole another kiss before ambling off with their group.

It was crowded, but not nearly as bad as it would be in a few hours. He liked to go all three days to watch the slow build and then ebb as it all ended.

At one time he also loved the sight of so many hot women. Well, he still loved the sight, but none of them held his attention the way the woman at his side did. Still, it would be rude not to smile and nod back. Accept the hug when he saw a friend. Introduce them to Carmella.

He felt like he wanted everyone in the world to see her at his side. Like he’d found the most wonderful, special thing ever.

“Let’s head to the beer garden, see what everyone else is up to, and then decide where to go next,” Mick said. “Stop walking so fast, Carmella’s practically having to run.”