Page 16 of Bartender's Surprise Baby

The mayor spoke a few words before the hunt got under way and then I grabbed Levi’s hand as if I had the right to, and went to the bushes behind City Hall. “These bushes are well maintained and an excellent hiding spot.”

“You have the cheat codes.”

I laughed at the amusement in his tone. “I have a lifelong residency in Holiday Grove is what I have.” That was a thought that used to make me groan but today as an adults, I love my hometown more than ever. It was a soft place to land after retirement and the people here actually gave a damn about me.

We loaded up our eggs in a bucket decorated by the kindergarteners in silence for a few minutes. “Hey Rob, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” It was an automatic answer that I always gave, I realized, because there were few people in my life that I could talk to without fear of them turning their backs on me.

Levi placed his hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking away. “Did I do something to piss you off? If so just tell me.”

“No, it’s not you Levi. I’m just feeling a little rundown today and I still don’t know what I’m going to do with the rest of my life.” It wasn’t his problem and worse, it wasn’t the basis of our relationship. “Sorry, I’m just…me.”

Suddenly his arms wrapped around me and my face was buried in his chest. “Being just you is great, Rob. You’ll figure out what you want, you’re too determined not to.”

“Yeah? How do you know that?”

“Because you left home at eighteen to conquer the world and you did. That kind of determination doesn’t just go away.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and smiled down at me.

“Thank you for that.”

“Time’s up! Get your baskets to the counters,” Mayor Stevens called out over the microphone.

“You know, I’ve been in town for six months and this is the seventh festival.”

I laughed and dropped our basket so the eggs could be counted. “That’s Holiday Grove. A festival each month, at least, should be our motto.”

“It’s weird but I like it.” He leaned in and pressed the softest kiss to my mouth. “I like you too Rob.”

“That’s good because I like you Levi.”

He wrapped his arm around me as another team was named the winner. “How about I buy you dinner?”

“That sounds wonderful. Let’s do it.” Despite my misgivings I wanted to spend as much time with Levi as I could.

10LEVI

I'd spent every day for the past few weeks with Rob. We worked together, we slept together, and now that Easter Fest had arrived, we spent the in-between hours together too. It was a lot for two people who hadn't technically defined what the hell they were doing, but I didn't mind. I usually avoided spending too much time with a woman because it gave them ideas about things I didn't want them having ideas about, but with Rob, I couldn't get enough time with her.

I wasn't an expert in love, but I knew that I was falling for her. She was all the things I never thought existed in one woman, and for now, she was mine.

I waited for Rob on the sidewalk at the entrance of the park, and I felt her before I saw her through the crowd. The air around me crackled and grew thick, and when a group of elderly men parted, there she was, looking as beautiful as she always did. "You look...like an Easter egg." What the hell was I thinking? That wasn't exactly a compliment.

But Rob leaned her forehead on my arm and laughed. "Thanks, that's what I was going for."

"Are you feeling better today?"

"Yes and no. The sickness comes and goes, right now it's gone, so let's see if we can win basket-making, yeah?"

I nodded. "Never made a basket before in my life, but I'm down to try."

"That's good enough." We signed in for the contest and sat at a table loaded with more craft supplies than I'd ever seen outside a craft store. "You start with the grass," she instructed, pointing at the green construction paper. "Make small, springy blades."

"Yes, ma'am."

She suppressed a shiver. "I like that. A lot."

A deep chuckle escaped. "Noted." The whistle blew, and we got started. "What are you doing?" Rob's hands moved fast, as if she'd done this before.

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