Page 39 of Checking Mr. Wrong
And something tells me the best is yet to come.
CHAPTER 13
MABEL
The bellabove the bookshop door jingles behind us as we step out onto the sidewalk, the late October air crisp and full of promise. Fiona’s laugh mixes with mine, and for a second, I don’t even care that I’m cold. I feel warm in the way that matters.
It hits me then, how much I love this. How easy it is to walk down the street to Falling for Books, to grab coffee at Neesha’s, to know I’ll probably run into someone I know and that we’ll end up talking about nothing and everything all at once.
For the first time in a long time, it feels like I made the right choice. Like I didn’t just escape something—I walked straight into something better. Into people who see me, support me, and don’t expect me to be anything other than exactly who I am.
And of course, there’s Asher. And that kiss. Oh…that kiss.
“You’re smiling a lot today,” Fiona says, narrowing her eyes as she levels her gaze on me. “I might not know you from childhood, but I know New York Mabel and she’s not a smizer.”
“Smizer?” I manage through a giggle.
“You know, smiling with your eyes,” Fiona explains. “Like Tyra Banks says, the model.”
I know why I’m smiling, and the thought of what got mehere makes me do it even harder. I swear, I think my lips are about to rip apart.
“See!” Fiona shout-whispers theatrically. “Why are you doing that?”
I hate keeping secrets. “I kissed Asher.”
Fiona’s eyes almost bug out of her head. “You did what now?"
“I know,” I say, looking at the sidewalk. “I shouldn’t have. He’s a subject for a feature…”
“Oh, shush that.” Fiona laughs, waving off my attempt to deflect. “No one cares. What we care about is the kiss. Does Neesha know? How did it happen, and how was it?”
Do I tell her it’s been building for days? That it happened on a couch after lasagna, of all things? The memory makes my stomach do a little flip, and I realize I may never look at lasagna the same way again. Like ever.
“Yes, Neesha knows, I texted her.” Because, I had to. Let’s face it, I couldn’t go to sleep without telling someone. “It was…” I pause, my cheeks heating as I think about it. “Really nice.”
“Nice?” Fiona raises a perfectly skeptical eyebrow. “That’s it? You’re going to leave me withnice? If it was justnice,you wouldn’t be standing here glowing like you’ve just been kissed by Brad Pitt.”
I bite my lip to stop the smile, but it’s no use. “Fine. It was more than nice. It was…” My voice drops, and I glance around like someone might overhear, even though the street is empty except for Fiona and me. “It wasmind-blowing.”
Her jaw drops, but I’m too caught up in the memory to tease her about it.
“The way he looked at me,” I say, my voice softening, “it was like I was the only thing in the world he wanted. And when he touched me, his hands were so warm, like he wasn’t just holding me, but keeping me safe. Protecting me.” I swallow hard, my fingers brushing my arm like I can still feel him there. “And his kiss? Fiona, it was slow and deep and…it was everything.”
Fiona clutches her chest dramatically, like I’ve just recited the greatest love sonnet of all time. “Okay, if I wasn’t already rooting for you two, I’d probably be jealous. But for real, this guy sounds perfect. Please tell me he also volunteers at an animal shelter and saves birds in his spare time.”
“Not quite,” I say with a laugh, shaking off the dreamy haze. It’s a place I want to stay, but something she’s just said gets me thinking. “Hey, Fiona, we may be onto something.”
Fiona looks at me quizzically. “Huh?”
I hold up a finger to pause her. “Hold on.” I point to the book propped in the front window display, its bright cover practically glowing under the soft lights. “That’s the book my friend Willa wrote,Benny the Blue Rock Thrush. It’s a children’s book.”
“Benny the Blue Rock Thrush?” Fiona’s eyebrows scrunch.
“When you made that comment about ‘saving birds in his spare time,’ you gave me an idea.” I wink at her.
“I’m glad I did some good for one of us.” She chuckles. “I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how to make a difference in this cute town, but it feels like I’m fumbling in the dark.”
“Your heart’s in the right place,” I say. “And we’ll figure it out in our own way. I have a feeling Benny’s the key.”
