Page 96 of Hand Picked
She bumped her arm into mine, and I grinned as she waved and walked off.
The setup hours passed really quickly. I hadn’t thought I had much to do—hanging up the decorative posters my kids had done for the Pick-a-Book stall, making sure the mayor had the names of the spelling bee winners, and arranging some books—but before too long, Phillip Vincent, one of the Little Pippin Hookers, had brought me over some fresh sour cream donuts his wife was selling. We’d started chatting about my sheep, who were due to be sheared the following week, and brainstorming all the projects I could do with the wool and how I could involve my students… and before I knew it, I’d promised Phil some yarn, and Mayor York was already taking the stage near the gazebo to officially open the Spring Fling.
It quickly became clear that Em had not been joking about me getting a prime spot for my booth. It seemed like every student in my class came by at some point to give me a hug and show off their contributions to the posters, before ruthlessly attempting to soak one of their family members or teachers.
Olin and Maryanne came by, and I was able to meet his dog “in person finally, Mr. Williams.” I also had a fair number of people I didn’t recognize at all who asked me to autograph their commemorative scrolls, which was bizarre… but kind of funny… the kind of funny I knew I needed to share with Webb.
Me:(picture of autographed scroll)FYI, last night you slept with a celebrity
“Is that right?”
I glanced up and found the man I’d been thinking about standing a few feet in front of my booth wearing a Nature Scouts T-shirt, his eyes crinkled with a smile and his lips twisted in a smirk. He was so gorgeous, I wanted to throw myself at him.
Aiden, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate to show his affection. As soon as he saw me look his way, he launched himself toward me at a run, hugging me around my waist like we’d been apart for months and not hours.
“Luke! I have so much to tell you this morning!” he announced. “I officially got my knot-tying badge today, and Dad took pictures so you can see later. And? All the spelling bee winners get to be on the stage this afternoon with the mayor to get trophies, and I’m getting a silver one and Olin’s getting gold, and Dad said he’d FaceTime my mom so she can watch on her break. And? Dad said I can stay with you while he helps out with the Touch-a-Goat. And! Dad says I should call you Mr. Williams while we’re in public, because you’re my teacher, and only call you Luke when it’s just us, because then you’re like my friend. But only if that’s okay with you, so is it? And can I stay here at the Pick-a-Book with you while Dad goes? Because I know almost as much about books as I do about apple trees.”
“Wow. Of course you can stay and help me, if your dad says it’s okay.” I looked up at Webb, but he just tilted his head as if to sayOf course.
I felt that look to the tips of my toes, and suddenly, I remembered something else Aiden had said the night before. That Webb believed loving someone wasn’t about words but about deeds.
If I ever needed a sign that Webb could someday be open to a relationship with me, the fact that he’d trusted me with this sweet boy in his Nature Scout uniform—a boy who’d been too excited about his best friend winning first place in the spelling bee to care that he’d come in second—was it.
“I’ll be back in a couple hours,” Webb said. “Aiden, do not attempt to convince Luke that you’re starving. Try not to talk his ear off. And do what Luke tells you, okay?”
“Of course,” Aiden agreed piously, kicking his legs against the chair. “I always listen to Mr. Williams.”
And he did. Especially when Jason McEnany came by to take a shift at the booth a little while later, and I told Aiden we could go buy some sour cream donuts together.
Walking up and down the aisles of the fair—seeing the carnival games and the flashing lights, hearing the music and the constant cheering of people winning prizes—was way more fun with Aiden in tow. His innocent enthusiasm and talkative nature were a joy to be around.
It didn’t even bother me when Mrs. Graber, the worst gossip in a townfullof gossips, met us outside the Pippin Floralscapes booth and started asking about Hand-Fast Watch.
“A little birdie told me that all of the requirements have been filled,” she said coyly. “Well, except the final one, of course. But it won’t be long until you two are blowing that bugle and saying your vows!”
I bit back an impatient retort. Thankfully, she was wrong. By my count, there were at least two other items left to check off, and since I couldn’t imagine Webb declaring his intentions to my mom—the very idea was laughable!—and neither of us had any call to bestow garments on the other, we were probably safe.
I wasn’t going to tell her that, though. Otherwise, I could envision folks intentionally throwing us into mud puddles so we’d be forced to exchange clothes or claiming Webb told my mom he “intended” to buy me a coffee and Mayor York deciding that counted.
“We’re taking our time with it,” I informed her. “There’s no rush.”
Mrs. Graber frowned. “Except doesn’t the time run out tomorrow night at sundown?”
Nerves roiled in my gut. After tomorrow, there’d be no more fake relationship tying us together. I had to trust that there were real feelings there, instead.
“We’re capable of taking care of completing the tasks on our own, Mrs. Graber.Ifwe decide to.”
No reason not to throw that in there, right? Let her spreadthatinformation, and maybe the Hollowans would get an idea of what was coming.
I expected her to be surprised by my statement. Maybe even disappointed.
I didnotexpect for her to laugh out loud.
“Oh, sweetheart. It’s not a matter of being capable of completing them; it’s a matter of getting out of your own way and letting it happen. And nothing I’ve seen over the past half a year has suggested either one of you is capable ofthat.”
I stared at her, part confused and part insulted. “Nonsense. It’s only been a few weeks—”that we were even together, I started to say, but I stopped myself, caught up in my own lies. Surely we were supposed to have been dating before our betrothal.
“Maybe officially, but we’ve watched you and Webb dance around each other for months. Even when he wasn’t speaking to you, he knew exactly where you were whenever you walked in a room. And the harder he fought it, the harder it gripped him.” She sighed exultantly. “He’s needed someone like you for years, and it’s a real satisfaction to all of us to know he’s found you.”
