Page 148 of Book and Ladder
The author and I exchange information and she walks away from the counter, lingering to explore the various rooms we’ve converted into spaces for books and nooks for customers to curl up with their current read.
Patrick sidles up to me, seemingly out of nowhere.
“For a big man dressed in red, you’re awfully stealth,” I say, grinning up into his eyes.
“What was that about?” he asks.
I tell him who the author is and that she came in because she heard about us through the article.
“I’ll tell Dad. He’ll be glad to hear it.” Patrick pauses, his expression growing serious. “That will be you one day.”
“Keeping the calendar of special bookshop events?” I glance up with a playful smirk. “That’s already me.”
“Signing your books—touring through local bookshops to meet readers.”
“We’ll see,” I say softly. “I’m just starting my classes next month.”
“I have faith in you.” He tugs me close with the armwrapped behind my back and I fight the temptation to usher the crowd out the door and flip the sign to CLOSED just so I can get him alone.
“Thank you,” I whisper up to him. “You made it possible.”
“You are worth all of this and more,” he says softly.
“Mommy!” Peyton shouts from the doorway leading into the main room. “Santa is hugging Miss Daisy!”
“She’s only been a little naughty,” Patrick says, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Mostly nice.”
“I’m not the only one,” I tease him under my breath.
His arm drops away and he steps out from behind the counter to mingle with customers.
I eventually give Patrick the sign that it’s okay to change out of that itchy costume. He ducks upstairs and comes down wearing jeans, work boots and a henley under a flannel. His hair is ruffled from wearing the hat and wig. Irresistible.Mine.
My heartbeat still thrums faster at the mere sight of him, even two months after we’ve officially started dating. He always had this effect on me. Only now, I’m able to admit it.
The afternoon sun is dropping low when I announce, “The shop will be closing in fifteen minutes. We’ll see all of you at the tree trimming in the town square.”
This will be the first year Patrick and I will be at the annual tradition together, even though we’ve always both attended separately.
Patrick rounds the counter, placing a soft kiss on my cheek. “I have to drive the truck, but once the star is lit, I’ll come find you.”
“Okay,” I tell him. “I’ll see you there.”
I watch him stride out the front door, a soft sigh leaving my lips.
Winona steps up next to me. “I want to sigh over a man one day.”
“You will, I have no doubt.”
We lock up and ride together to the town square, the heater humming between us. Carli, Cass, Emberleigh and Sydney are already there when we arrive. It’s already dark, and far colder than it was this afternoon. We’re bundled in our coats, gloves and scarves. People mingle with cocoa and cookies near the base of the sixty-foot tree.
The hook and ladder truck arrives. This year Patrick’s driving and Cody’s in the bucket, holding the star as he rises to the top of the tree. He places the star and it lights, setting off a chain reaction of string lights in the branches below. The glow spreads, illuminating the crowd, catching on the faces of the people I love most.
I glance at Carli, her eyes are fixed on Cody. She has a soft, wistful smile on her face.
“Everything okay?” I ask her.
“Huh? Oh. Yeah. I was just hoping we don’t get a rogue wind,” she says, watching Cody descend lower. “Wouldn’t want anything to happen to him … to any of them.”
