Page 98 of Everything Has Changed
“Yes, sir.” It’s automatic, the words, and I tell myself to just let it be. But I can’t. “Actually, I don’t. Can you tell me why this is so important? We always do this event, usually the same way every year. Why is this one different?”
I see him side-eye me while still pretending to watch everyone around us hard at work moving the booths into their right spots. I also see the way his jaw ticks a few times as he clenches his teeth.
“It’s like you said, Gwendolyn. Logan is to become mayor of this town. I want to make sure he has the best setup for when he takes his rightful place. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he glances down at the incredibly large gold watch on his wrist. “I have a lunch meeting withLogan and Camila. Those two,” he lets out a low whistle that feels like a knife straight to my heart. “Now that’s a couple that will last a lifetime.”
Tears begin to prickle at the back of my eyes, and I tell myself this is what he wants, willing them not to fall in front of the person that will probably enjoy my weakness showing.
Mr. Spencer’s grin turns absolutely unnerving. “Have a nice day, Ms. Prescott.”
I keep my glare on him as he walks right through the middle of the festival zone, stopping to shake hands with the townsfolk and chat for a moment. Everyone looks so happy to see him. Little do they know he just shook me up so hard I can feel my body vibrating with anger.
“What the hell was all that about?”
“Oh my God!” I screech, whirling around on Piper. “Would people stop coming out of nowhere?”
Her blue eyes are wide, and her lips lock tight, holding in a laugh when I glare at her. “I called your name, like, three times after Mr. Mayor walked away. What did he say to you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I roll my eyes, trying to hide just how much our conversation affected me. “That’s just my pale skin.”
But Piper isn’t buying it as she shakes her head, shifting the large brown box in her arms to one of her hips. “Nope, this is something more. Spill it, babe.”
Quickly weighing if I can get away with a lie, I sigh when Piper lifts a brow at me. “He more or less just threatened the cafe.”
“What?! Why the hell would he do that?”
I shrug and blow out a deep breath in hopes that it’ll stop the tingly sensation I’m getting in my extremities. Not sure if I’m ready to diveinto it right now with my head spinning, I attempt to change the subject.
“What’s in the box?”
“I know what you’re doing, and I’m going to let you because I can see the stress all over you, and I need you to be a little happier with all your big plans happening around you.”
Handing over the box, I take it from her and eye the shipping label. “I didn’t order anything.”
“No, you did not,” my best friend smirks. “Open it.”
At her insistence, I set the box on the ground and kneel beside it. Ripping open the packing tape with the keys in my pocket, I’m more confused than ever when I see the contents.
One by one, I pull out expertly packed decorations. Fresh leaf garland in rich oranges and reds. New strings of twinkle lights. Yards of fabric–no, curtains–in autumnal colors. Pumpkins of every size.
“This is everything I had on my wishlist in my festival planner,” I whisper in disbelief.
“Well, not everything. There are a few more boxes back at the cafe with Stacy.”
I dig through the box again, confirming everything was exactly what I had originally planned for, but was shot down at the committee meetings.
“Did I get drunk and order these? This is exactly why I shouldn’t save my card info on shopping websites. Get a couple of glasses of wine in me and suddenly I’m adding to cart without a care in the world.”
Piper giggles. “Nope,” she pops the p. Reaching in, she finds a packing slip and hands it to me.
Quickly reading over the checklist, I see it really was my entire wishlist. Everything in the right quantities and colors.
“How?” I start to ask when I see the note at the bottom of the invoice.
You deserve everything you want.
Yours, Logan
I read the words over and over again until Piper nudges me. She’s beaming with excitement as my mouth gapes at her.
