Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“You liked me moody?”
“I like you however you come.” He looks away. “Sorry. There I go again, being flirty or whatever.”
“Did we completely forbid flirting? Was that one of your three dumb rules? Or does that fall under the ‘teensy bit of hope’ clause you so sneakily snuck in?”
He cracks a smile, then shrugs. “The third rule freed you from all obligation of answerin’ my flirtatious calls. You can just sit back and be as immune to it as you please. And I’ll …” He picks at his fingers. “I’ll just be me.”
“Bunny-rabbit.”
He eyes me. “Huh?”
“That’s definitely your animal. Mating season year round. Any time’s the perfect time. All day, every day. Eat-all-you-want buffet. Twenty-five-eight.”
“There isn’t twenty-five hours in a day nor eight in a week.”
“Should we stop being so anti-social? Is it time yet?”
He snorts. “You’re gonna drop that bunny-rabbit comment on me, then scurry away into that big house like nothin’?” He shakes his head. “You really are a housecat. I oughta carry one of those red laser pointers on me.”
I pop open the door, then stop. “Oh, by the way … if I forget to say it later …”
“Yes?”
I peer meaningfully at him. “… Thank you.”
He stare at me blankly. “For …?”
Instead of answering, I just smile, feeling content with myself and the world, then see myself out of the car. “For what?” he calls at me as I start making my way to the house. “Hey! For what? Gosh dang it, Malckie.” He locks up the car and hurries to catch up.
When we enter the house, we’re met with the happiest dang crowd of people you’d find in a thousand mile radius. The party a few days ago to welcome everyone obviously didn’t include all of the guests, because the amount of people in attendance seems to have more than tripled. The DJ is playing something down-tempo and country, but I have a feeling it’s going to get a lot more upbeat in inverse proportion to how low that sun outside gets. The Christmas tree is brightly lit even though it’s the middle of the afternoon. People are all over the kitchen and dining area, and there’s no telling who is there to help, who is there for my dad, and who is just another friendly person from Spruce looking for something tasty to eat.
I don’t know any faces, but Samuel is greeted by nearly every person we pass. “Hi there, Samuel!” “Wasn’t the ceremony great?” “Hey, Sam! Thanks for lookin’ after Cheerio.” “Oh, Samuel, you sweet young man!” “Samuel! Merry Christmas, man!”
Each time, I think I’m going to just smile and nod awkwardly.
Until Samuel yanks me into his spotlight with him. “Have you met the amazing Malcolm Tucci?” “Yes, that’s the guy. His father is doing all the food.” “Yep, this is Mario Tucci’s son.” “Oh, yeah, he’s a great guy, just look at him!”
Several times, he even throws his arm around me and pulls me close, introducing me to everyone around town like I’m either his best friend, his brother, or some classmate from vet school. Everyone here knows Mario Tucci. No one knows his son. Several people didn’t even know he had children at all.
It’s kind of fun, simply popping into existence.
Twice as we make our rounds, I spot my dad in the crowd, and he’s always wearing a smile. It’s nice to actually be able to see his smile again after he groomed his beard this morning. He doesn’t see me, as he’s too busy chatting away with people and being his equally modest and proud self. I’m happy he’s having a great time. It’s important to me to see the look of genuine happiness on my father’s face, especially after having missed it for so long.
It’s when Samuel is busy chatting with an older couple about a “bizarre behavior” their dog is exhibiting that Nadine happens on me. “Malcolm, sweetie, I owe you the biggest apology in existence. I haven’t been forthcomin’ with you one bit.”
I find myself taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“The date. Both of ‘em. I just need to give it up. It’s all my fault everything went wrong, all my fault.” She brings a hand to her forehead, distressed, all of her shiny bangles dropping down her forearm. “I never told you this. Years ago, Jimmy berated me ‘bout that date I set you n’ Bobby up on. He told me it was a disaster. Oh, I felt so bad. Couldn’t even talk to your sweet father about it, I was just mortified. I kept wantin’ to make up for it, but there just wasn’t any available young men in town, and whenever one turned up, he would get snatched right away. You’d think I know all the guys in town, but even runnin’ the Spruce PFLAG chapter doesn’t get me any closer. On a side note, I should really let someone take over the chapter for me. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to handle both that and bein’ mayor. May even consider givin’ the chapter to Cissy. My dear frenemy Cissy McPherson, that is. She would love that.” Her eyes twitch with irritation. “Maybe she would love that too much.”