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)
“A bigger decision …?”
“Whether Fairview was ever meant to get you back. Nope,” he says the moment my eyes go wide with outrage. “I won’t take any kind of answer or response right now. Just think about it. Work with Nadine over the next week or so. See how you like it. Stay here. Then you can decide whether you’ve found that dream of yours just yet.” His face warms and he nods, as if something’s already been decided. “I don’t know about you, but I sure am looking forward to spending Christmas Eve downtown with everyone tonight. Weather’s great. Not too warm, not too cold.” He slaps my arm suddenly, startling me. “Look alive, son! Good things are on the horizon for us.” With a brusque yet cheery laugh, my dad sees himself out, and I’m left there in a total daze.
They say when one door shuts, another opens.
But what if it’s a hundred doors that open?
A thousand?
How am I supposed to know which one to enter?
“That’s totally up to you to decide, Malck-aroni,” says Samuel as we relax on a park bench sometime later.
I eye him. “Malck-aroni? Really? I’m pasta now?”
“I, of course, feel inclined to persuade you into taking Nadine up on her generous offer of a potential career and free housing,” he goes on, throwing his arm over the back of the bench, “but don’t listen to me. Malck-aroni needs to do what’s right for Malck-aroni.” He shrugs. “Though of course, there are a few other factors to consider when making your decision.”
I’m just going to have to live with the nicknaming. “And what are these other factors, pray tell?”
“While you may have a room at the Strongs’ during this trial period of being Nadine’s event coordinator, you’ll also have a nice warm bed at my house whenever you want a change of scenery.”
I smirk. “Okay. Go on.”
He looks at me and blinks. “That’s the only thing I’ve thought of so far, actually, but I think it’s a very important factor. Do you really want to turn her down and head back to Fairview with all of your big boring shopping malls and Starbucks?”
“I never said the one shopping mall we have is big.”
“Or do you want to stick around a little longer, see what kind of life might be in store for you here, and … oh, I dunno … maybe visit your loving, adoring boyfriend from time to time at the clinic where he’s savin’ lives?”
“So you’re my boyfriend now?”
He slaps a hand to his chest and gawks at me, offended. “After a whole year of datin’ me, we’re still not official?? Malckemy! How can you even ask such a question?”
Before I can come up with a snarky reply, he squeezes me against his side, and by reflex, I bring my mouth up to his.
At once, we’re kissing in the middle of Spruce Park. I’m sure twenty people are already paying witness. It’ll make headlines by the morning: local vet tech scores Nadine’s executive chef’s son with a kiss in the park.
Maybe I don’t mind the attention as much anymore.
When evening rolls around, it’s time for the big celebration. Everyone in town gathers at the park with candles, sparklers, and just about every other kind of fire hazard you can think of. A choir arranges themselves around the tree to sing Christmas carols, who are organized by Spruce Fellowship, from what I understand. As they sing, Samuel quickly identifies them to me, like I’d remember any of their names. “That one’s Jeremiah, who loves his long hair. Then there’s Robby, who used to be a player but settled down with Nessie Evans—short for Vanessa—though everyone seems to think it’s headed for disaster even though the two have been together for a few years now. Hal, the weirdo next to Robby. Burton, Justin, and—You keepin’ up? You don’t even look like you’re listening!”
When the choir starts singing fun songs, the whole crowd gets involved, and just about everyone is in the holiday spirit. I catch sight of Toby and Vann, who I guess stuck in town another day, Vann embracing Toby from behind underneath a tree. I also spot the cute reverend Trey, whose husband stands next to him with his arms crossed and an odd scowl on his face—though I suspect it might be his version of a smile. Now and then Trey nudges him for a kiss, and the two look like the least likely yet fitting couple ever.
I wonder if people think that about me and Samuel.
To my surprise, I even spot Cole in the crowd. He seems to be among a few girl friends of his, and there is laughter all over their faces as they sing along to “Jingle Bell Rock”. After watching Cole and his strikingly beautiful face sing for a while, I realize Samuel has spotted him, too. We’re staring at him together.