Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“Spending lots of time talking to Reverend Trey, Tamika told me.” Noah frowns. “Or so she heard. I hope he’s okay.”
I smile as I rub Noah’s arm. “You’ve gotten a soft spot for the rough guy, huh?”
“I’m not sure. Working on the pageant seems to have changed my perspective about a lot of things. I even started asking my dad about his train town. And I brought a whole batch of my mom’s new Cute Tutes to the newspaper last week. I think I’m …” He lets out a sigh of disbelief. “I think I’m starting to become more aware of the people in my life and how we all affect each other. I never felt a sense of community before. I’ve always felt outside of it. But lately, I’m starting to realize I’ve always been a part of it … even if in tiny, seemingly insignificant ways. I see that now through how Tamika’s been looking out for me. And how much my mom notices even when she seems in her own world. My dad, too.” He stops and looks at me. “And you.”
I put my arms around the small of his back and hug him close to me, our hips together. “I’m never gonna let you disappear into the background ever again, Noah. You deserve to be seen.”
“Was it you?”
My eyebrows pull together. “Was what me?”
“The whole time? Back in school? Was it you who got me a new math book? Who left an umbrella by my locker? Who had the snack bar lady set my favorite snack aside every lunch period? I’ve been wondering for a while now and … and never could ask.”
I stare back at him, for a moment amazed.
Honestly, his question lands right in my chest.
I never thought he’d put it all together and actually ask.
When I finally recover, I smile back at him, bring a hand to his sweet face, and brush bangs off his forehead. “If you have to ask … I suppose you’ve already got your answer.” Then I kiss him, smile once more, and peer contentedly into his eyes.
Except he’s frowning now. “You’re being vague.”
“I know.”
“Cole …” he mumbles warningly.
He’s too fucking adorable to leave hanging. Stifling my own giddy laughter, I dive into his face for a kiss. It seems all intention of complaining further is swallowed away at once as he melts against my body, kissing me right back. There’s no telling quite how long we stand there in the parking lot of Nadine’s kissing each other. It is most certainly for an obscene amount of time.
When we separate, Noah’s eyes remain closed. “I don’t want this night to end,” he volunteers suddenly. “I wish this feeling in me can last forever and ever.”
I smile, a trick up my sleeve. “Our night isn’t over yet.”
His eyes flick open. “It isn’t?”
I take hold of his hand and lead him back to the car, ready to show him my last surprise.
In the heart of downtown Fairview, there is a gorgeous resort hotel on a sprawling stretch of land. It came highly recommended to me when I asked around about the perfect place to take Noah. Sadly, at this time of the evening with the sun down and the stars twinkling high in the sky, many of its more flashy amenities aren’t visible. I suppose we can partake of them tomorrow, if Noah feels so inclined to hop in a beautiful pool with waterfalls and lazy river features that circle the premises.
“We’re staying the night here?” gasps Noah as we walk inside, his eyes taking in the sparkly Romanesque interior of the lobby. “I thought we were headed back to watch the rest of that movie.”
“Someone slipped to me how it ends,” I confess, “and while I am more than open to finishing it with you someday, I don’t want you thinking that a fictional story about a sorcerer and a paladin’s doomed relationship has any symbolic reference or connection to ours whatsoever.”
He finds that amusing. “Y’know, I heard it’s actually the first part of a trilogy.”
That comes as a surprise. “Really?”
“Yep. And they are making all three movies.” He gives me a playful smirk. “It seems like the demon sorcerer and the paladin’s story isn’t over just yet.”
I squeeze his hand and wink at him. “Far from over.”
The glitz and the glamour of the lobby is but a taste of what we find in our suite. It’s six times the size of a normal hotel room, with a shiny kitchenette, wide full-sized balcony complete with an outdoor Jacuzzi, and a TV that nearly covers the wall. Around the bed is sprinkled rose petals, just as I requested.
We spend exactly one and a half minutes admiring any of it.
Because Noah is making out with me before I can even point out the orange-flavored and sour candies neatly arranged in tiny bowls all around the room, or the stuffed orange polka-dot dragon on the sofa with big adorable eyes.