Page 25 of Espresso Your Love
“Hey, Officer Hayes.” She greets me with a smile.
I move my hands down my outfit. “Just Ryan right now.”
She laughs lightly. “Right, Ryan.”
“You headed to the town meeting too?”
Her eyes light up. “Yeah, I can’t miss any town news.”
“Walking or driving?”
“I planned on walking,” she replies, glancing around us. “It’s such a beautiful evening.”
“Me too. Mind if I join you?”
She considers it for a moment before giving me a soft smile. “Sure.”
“You lead. I’ll follow.”
We start walking toward the town square in silence. I have so much to say, but I’m oddly very nervous. She’s been giving cordial vibes lately, and I’m not sure where we stand. The festival is always a safe topic. Maybe she’ll open up if I ask about it.
“How’s the festival organizing going?”
“It’s going well.”
“Any more hiccups?”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” she says confidently.
Short and sweet. This might be a bit harder than I thought. It’ll be an interesting ten-minute walk.
“You mentioned a few vendors canceled. Were you able to find replacements?”
“Yes, luckily the festival is in high demand. So it was easier than I expected.”
“Any good ones?” I prod, trying to keep the conversation going.
“Yeah, actually. I found this vendor who creates themed escape rooms in trailers. It’s really amazing how they manage to squeeze an elaborate room into a small trailer. Have you ever done an escape room before?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Oh! You’ll have to stop by. Ashley and I went to one in Huntsville a few years back.”
“Did you escape?”
She chuckles. “No, we didn’t. Ashley was absolutely no help but made me laugh the entire time. It was still fun. I’m sure with your police skills, you’d finish it pretty quickly.”
“We’ll have to put that theory to the test.”
“Yeah, I guess we will.” She smiles softly at me.
“What other vendors did you find?”
“This one’s a little different, but I think it’ll be a hit with the crafty folks. It’s a DIY candle-making station. She walks you through everything from picking the scents to molding it. And then you get to take home the candle you made. I think it offers a unique twist instead of just buying fall-scented candles.”
As she speaks, I could see the excitement in her eyes. It’s clear how much effort and time she puts into this, and I’m looking forward to seeing it all come together.
“It’s a little more personal.”
