The music stopped.
Harry dived for the chair. “Hell yeah! I’m the win—”
He froze, his mouth clamping shut when Brooke’s bottom crashed into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and just when his face couldn’t flame any redder, she smacked her lips on his cheek. For one long second, the pair shared a heated gaze, and when Harry’s hand reached up to twist one of her curls around his finger, I was convinced he was about to kiss her so good she’d cry with joy for a month.
But the magic moment stalled.
Harry released the stray curl and wriggled out from under her.
“Shit, Harry…” Aiden mumbled, his hands going to his knees, pushing off the chair.
But if he was worried, he didn’t need to be. Harry only got two steps away before his gaze landed on Aiden. One dip of his friend’s chin, and Harry straightened his T-shirt, turned around, and strode back.
“Remember the first day we met?” he asked Brooke.
She tipped her chin up to look at him, her face still painted with shock. “Y-yeah,” she stammered. “At the village store.”
Harry nodded. “You came flying in, covered in dust, and your hair was all wild in this big, messy ponytail on top of your head. You barged in front of me at the checkout.”
“And I said…” She swallowed her nerves with a big breath.“Outta my way, pip-squeak. You can buy your stale old corn chips after I’ve sent a horde of cockroaches to heaven.”
“Yeah.” Harry’s laugh was almost dreamy. “When you stormed out of there, I turned to Ashley and said,‘That’s the girl I’m gonna marry someday.’”
“Really?”
“Yup. I’ve been stupid about admitting my feelings for you, but I’m done being stupid. So, I’m gonna kiss you back now,” he warned, falling to one knee. “You better tell me if that’s not something—”
Brooke’s lips landed on his, and the bar erupted in cheers and stomping boots.
Aiden relaxed back in his seat, smiling.
I nudged my finger into his shoulder. “You had something to do with that, didn’t you?”
“I’ll take credit for giving him the courage to tell her how he feels,” he said. “Doing it in front of the whole town is all on him.”
“I think it was adorable.”
Aiden slid a wary glance at me. “You want me to get hold of the microphone and tell the town how we first met? Would you forgive me then?”
“Don’t youdare,Aiden McKinnon!”
The wooden chair creaked when he eased back. “I think about the morning at the clinic sometimes. You were as timid as a mouse. Scared of your own shadow.” He tilted his head towards me, an expression almost like pride settling across his face. “And look at you now—the fearless Storm Queen who stole my umbrella and ruined my shirt.”
“I gave your umbrella to Harry.” I huffed an annoyed sound. “And I didn’t ruin your shirt. Iwashedit!”
“Andironed it,” he reminded me with a rueful smile. “Now I’ve got nothing else to remember those early days except up here.” He tapped his temple. “And every time I see you frowning at me. But…”
“But?”
“You’re not frowning at me as much tonight.”
“What am I doing instead?”
“Smiling.”
26
He Saw His Nightmare Come to Life
