It sounded like I imagined a flatulent rhinoceros would, and the two of us laughed our asses off.
I held up my hand so we were palm to palm. Luke’s hand was so small and chilly against mine that it was instinctive for me to wrap my fingers around his. “I, Thomas Webb Sunday, pledge unity with you, Luke Williams.” Then I took the bugle and blew it also, long and loud enough folks probably heard it in Two Rivers.
And it might have been the alcohol talking—okay, it was definitely the alcohol talking—but the whole thing felt weirdly important. Momentous. Right.
At least it did until I noticed the town meeting had let out and the entire population of Little Pippin Hollow was standing around the town common, justwatchingus.
“Is that the Unity Bugle?” a woman’s shocked voice demanded.
“Mother of God, is that Webb and the teacher? Are they holding hands? Have they blown it?”
“Did you say Webb blew the teacher?”
“They’ve recited the vows!” a man’s voice exclaimed.
“They said they knew how it worked,” Van confirmed. “They said they wanted to cement the change in their relationship.”
“Did someone tell the mayor? Has the scroll been invoked?”
The scroll?
I snickered at the confusion on Luke’s face, which perfectly reflected my own.
“Not a hundred percent sure what’s happening right now,” I whispered. “But I feel like we failed at uncomplicating things.”
And that feeling was confirmed a moment later when my brother’s voice rang out across the common.
“Webb Sunday,what have you done?”
CHAPTER FIVE
LUKE
I closedmy car door gently and quietly outside of Panini Jack’s diner and leaned against the cold metal for a second. Morning sunlight glinted off the snowdrifts and icicles, making kaleidoscopic strobe-light flashes against my closed eyelids, and I knew exactly how the Rusty Spike had come by its name because every flash of light did, indeed, make me feel like my skull was being impaled.
Hooray for truth in advertising.
Too bad every cell in my body was crying for mercy.
My phone dinged in my pocket several times in quick succession, and I flinched at the sound. I flinched again when I realized who was messaging.
Mom
Morning, LukeyLou!! *sunshine emoji*
I saw online you’ve got a high of 28* today and another day off!!! *snowflake emoji*
Are you stuck at home with all the snow? Did you put dental floss in your survival kit, like in that article I sent you?
If you’re stuck home, let’s FaceTime later! I want to see your fairy-tale house and meet my grandchildren. *sheep emoji* It’s been months and months already!
Oh dear Lord.
I loved my mother so, so much. I loved her enthusiasm. I loved her positivity. I loved that she was invested in my life in Vermont. I even loved her stubbornness… sometimes.
But I was not going to show her the reality of my “fairy-tale house,” no matter how often she asked, especially now that it had an unintentional skylight in the living room. And I was not gonna show hermewhen I was all puffy and bloodshot.
I typed a reply with one eye shut.
