Page 39 of Library or Lattes?

As I made us both coffee, I thought about what to say. Here for a while now. Making it his own … Did this mean he was staying for good? What happened to April?

“Well, if you need any help just let me know. I’m very good with a drill.” It was true, thanks to Pop.

“Of course you are. You’re full of surprises, Willa Taylor.”

And then he got back to business. “Okay, here’s the plan so far,” he said. He reached across me and handed me the notebook that laid out everything we’d been planning. “Hot cider here, and the maple pecan donuts, apple muffins, and snickerdoodles here. If we run the photo booth, do you think your friends could handle the food and drinks?”

I nodded, delighted by his enthusiasm, such a contrast to when we’d first met. His eyes were shining. “My dad wanted to do it. Said he’d just sit behind the stall on a chair all night, but Mom wouldn’t let him.”

“No worries,” I assured him. “The girls are all set to help. Lennie’s bringing the photo booth backdrop over this afternoon, and Krista’s bringing a load of costumes she borrowed from the school theater.”

“Great. And here’s the list of prices. All the tips and five percent of what we make tonight will go toward your Kissing Tree …”

“My Kissing Tree?” I asked. “My name’s not even on it.”

He put the notebook down and moved closer to me.

“Maybe we should change that.” He turned me toward the storeroom so his wide shoulders blocked me completely from the view of any customers who might come in early. Then he tilted my chin toward his and kissed me gently, igniting fireworks all over again.

James drove Geoff’s truck into the square to set up, and I had to admit I found being in the truck seriously hot. Like I was seeing another little piece of him, the piece that was strong and independent, almost adult.

By the time we got there, the square was already full of local businesses setting up tables, stalls, and canopies.

James and I set up ours together, though he did most of the heavy lifting and I just tried not to stare.

Lennie, Krista, and Avery showed up just as we’d finished.

“Oh, convenient,” I teased them as I wiped my brow. “Arriving as soon as all the prep is done.”

“Well, if all the prep is done then you wouldn’t want this, would you?” Lennie walked toward me with a huge backdrop. She’d painted the Kissing Tree in its full fall glory, copper beech leaves blazing orange and red in a twilight sky, with little heart carvings visible in the bark. It was beautiful, and perfect, and so perfectly Oak Falls.

“Oh, Lennie, it’s amazing!” I gushed, and helped her carry it over to the space I’d created for the photo booth. I piled pumpkins all around, draping them with string lights and fall leaves.

Then Krista dropped a box by my feet. “There you go, Will. My work here is done. I’m on Carter watch tonight, seeing that you’ve decided to pick your other man. I’ll take the scraps.” I shushed her in case James heard, but she just kept scanning the town square. “Has anyone seen him?”

Lennie was doing her own scanning.

“She here yet?” I whispered.

“She said she’d come early and meet me by your stall, but she was a bit weird when I messaged her earlier.” Lennie looked disappointed.

“Text messages can be strange, though, it’s not like you can pick up someone’s tone …”

“I guess you’re right. Anyway, if you see us together, remember we’re incognito.”

“Of course,” I assured her.

“Hey, Red, want me to set up the camera?” James appeared beside me and I smiled involuntarily.

Lennie arched an eyebrow. “Red? Like the color of your cheeks right about now?”

“Shut up!”

“Hold on. Red? James Parker. It’s all coming back to me.” Lennie mimed her head exploding. “James from the Kissing Tree! Will!”

“What?” I tried to hide my grin by looking away, but she’d already spotted it.

“You’ve got it bad … and I love it. This was meant to be.”