Page 59 of A Love Like Candle Light

"So thoughtful," Lauren says sweetly and points at his bag. "But what else did you get?"

"Oh, you know. Some whiskey, some ginger ale, and lime juice."

"Sounds like a wild combination," I mutter, but Nic softly shakes her head.

"Best low-effort cocktail ever, let me tell you." She accepts the plastic cup Lauren hands her. Then I get one too.

"Come on here, guys. Time for drinks!" Lauren declares and pulls one cup for everyone out of the stack Kieran brought.

The guys trot over, each of them grabbing a plastic cup. Erik’s arm snakes around my waist, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world and not at all as if we decided to make things between us somewhat official mere hours ago.

We hold the cups in a circle, and Kieran pours our drinks with practiced precision.

"What exactly are we drinking?" Erik whispers into my ear, his breath tickling.

"Whiskey, ginger ale, lime," I whisper back just as softly. His lack of answer tells me he's not so sure about the combination either.

"Well, on that account..." Kieran lifts his cup higher up once we have all ingredients in our cups. "To Elizabeth."

"To Elizabeth," all of us mumble and tap our cups against each other, then take a sip.

My eyes widen. "Oh." I stare at the lazy cocktail. "This is actually not bad." The alcohol taste is more subtle than I thought.

"Told you." Nic nudges me with her elbow. "Now come on, sit down and grab your blanket. Time to get cozy."

The cold is slowly creeping through all the layers I’m wearing, so it’s a perfect plan if I ever heard one. Tonight’s sky is completely clear, the mountain tops dark shadows against the starry sky.

"The stars here are just crazy," I mumble, staring and trying to find a star sign. Not an easy task because I can’t remember for the life of me what they look like.

Erik takes a seat next to me and drapes my blanket around my shoulders. As soon as he sits, I lean against him, pull the blanket tighter around me until I’m cocooned in and keep staring at the sky.

"I don't think I've ever seen the Milky Way so clearly." When I lower my gaze, I find all the couples huddled up together and Kieran sitting between them, sulking.

"Do you think Bobby’s story is true?" he suddenly asks and jumps up, pacing around the fire. "I don't know, I've been thinking about this story the whole evening. It's so unfair."

"I totally agree," Lauren mumbles and takes a sip of her cocktail. “So, I decide it’s made up.”

"I think it is true," Henry declares and takes a sip of his drink. Nic is also huddled up in a blanket and sneaks under his free arm.

“Boo!” Lauren gives him a thumbs down. "Though, you'd know best, Henry. You're the only one here who has lived in Wayward Hollow his entire life."

"He is?" I glance at Caleb. I was sure he lived here all his life too.

"Moved here when I was eighteen," he says. "And you?" That's directed at Erik.

"Moved here when I was three."

"Interesting," Caleb mumbles and tilts his head. "I thought you were born here, too."

"But anyways, my dad knew O'Brien, so he's not a figment of Bobby’s imagination," Henry reveals. “I doubt he’d invent a whole story around the autumn fair, so I believe him.”

"Seriously, though, who does your father not know?" Erik chuckles and shakes his head.

I take another sip of my drink. My cheeks turn warmer and warmer the further the evening progresses. I'm not sure if it's because of the whiskey, because of the fire finally picking up or the fact I’m giddy about Erik’s arm around my shoulders.

"He was still a child when O’Brien passed, so..." Henry shrugs and stretches his legs towards the fire. "But he remembers Nicholas being a kind guy. Though he also mentioned he was not very joyful."

"No wonder." Nic shakes her head and leans against Henry. "Imagine, you leave your entire family and home country behind for love, think you finally have a future with the woman you adore and then you get what? Two years with the love of your life?"