Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Mr. Winters!” Athena popped up out of seemingly nowhere, camera rolling. “You have to try the spicy pepper-bite things. I want your reaction.”
Me too, kid. Me too.
“Sorry.” Merry shook his head, dark-blond hair shaking. He’d made some effort to tame it along with wearing the sweater we’d gotten together on North Shore. “I don’t have much appetite.”
I fetched him some water anyway. “I guess dancing is out. Would you want to find a quiet bench outside, maybe?”
My tone must have revealed I hoped to resume our talk because Merry took a deep breath.
“No, let’s dance.” Setting aside his water, he strode purposefully toward the dancefloor. “I want to dance.”
His plan of avoidance worked well while the music was fast, kid-friendly tunes. But then the DJ went deep into his throwback playlist for the first slow song of the night. And I swooped in, grabbing Merry’s hands before he could leave the dancefloor, effectively ensuring he had to slow dance with me.
The tune was one from an old movie soundtrack, a sentimental favorite, and several other couples swayed around us. However, for me, there was only Merry, especially once he relaxed against me and took over leading. He exhaled hard and held me that much more tightly.
Sniff. The sound broke through my happy bubble of being in Merry’s embrace, and I glanced up at him. Merry’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.
“Merry? Are you crying?”
“No.” He executed a nimble turn. “Just caught up in a good song.”
And I was caught up in him and desperate to talk to him. The song shifted to the next tune, another slow one, but Merry stepped away.
“No more dancing?” I asked softly.
“No.” He squished his eyes shut, and I rubbed his arm.
“Your head still hurting?” I followed him off the dancefloor toward the table where Cara was sitting with several other mom friends. They were laughing and chatting, and the last thing I wanted was to join them.
“No.” He gave a pained huff. “My heart. I know I told you to focus on tonight, but I keep thinking too much about tomorrow. And next week.” His voice wavered, and I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “And how much it’s going to suck to walk into school and not see you.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Principal Alana texted.” I spoke fast before Merry could cut me off again. “She wants me to finish out the year. Mrs. Crenshaw is retiring.”
Merry’s jaw dropped, eyes going wide, the reaction shot I’d been waiting for, but before he could reply, a buzz swept through the whole party room.
“Oh my God!” One of the women at Cara’s table jumped up, and I braced for a medical emergency as more gasps sounded. Merry dropped my hand like hot charcoal. Everyone’s gaze seemed trained on the doors and—
“Daddy!” Stella crowed louder than anyone else as a line of uniformed army personnel entered the community center. And there was Craig, front and center.
Twenty-Four
Winter break reminder! Don’t leave your homework until the last minute on break. If there’s something you need to do, do it today!
MERRY
Athena understandably had her phone camera trained on Cara’s gobsmacked face, but I was certain my own reaction was equally film-worthy. In the span of three seconds, I’d gone from shocked to a flicker of hope to shocked again to…what I wasn’t quite sure, only that the flicker was gone.
Nolan’s brother Craig looked like a taller, buffer, older version of Nolan—short dark hair with a few gray strands, pale skin, and light-brown eyes locked on his wife.
“Tell me you’re real.” Cara bit her lip as she stood up. She looked on the verge of tears, as were most of the onlookers. Around the room, other tearful reunions were taking place, enough camera flashes going off to make the place look like a disco ball had descended.
“I’m real.” Craig swept her into a hug. “And you look beautiful.”
“I was going for hot.” She pretended to be offended for a quick moment, then claimed him for a kiss that had everyone nearby whooping and hollering. All the commotion woke the baby from his nap in the stroller. Nolan swept him up before he could fuss too loudly and passed him to Cara when she and Craig broke for air.
“This is our son.” She started crying all over again as she held out the baby to Craig. “Meet Noah Craig.”
And now Craig was openly weeping. Those Bell brothers did like to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
“Oh my God, Cara, he’s beautiful.” Craig gazed down at the baby with awe-filled eyes. “You did such a good job.”
“We all did.” Cara beamed as she gathered both girls close before pointing at Nolan. “And I couldn’t have done it without Nolan.”
Still holding the baby, Craig gave Nolan an awkward one-armed hug. “Thanks for everything, bro.”