Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“Yep, we did.” I shake my head. “We’ve been busy. Haven’t had much time to hang out except for those couple of lunch dates. And even those felt a bit rushed, right?”
Malcolm smiles, sighs, then wrinkles up his face. “Honestly, I probably had more opportunities to invite you out with us. But …” He fidgets with his tablet, fingers drumming along the edge. “I just felt … bad. Like I was forcing you to be our third wheel. Or like I’d be rubbing it in your face that I chose Samuel over you.”
“What?” I laugh. “No, not at all, Malcolm. Why would you ever think that?”
“I just hope you find someone, Cole. That’s all. That’s it.”
Literally, the secret is dancing on the tip of my tongue, like a diver at the very end of the springboard, ready to fly into the pool down below. It’s practically taunting me. Malcolm is going to be so relieved when he finds out, I just know it.
Would Noah be angry with me if I bent my promise a tiny bit?
Can’t Malcolm be a tiny, meager, itsy-bitsy, infinitesimal, little exception?
“And maybe,” Malcolm finishes with a lift of a finger, “you’ll find your Mr. Picture Perfect during the course of this event.” He shrugs. “Though I’m afraid, considering this whole ordeal ends in an auction with who-knows invited from who-knows-where, you will very likely end up as the arm candy to some sugar daddy. The highest bidder. You know how it goes. Is that alright with you?” he asks as he suppresses a chuckle. “Do you mind being someone’s pet for a night? Nadine is basically prostituting you guys, and she’s your sassy southern pimp.”
Watching Malcolm hold back laughter, I can’t help but crack. I try not to laugh, but it can’t be helped, and suddenly I can’t stop. Malcolm busts out, too, and soon, there are tears in our eyes. For a beautiful moment I wish would last longer, all the tension and worry weighing down my soul is gone and far, far away from here.
Malcolm recovers, breathes, then reaches to pat my leg. “You know how highly I think of you. And how much Nadine values you in this big, beautiful debacle. I mean, you realize you literally are the reason for this whole fundraising event, right?”
I wipe the tears out of my eyes with my free hand. “Yeah?”
“None of this would be happening if it wasn’t for your split-second decision to race across the street and save Noah from what could have been a terrible disaster. You made yourself a hero. You woke the town up. Gave everyone something to talk about. Can you take a moment and just imagine how many people went home that day feeling more grateful for what they have? Grateful for their lives and families and friends? Wow. After reading the article earlier, even I found myself choked up. And I never get choked up. About anything. Not even the birth of cute baby bunnies, and thanks to Samuel, I’ve seen that in the flesh.”
I smile, grateful. “Nadine may have done us strange by trying to set us up with each other, but I’m happy she did, because I feel lucky to have someone like you rooting for me.”
There is surprising warmth in the smile Malcolm gives me. “I am notably pleased we crossed paths, too, Cole,” he says with flair, “and I’m confident you’ll find your man. That Nadine is more than determined to make it happen.”
Okay, I can’t stand it anymore.
I can’t hold it back.
Noah will understand. I’m certain of it. Maybe he will even be happy to have someone else in town we can confide in.
“Malcolm, I gotta tell you something.”
He lifts his eyebrows, his smile still lingering on his lips. “Tell me what?”
I brace myself. Excitement bubbles up from deep within me. I clasp my thighs for some reason, bare my teeth, then finally say it out loud: “I’m already seeing someone.”
It’s instant. I feel relief beyond measure. I feel giddy to be at last sharing this with a trusted friend. It breathes life into the deep and unquestionable emotion I carry for Noah. It validates it all, just the uttering of that simple fact out loud.
Malcolm’s face twists. “What?”
He’s confused. That’s expected. “It’s Noah,” I say, now giving the confession a name. “We’re actually a thing. A very recent thing. Since last night, actually.”
“Uh, last night …?”
“Yep! Since last night. Noah and I. Though it feels more like we’ve been in a relationship secretly for years, ever since the days of our crazy high school past. Well, a one-sided one, I guess.”
“One-sided …?”
“We spent a lot of time together as kids, too. It’s sweet when you think about it. Our parents used to be best friends. We have a bit of history together, yet it took all this time for us to finally …” I bring my hands together, symbolizing us meeting. “And now I’m over the damned moon, Malcolm. I have no way to describe to you how I’m feeling other than …” I let out a happy sigh. “… elated.”