Riverbend Reunion(83)

“We should be going,” she said.

“It is almost midnight.” Wade brought the swings to a stop. “But my truck doesn’t turn into a pumpkin when the clock strikes twelve times.”

“But at my age I do require a little beauty sleep,” she teased.

“Darlin’, you won’t need beauty sleep when you are ninety.” He took her by the hand and led her across the playground and opened the truck door for her. She thought he might kiss her then, but he didn’t, and she was more than a little disappointed.

When he had slid into the driver’s seat, she said, “Thank you for that compliment. This has been the best date ever.”

“For me, too,” he told her as he started the engine.

When they reached the bar, he got out of the truck and, like a gentleman, opened the truck door for her again, and walked her up to the porch of the bar. She moistened her lips and got ready for the kiss, but he simply pulled his key from his pocket, opened the door of the bar, and stood to one side to let her go before him, then followed her across the foyer, what had been the sanctuary, and down the hall.

“This may seem crazy, but I’m walking you to your door,” he explained.

She stopped at her bedroom door and turned around. “Maybe what’s crazy is that it’s not crazy.”

Wade took a step forward, tipped up her chin with his fist, and stared into her eyes. She barely had time to moisten her lips before his eyes fluttered shut and his mouth closed on hers. The first kiss was sweet. The second one was so hot that Jessica could have sworn that she heard the fire sirens in Riverbend going off.

Then he stepped back, took her hand in his, and kissed the knuckles. “Thank you for the best night of my life. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” she said breathlessly.

He turned, started to walk away, then turned back. For a minute she thought maybe he had changed his mind and would return for another kiss or two or three. If he did, she intended to pull him into her bedroom and lock the door.

“I just wanted one more look at you to take with me for my dreams tonight.” He winked.

“You really are a romantic,” she said.

“I hope so,” he said with a smile.





Chapter Nineteen


The Annual Craft Festival in the Riverbend City Park brought in people from all over the area each year. Folks rented space and brought in everything from baked goods and handmade quilts to crocheted items, picture frames, and a multitude of other things. That Saturday, if Jessica could have seen the place from an airplane, she was sure the view would have looked like a mass of ants scrambling from one booth to the next. She’d wondered if the turnout would be good, since they’d had to reschedule it because of rain. Thank goodness the sun was shining brightly today.

Lily and Daisy left with Melissa and Ginger as soon as they arrived. Wade and Oscar saw a big display of hand-painted mirrors and went in that direction.

“Guess that leaves us four,” Jessica said. “Where do y’all want to go first?”

“It looks like the booths are set up along the outside and then two rows back to back right down the middle. I haven’t been to one of these since before I graduated from high school, but it looks pretty much the same,” Mary Nell said. “Let’s begin right here and work our way around the outside and then do the ones that are left. But first, we haven’t had time to talk about anything other than the bar all week, and there’s never been a moment when we were all four together.” She turned toward Jessica. “What’s going on between you and Wade? Did y’all go straight home after the reunion? I’m dying to know.”

“Me too,” Risa said. “I tried to corner you several times, but finally got the idea you didn’t want to talk about it. Did he hurt your feelings?”

“Or are you just holding it in because it was really good, and you don’t want to share for fear you’ll jinx it?” Haley asked.

“No, we didn’t go home until about midnight, and yes, Haley, you are right, and so are you.” She nodded toward Risa. “But he didn’t hurt my feelings. It was the most wonderful night and date of my life,” she said and told them about going for burgers and swinging.

“Oh. My. Gosh!” Risa gasped. “That really does sound like the most romantic date ever.”

“Did he pay for the food?” Haley asked.

Jessica wondered what that had to do with anything, but she nodded.

“Did he walk you to the door and kiss you good night?” Mary Nell asked.

Another nod.

“Details!” Haley clapped her hands. “We need more details.”

“My toes curled. Sparks danced around us. He’s definitely not the nerd we thought he was when we were all in high school,” Jessica answered. “And when he walked away, he turned back and said he wanted one more look to take with him for his dreams. Is that enough detail?”

“Sweet lord.” Mary Nell fanned herself with her hand. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. If Kevin had said things like that to me, I would still be with him.”

“And since then?” Risa asked. “What’s been going on after we leave in the evenings?”

“Nothing. Not one kiss, or anything but hard work on the bar.” Jessica shrugged. “I’m not complaining. We’re not hormonal teenagers.”