The moon, what there was of it, had begun to dip lower and lower in the sky, but Jessica didn抰 want to go home. Still, tomorrow was a workday, and she was a bear when she didn抰 get enough sleep.
揥e should be going,?she said.
揑t is almost midnight.?Wade brought the swings to a stop. 揃ut my truck doesn抰 turn into a pumpkin when the clock strikes twelve times.?
揃ut at my age I do require a little beauty sleep,?she teased.
揇arlin? you won抰 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抰， and she was more than a little disappointed.
When he had slid into the driver抯 seat, she said, 揟hank you for that compliment. This has been the best date ever.?
揊or 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.
揟his may seem crazy, but I抦 walking you to your door,?he explained.
She stopped at her bedroom door and turned around. 揗aybe what抯 crazy is that it抯 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. 揟hank you for the best night of my life. I抣l see you tomorrow morning.?
揟hank 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.
揑 just wanted one more look at you to take with me for my dreams tonight.?He winked.
揧ou really are a romantic,?she said.
揑 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抎 wondered if the turnout would be good, since they抎 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.
揋uess that leaves us four,?Jessica said. 揥here do y抋ll want to go first??
揑t looks like the booths are set up along the outside and then two rows back to back right down the middle. I haven抰 been to one of these since before I graduated from high school, but it looks pretty much the same,?Mary Nell said. 揕et抯 begin right here and work our way around the outside and then do the ones that are left. But first, we haven抰 had time to talk about anything other than the bar all week, and there抯 never been a moment when we were all four together.?She turned toward Jessica. 揥hat抯 going on between you and Wade? Did y抋ll go straight home after the reunion? I抦 dying to know.?
揗e too,?Risa said. 揑 tried to corner you several times, but finally got the idea you didn抰 want to talk about it. Did he hurt your feelings??
揙r are you just holding it in because it was really good, and you don抰 want to share for fear you抣l jinx it??Haley asked.
揘o, we didn抰 go home until about midnight, and yes, Haley, you are right, and so are you.?She nodded toward Risa. 揃ut he didn抰 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.
揙h. My. Gosh!?Risa gasped. 揟hat really does sound like the most romantic date ever.?
揇id he pay for the food??Haley asked.
Jessica wondered what that had to do with anything, but she nodded.
揇id he walk you to the door and kiss you good night??Mary Nell asked.
Another nod.
揇etails!?Haley clapped her hands. 揥e need more details.?
揗y toes curled. Sparks danced around us. He抯 definitely not the nerd we thought he was when we were all in high school,?Jessica answered. 揂nd 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??