“Remember that lakeside party we went to after graduation?”
Her lips pulled up in a crooked smile. “You asked me to dance. The sand was thick in that area. I kept tripping and stepping on your feet.”
“That was the day I knew I was falling in love with you.” He rested his hand on hers, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her fingers. “When I wanted to give up, you were my strength to keep going. All those nights when I had nowhere to go? Your family opened your home to me. You distracted me with horror movies and popcorn.
“I don’t think I would have made it through those first couple of years when I was out on my own. I cherish both yours and Moi’s friendship, but it’s been you that I’ve loved. You that I’ve dreamed of building a future with. There’s no joke, Sage. I wrote the letters because I was afraid that you didn’t feel the same about me.”
Her lips slightly parted. He wanted to kiss those lips, but held himself still, waiting for her answer.
She reached toward the table where a few pieces of paper remained along with a pen in the shape of a pink flamingo. Grinning, she shook her head and wrote a few words before handing it to him.
Narrowing his eyes on her, he growled, “I should make you read it to me.” He opened the sheet. “You need a date to Lana’s wedding?”
She nodded, biting her upper lip.
“Why?” This was not the response he was hoping for or expected. This woman simply made him crazy!
“Because. I loved how you never got mad at me when I stepped on your toes. I was starting to fall for you way before that grad party. Moi knew it, I suspect, which is why she made me promise her I’d never let my crush ruin our friendship. She’d told me I’d get over it eventually. I never really did, though I guess I did manage to push it away for a long time. Until you came back this summer and… I’d really missed you. There was more of a peace about you at first. A steadiness. I fell for you all over again, even harder than before.”
Nick cupped Sage’s face in his hands so they were eye-to-eye. “You mean that you’ve had feelings for me all this time? I’ve been tormenting myself over telling you how I feel.”
She shrugged. “You never said anything. You would hardly ever hold my hand, or sit close to me like you used to. I was afraid you were drifting away from us. But, yeah. I’ve been in love with you, too, Nikolai.”
“Say it again.” He leaned in closer until their foreheads touched.
“I love you, Nikolai Prater.”
“I’m going to kiss you, Sage Dolan.”
“About time, Mister.” She snuggled in closer against his chest and moved onto his lap. His fingers slid into her silky hair as his mouth brushed against her parted lips, softly at first, then pressing in more urgently until a low moan rumbled from her throat.
He reluctantly pulled away. She rested her brow against his cheek and let out a long sigh. “That’s exactly how I dreamed it would be.”
His eyes flew open. “You dreamed about kissing me?”
She nuzzled his neck and whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his body. “Many times.” And she kissed him again, and kissed him again, and several times more, and he kissed her back as if they’d never have this chance again.
Nearly out of breath, he scooted a few inches away. “I better take you home. It’s really late.”
She nodded and stood, burrowing into the blanket. He went to the closet and pulled out two jackets, offering her the warmer one. As they stepped from the camper, Ethan pulled up on a motorbike he used for getting around the property.
“I’m so glad I don’t have to pound on your door, young Prater.” He swung his long leg off the seat and strolled toward them. “Everything all right with you two?” He looked pointedly at Sage. “Not that I wish to pry, Sweetheart, but I was a little concerned when Leon bragged about your awesome right hook.”
Nick rubbed his cheek. It no longer stung from her slap. “She’s a real scraper, Mr. Ethan. But I did warn you about that Irish temper.”
“You certainly did. I hope you two worked out any hard feelings. We’re pleased to have you both on our team.” He held out two envelopes each with their name written on the front. “Your tips from tonight. Haley split them three ways between the two of you and Leon. She’ll work out your pay in the next couple of days.” He folded his arms. “Will I see you both tomorrow night?”
“Yes,” Sage assured him. “Everything is fine.” She smiled up at Nick, melting his heart.
Mr. Ethan patted Nick’s shoulder. “Glad to hear it. You’re taking her home now, correct?” he asked pointedly. When Nick nodded, he smiled. “Good man. See you tomorrow then. I’ll check my emails tonight for your logo ideas and get back to you with my decision. Goodnight.”
Nick grabbed her hand and led her to his car, holding the door for her get in. By the time he was settling into his seat, she already had her envelope opened and was counting the money with wide-eyed amazement. “A hundred. Just in tips. For the first night, Nikolai.”
“I have a feeling it’ll only get better, Sweet Sage.”
She leaned closer and kissed him once more. “Me too.”
Chapter Eleven
“Cousin Herbert is looking this way, you have to keep dancing with me,” Sage glanced over Nikolai’s shoulder, ignoring his wince when she’d, yet again, kicked his insole.
“My pleasure,” he grunted, biting into his knuckle, then laughing at his own joke.
“I hate dancing.” She looked up into his beautifully patient soft blue eyes. He smiled, but his intense stare caused her to lose track of where she stepped and her right foot landed on his big toe. If he’d stop looking at her like that, maybe she’d stop stomping on his feet.
“I can’t imagine why.” He spun her, then wrapped his arms around her from behind. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he hugged her tight and swayed from side to side. “Don’t lift your feet, hon, and we’ll be fine. It’s not hard at all.” His mouth trailed light kisses down her neck on onto her shoulder.
The reception had gone off beautifully. String lights hung from the birch and oaks in the back yard of the Victorian house. Glowing candle lanterns sat on each table. The weather remained warm enough that they were able to stay outside with a few fires burning around the yard in small circular pits. Mr. Ethan agreed to join the band with his violin and played a couple of waltzes for Lana. She danced blissfully with her new husband.
“I get a room all to myself now,” Sage grinned, pulling Nikolai’s arms tighter around her waist. “Carol is threatening to move in to get away from Meghan. Seems she’d not gotten the April Fools jokes out of her system yet. But far as I’m concerned, she has another think coming.”
He chuckled into her hair which she’d let hang loose in ringlet curls. “Maybe she won’t have to share with Megs for long.”
“Why do you say that?”
He spun her around again so she faced him, but held her close so she couldn’t move her feet too much. “Because. We’ve been friends for a long time, right?” When she nodded, her gaze locked on his handsome face. He continued, “Then, is there really any reason to have a long engagement?”
“You haven’t exactly asked me to marry you, yet.”
“Oh, but I plan to.”
“You do?” She stopped swaying. “When?”
“There you are,” Moi interrupted, stopping beside them. Nikolai wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into their little circle. “I knew it would be like this. You two always wrapped up in each other.”
Nikolai planted a kiss on top of her head, laughing.
Moi had called Sage the morning after her first day of work and came right out asking if he’d told her anything important. At first, Sage had been worried she’d be mad about her breaking their pact, but the all-knowing, all-seeing Moi said she knew it was inevitable and was glad they’d worked things out. Now she was hounding them both for a pact that they’d get married and together forever.
S
age was fine with that.
She narrowed her eyes at her friend who’d managed to score several dances with a certain dreamy cook. “Don’t think I haven’t seen you and Leon stuck together like glue all night.”
She winked with a toying smile as she glanced over her shoulder and waved at him. He blew her a kiss back. This might be serious!
Smirking up at Nikolai, she said, “Now he’s in my league.”
Nikolai looked up at the dark sky, shaking his head.
“We need to get over to the bridal table,” Moi tugged at Sage’s hand. “Lana is getting ready to throw the bouquet.”
Sage allowed herself to be dragged away, but said over her shoulder, “We’re not done with our conversation, Mister.”
* * * *
“No, ma’am, we’re not.” Nick pressed his hand to the small box he had tucked in his coat pocket. Between the money he’d made from the restaurant this week, and what Mr. Lockstar paid him for the work on his wife’s computer, he’d had enough to get a simple ring. One he knew she’d love.
Not wanting to take any of the attention from Lana’s wedding, he’d decided to wait until the reception was over. But he planned to ask her. Tonight. And he hoped she’d agree to a summer wedding.
They’d both have completed their coursework for a bachelor’s degree and could start their lives. He was so ready.
“Hey, Mr. Prater. Been looking for you, son.” Mr. Lockstar approached with a pretty brunette woman clutching his arm.
“Is that him?” She asked.
“Sure is.” He extended his hand and Nick shook it. “This is my future partner, Mary. The smart fellow who fixed your computer.”
“Fixed? Improved it is what he did.” She wrapped him in a quick hug. “I was so worried that I’d lost all my pictures. Nowadays we hardly get them printed and I’d not saved them anywhere else. Thank you for leaving me a note telling me how to sign up for a cloud account. I never want a scare like that again.” Her hand rested on her chest.
“I’m glad I was able to save your files, Mrs. Lockstar.” He turned to Mr. Lockstar. “Did you mean it, sir? About being a future partner?” He’d hoped for a job helping to sell stock and had planned to find an inexpensive apartment in town where he and Sage could work out of their home doing repairs and graphic designs.
“Sure do. And call me Cole from here on out. I’ve talked to the realtor about expanding to the spot next door. Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for some time. It connects to my store and I’ve been storing some of my extra stock over there for some time.” He chuckled and held a finger over his mouth. “My wife here has been on me for awhile about getting help.”
“Sure have. I want him home a little more, and not so exhausted. I have to go buy a gadget just to see him.”
Cole waved her off. “It’s not that bad. But I would like to be open longer hours. And I like your ideas, Nick. I also know you’re in need of a place to live. Come work for me. You can run the tech part of the shop, rent the smaller section from me. If things work out, we’ll talk about that partnership. Oh, and the apartment above comes with the deal.”
“No kidding, sir? That… wow. That’s… I can’t tell you how much—”
“How about we shake and call it a deal? I’ve talked to Ethan Winters who highly recommends you. He’s the one who said you needed a home to start a family.”
“He did?” Nick’s head spun. He caught sight of Mr. Ethan and Haley standing together as the women gathered around Lana to catch the bouquet. This was even more than he’d hoped for.
“I like your gumption. I think we can help each other out. Come in early Monday morning. We’ll sit and iron things out more.”
“Yes, sir.” He shook Cole’s hand, and then his wife’s.
“All right ladies,” Lana called out from where she stood on a chair while Drake made sure she didn’t fall. “The one who catches it can go see Miss Madison to schedule your wedding reception. Better get in quick, I have a feeling she’ll be booked up soon.” Turning her back to the group, she tossed the white flowers high over her head. They tumbled through the air and landed in the midst of a cluster of outstretched hands.
Several awwed and began to move away, leaving one with brilliant red hair and wide green eyes staring down at the daisies in her hand. A pile of petals lay at her feet. Sage held the bouquet to her nose, her gaze giving away the smile hid behind the broken petals.
Nick turned to Mr. Lockstar. “I’ll definitely need that apartment, sir. Pretty soon, too.”
Before You Go…
Thank you for taking the time to read Raining Fools. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated. Thank you.
Jackie Castle
Check out the Madison Creek site by going to:
http://madisoncreekbooks.blogspot.com
More from Madison Creek
Snow Belle – Book One
Haley Madison packed her big dreams and drove to the Arctic. Well, all right, so it’s Madison Creek, Michigan. But for a Texas gal this frozen land ought to come with a sled and huskies. If it wasn’t for her family’s rundown property, she’d have stayed where the sun shone bright and warm. However, she has grand ideas for her inheritance even if the town has thrown up their objections to her plans.
Ethan Winters hated going home and admitting failure. Sure, he has a special talent with the violin, but he has bigger ambitions than playing at the local bowling alley. And then there was the idea of facing his father. No, he wasn’t ready to go home just yet. He veered off the interstate and drove to a little town named Madison Creek. Maybe his luck would change.
Click here to read the first chapter.
Raining Fools- Book Two
Ethan and Haley are working hard to turn their grand ideas into a reality. Some of the Madison Creek council members, interested in helping fund Ethan’s plan, challenge him to create a video of his violin music. Ethan calls on the two people who matter most in his life to help start his recording studio.
Bekka Winters hung up the phone. Ethan, her brother, needed her help filming a music video for his new music production studio. She stared at her already packed bags. Why not? She’d just graduated from college and didn’t exactly have a job to go to. Besides, a music video might look good on her resume when she looked for real work.
Stephen Gaines couldn’t believe Ethan had called him after their last blow up. They’d been music partners once. Stephen had ruined that. It was his expertise to wreck relationships especially those he had with women. Fortunately, Ethan didn’t know about him and Bekka. She was the one woman that had broken through to the deep parts of his heart. If only… how many times had he said that in the past? A fresh start is just what he needed.
Bekka’s mind bubbled with ideas for Ethan’s studio. Not to mention she couldn’t wait to see Ethan and Haley, the woman who’d captured her brother’s heart. But when she pulled into the drive and saw the familiar fancy car that Stephen drove, her heart dropped. There was no way she’d let him back into her life.
Click here to read the first chapter.
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Jackie Castle
About the Author
Jackie Castle looks for the extraordinary in every ordinary day that she e
xperiences. She is the author of The White Road Chronicles a fantasy series, The Sentinel Archives for school-age readers, and newly released Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast romance series. She has also published articles and short stories in numerous magazines. She's enjoyed many crazy adventures from working as a hairstylist, to her bravest quest: teaching children in daycare and elementary schools. Eventually, she settled down to a somewhat safer pursuit of being a Story-weaver.
Now she lives in her comfortable Texas home where she spins marvelous tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild.
Her favorite pastime, besides reading, is traipsing through her imaginary worlds in search of another story.
Find out more about her shenanigans over at Jackie Castle's Story World: www.jackiecastle.com. There you can also sign up for her monthly newsletter.
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Secretly In Love: A Madison Creek Novella Page 9