by Emma Woods
“I didn’t peg you as the country-music type,” he said.
I glanced at him and read only interest and no scorn there. So I shrugged and said, “I guess I like a lot of different kinds of music. I tend to like specific artists more than genres. What kind of music do you like?”
“I’m not much of a music guy, actually. I listen to whatever’s on the radio, but I don’t give it much thought.”
When I glanced at him this time, his eyes were apologetic and begging me not to be too hard on him. I sighed heavily.
“Listen, Nate, I need to apologize for how I spoke to you the other day. I think I was way too harsh.”
He was quiet for almost a full minute, his eyes searching the distant horizon. Then, tentatively, as though he was feeling out the ice under his feet, he said, “I think I needed to hear you say those things. So don’t apologize. If anything, I should apologize to you.”
“Still, I shouldn’t have been so mean about it. I definitely crossed a line.”
Nate reached out a hand and touched my elbow.
At his touch, I almost jerked the steering wheel. I couldn’t believe the jolt of electricity that passed between us.
However, if anything had sparked for me, it clearly didn’t for Nate, who went on earnestly. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, Emily. If you hadn’t said it the way you did, it might not have gotten through to me.”
It was really kind of him to be so forgiving. For the first time, I felt my heart quivering a little.
“Can you forgive me for how I behaved?” he asked.
“Of course,” I stammered.
He gave me a crooked grin. “Thanks. Really, Em, thanks for being so honest with me. Can we be friends?”
“Sure,” I whispered, cheeks flushing. Suddenly, being just friends with Nate was disappointing. What was happening to me?
“Okay, if we’re going to be friends, we should know each other better. Let’s play Twenty Questions.”
I laughed. “The only way I’ve played Twenty Questions is trying to guess something, and I have a feeling that’s not what you’re talking about.”
“Right-o. I mean that we each get to ask the other person twenty questions, and we have to each answer them too. So, if I ask you what your favorite color is, I have to tell you mine, too. It’s red, by the way.”
I looked over at those sea-green eyes and bright smile and swooned a little. Get yourself together, girl! I chastised myself mentally.
“Let’s do it. My favorite color is green,” I said. “Umm… What was your first pet? Mine was a hamster named Carlos.”
“Really? Carlos? How did that happen?” Nate chuckled, and then sipped at his cup, totally at ease.
“My brother named him. I wanted to name the hamster Galadriel, so it probably worked out better that he ended up as Carlos. My brother probably cried until he got his way.” The memory made me sad. I’d lost my brother when he was seven. Carlos had been the last pet he’d ever had.
I could feel Nate’s eyes on my profile, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. I really didn’t want to talk about David at the moment.
“My first pet was a dog. I think it was a golden retriever-corgi mix. Anyway, her name was Sammy, and I always wanted her to be a show jumper, except that her legs were really short. My older sister, Lucy, would yell at me for trying to make Sammy go over jumps. What is your family like?” he asked his next question.
My stomach clenched. This was always such a tricky question for me. My entire family situation was such a downer that I didn’t usually want to talk about it at all, unless I knew the questioner really well. And I rarely let relationships get to the point where that was going to happen.
“It’s not a great story,” I said and glanced at him to see how that went over.
“Tell me whatever you want. If you don’t want to talk about it, you can have a pass on that question.”
And, to my surprise, I did want to talk about it. “My mom and my brother, David, were killed in a car accident when I was eight. It was just me and my dad after that, and he never really got over it. So we aren’t very close. I call him when I move to a new place, but we don’t talk much. What about your family?”
Nate paused, and I looked over to see him watching me closely. Was he trying to make sure I was okay? My stomach unclenched and my heart sighed.
When he saw that I wasn’t going to fall apart, Nate went on to tell me about his parents and older sister, who all still lived in Birch Springs. From there, our question-asking ranged from the practical (what is your shoe size?) to the fantastic (if you could have one superpower, what would it be?). We lost track of the number of questions we’d each asked long before we arrived in Melbourne.
At the store, Nate jumped out of the van and was quick to help load the boxed centerpieces. He insisted we grab lunch, and we laughed and talked the whole time.
By the time we arrived back at the Birch Springs Beanery, we were fast friends. And, to be completely honest, I had developed the start of a serious crush on Nate Weisert. It was ridiculous, since I’d been so disgusted by him only a few weeks earlier. But I was definitely swoony where he was concerned.
9
That Monday was five days before the talent show. I opened the Beanery feeling like all was right in the world. Everything was on schedule, and we were going to raise a lot of money to keep Just Horsing Around operating. As I walked to work in the early morning just-before-dawn, I marveled at how good life was at that moment. I was fully prepared to deal with any little problems that arose. I’d spent the weekend tweaking the centerpieces with Rosa’s expert help, and now they were adorable. I’d watched a dumb romantic comedy movie with Jill, who burst into tears at the end even though she’d seen it twice before, and we both had a good laugh at her expense. Mae and Rosemarie had sat on the back porch with me for an hour yesterday, and we’d laughed over our memories of middle school.
But secretly, I knew that the real reason I felt so rosy that morning was because of Nate. The hours we’d spent together Saturday morning had left me feeling optimistic and cheerful. Even now, days later, I was still walking with a special pep in my step, thanks to that all-too-handsome fellow.
Oh, I’d given myself plenty of scoldings, believe you me. He is a charmer, no matter what sudden changes he might be showing to you. He’s never had a girl who didn’t fall for him, you are just one more in a long line. You aren’t going to be here long enough for anything to happen, so stop acting so silly!
I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop thinking about him and smiling. I couldn’t stop looking up hopefully every time the bell on the door jangled at work, in case it was him. And I finally admitted to myself that I’d liked him all along, despite his rude behavior.
My heart soared when he finally walked into the coffee shop around midmorning.
“Hey, pal,” he said with a teasing smile as he approached the counter.
“Hey, buddy,” I shot back. “What can I get you?”
Nate leaned on the counter and sighed. “If I don’t get some major caffeine, I am not going to make it through the rest of this day. I always tell myself, ‘today is the day I don’t have any coffee,’ and then I regret that decision by about 9:15.”
I laughed. “I gave up that struggle long ago. Caffeine is here to stay.”
“Amen, sister,” he said and gave me a high-five.
“What’ll it be today? Extra large, five espresso shots?”
“Any chance you could make me one of those special drinks you’re going to serve at the talent show?” Nate wheedled.
My cheeks turned pink. “The Appaloosa Latte? You liked that one?”
“Of course I did. It was every good thing in a cup.”
I was all too glad to turn away and busy myself making his drink.
“So, do you feel ready for Friday night?” Nate asked.
“Sometimes,” I admitted. “Then at other times I remember all we still have to do and feel a bit overwhelmed.”<
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“Let me know if I can help. That sounded flippant.” He leaned forward and said quietly, “One of my new resolutions is not to be flippant. So, I’m honestly offering you help with anything.”
I felt stunned. He’d made resolutions? I had to shake my head to clear it and say something moderately sensible. “We’ve got a rehearsal tonight over at the church. If you want to come along, it might be nice to have another set of hands.”
“What time?” Nate whipped out his phone, and then looked at me expectantly.
“Seven.”
His fingers tapped away. Then he looked up at me, sea-green eyes serious. “Cool, I’ve got you on my calendar.”
I handed his cup over and managed a weak smile.
Nate lifted the drink and grinned. “Thanks! Well, I’d better head back to the office so Dad doesn’t send out a search party.”
I stood waving numbly a few beats after the door swung closed behind him. Then I looked around to make sure nobody was watching. I grinned at no one for the next five minutes.
As it turned out, we were really glad to have Nate at the rehearsal. I hadn’t thought through what we would do when we didn’t have our emcee at the practice nights. For a long, awkward minute, I wasn’t sure what to do, since both Dave and I were busy with other jobs. Then Nate raised a hand and volunteered to fill in.
Sarah had written a brief introduction for each act. Nate bounded onto the stage and did a fantastic job. He poured all his charm into the intros, and the performers were grinning when they came out to run through their acts.
This was especially helpful because not all of the performances went very well. The magician kept fumbling his cards. The group of local dancing toddlers forgot to dance when the music came on. We couldn’t figure out how to get the microphone to work so that the singer could be heard over her guitar playing.
Still, Nate kept us laughing the entire night. I couldn’t stop thinking about the change in him as I tried, and failed, to read my mystery before bed. After debating about it for over an hour, I finally texted him to say thanks for helping. He texted back a smiling emoji, and I went to sleep hoping to see him again the next day.
My wish came true. Nate came by every day during his midmorning break. He came to each night’s rehearsal and did the job of emceeing every evening. When Friday night rolled around, he was the first to arrive at the Beanery and began taking orders from me even before we closed the café until the event began.
I felt my nerves thrumming as each minute passed. There was so much to do, and I was hyper-focused. If I was barking orders, everyone seemed willing to overlook it.
Finally, at thirty minutes before we were scheduled to begin, the first performers began to arrive, and I stood in indecision near the counter. I scoured my checklist, unwilling to believe that we’d finished every task. But, no, our team was working smoothly. Jake was doing a sound check. Sarah was showing performers to the waiting area at the back of the store. Matt and Sophie were prepping everything for the night’s food and drink service. Chloe was instructing the four high school waiters on how they were to serve drinks and keep track of bills. Dave was putting the final touches on his ticket table at the entrance.
Nate appeared at my elbow. “Everything looks great. Except you.”
I jerked my head. “Excuse me?”
“You need to go get dressed, Em. People are going to start arriving soon.” He was smiling impishly.
A quick scan down at my shorts, flip-flops, and Beanery t-shirt confirmed Nate’s evaluation of my appearance. I noticed that he was wearing a dark blue military-style shirt that made him look even better than usual. I gulped, remembering how I looked at that moment, and beat a hasty exit to Matt’s office, where the bag with my change of clothes was waiting for me.
I took time in the bathroom, putting on makeup and making sure my hair was just right. As the moving force behind the event, I wanted to look especially good. All right, and I wanted Nate to think I was pretty.
When I emerged, people were starting to arrive. A few were ordering drinks at the counter, others were settling into their chairs and hailing a waiter. Sarah caught my eye and gave me the thumbs-up. I hoped that meant that we weren’t missing any performers.
I tried to spot Nate, but a frantically waving Dave drew my attention at the front door. I moved in that direction, trying to look calm and collected.
“I just heard from Ted Wilmington,” Dave whispered frantically and held out his phone. “He’s not coming!”
I groaned. We’d advertised that Ted Wilmington would be our emcee. It was one of the things that had made our rinky-dink talent show seem more legit. Now we were celebrity-less.
“Nate’s been practicing all week. Maybe he’d be willing to step in,” Dave suggested.
It wouldn’t be the same, but it was our best option.
“I’ll go ask him.” I offered a brave smile to the elderly couple shuffling in to the shop ahead of me.
Nate was talking to a group of very cute young women. I grabbed his elbow and pulled him away.
“Hey, Em. Wow. You look great.” He grinned.
It wasn’t exactly the stunned response I’d been dreaming of when I was getting dressed, but the sheen of sweat on my brow surely wasn’t doing me any favors.
“Ted Wilmington isn’t going to make it,” I said without preamble. “Is there any way that you could emcee?”
Nate thought that over, and then shrugged. “Sure, I guess. I don’t know if I’m dressed right, though.”
I glanced at his khakis and blue shirt. “You look fine.”
“Aw, thanks. You’re pretty fine yourself.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
I snorted, and then punched him on the arm. “Get serious, you dork.” I pulled the emcee notes from the back of my clipboard and handed them over.
He winked at me, made his way to the stage, and began to review the notes we’d been tweaking all week.
The Bumblebee girls arrived and were quick to ask if I needed them to do anything.
“Actually, no, I don’t,” I said with surprise. “Just buy yourself a drink and enjoy the show.”
“Break a leg!” Mae whispered and gave me a quick hug before following the others to join the queue for the counter.
I noticed that Matt and Sophie were looking a bit harried, so I pushed through the crowd, slipped back to the work area, pulled an apron over my head, and dove into the drink-making frenzy.
Promptly at 7:30, Dave stepped up to the microphone and welcomed everyone. “Thank you for coming out and supporting not only our fabulous performers, but also this wonderful program. Just Horsing Around is in its eighth year of serving the special needs community of Western Wyoming.” He talked a few more minutes, then wrapped things up with a hearty, “We hope you enjoy the show!”
The polite clapping was spattered with good-natured chuckles as Nate took the stage.
“No, you don’t need to get your eyes checked. I am not Ted Wilmington.” He grinned at the audience, who laughed at their favorite hometown kid.
The chaos behind the counter ebbed enough for us to catch a few of the acts. I watched our magician with a nervous cringe, but he actually pulled off most of his tricks. The one major fumble he had was handled with humor, and there was tumultuous applause as he bowed.
The dancing toddler group was completely adorable. All of their parents were in the room, and so there was a veritable wall of phones filming the little girls’ every move. One little one cried through the whole performance. Another sat down and played with her shoe rather than join in with the others. Two girls bumped into each other before knocking over a third. All of this just added to the cuteness.
But really, the best act of the night was Nate. He sparkled up on the stage. His charm won over every person in the room. I noticed the table full of his admiring female friends watching his every move. They paused to put on a fresh layer of lip gloss before rushing over to congratulate Nate on the good job he’d done.<
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I looked down at my stained apron and sighed. Halfway through the night, I’d given up and thrown my hair up into an untidy bun to get it out of my way. I had no doubt that I’d sweated my makeup off long ago. Even though the night had been a success, I couldn’t help feeling like the grungy maid.
I pushed the overwhelming feelings of not being good enough aside and forced myself to worry about wrapping the event up well. We had cleanup to do and money to count and a hundred other little things. The Bumblebee girls offered to stay and help us, and I was too tired to refuse.
Finally, with the buzz of success humming around us, I wished my fellow Just Horsing Around friends goodbye and let my housemates take me home to bed.
10
I went home, changed out of my dress and into my favorite t-shirt and sweats. I was still humming from the long day of emotions and expectations and wasn’t ready to sleep, even though it was late. The other Bumblebee girls bid me goodnight and headed off to bed. I put the kettle on in the kitchen and rooted through Rosa’s store of tea bags.
Once my cup of mint tea was ready, I padded out to the back porch and settled onto one of the well-cushioned swings. I leaned back, one leg curled under me, the other stretched down to the wooden boards so I could rock gently. The night wrapped around me as I sipped and swung. A chorus of crickets serenaded me. The stars filled the sky. The warm wind stroked my bare arms.
I should have been reveling in the success of the talent show. But I wasn’t. I felt all jumbled up inside. To my surprise, tears sprang to my eyes and then spilled over onto my cheeks. I sniffled and tried to take a deep breath.
“What’s wrong with me?” I prayed. “Why aren’t I happier about tonight?”
I waited for an answer. Images of Matt and Sophie willingly volunteering their time popped into my mind. I pictured the Bumblebee girls, quick to help wherever they were needed. I saw each act flash by, accompanied by the sound of the audience clapping and cheering. There was Nate, stepping in and stealing the show.