Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Put down the putty.” I moved around the room, giving what I hoped were gentle instructions, but this was class four on my harder B day of our A/B alternating schedule, and my patience for impulsive middle schoolers was wearing thin. Two girls whizzed by, dripping blue paint, and I sighed. “Someone find the rags, please. Monica, watch those brushes.”
“Wouldn’t it be faster to weld the arches?” Liam K. looked way too eager to use fiery blow torches versus the combination of wood and wire I’d designed to meet Nolan’s wish for lighted arches in the courtyard.
“And trust you with a blow torch?” I laughed because the kid usually had a good enough sense of humor and I could get away with some teasing.
“Hey, I’d be careful.” He stuck his tongue out at me, and everyone nearby laughed.
“Keep dreaming.” I shook my head and moved on to the builders assigned to making trees and foliage.
“That palm tree looks like a—” Apparently bored with arch-making, Liam had followed me over and cast a critical eye on one unfortunate outline of a giant tree. At least, it was supposed to be a tree, not a phallus.
“Don’t say it,” I warned him. “We can fix it.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible.” Liam wandered away as I looked over some other palm trees that were, thankfully, less phallic in nature.
“Do we have any more green paint? I don’t care for this shade.” Kaitlyn was as picky as ever.
“Can you go ask Mr. Kekoa?” I gave a tight smile and sent a silent apology to Ken for sending Kaitlyn his way.
Finally, the class ended. My classroom was a disaster, but a quiet one, waiting for me to put it to rights before tomorrow started all over again. As I worked, I took a breath, an unfamiliar feeling filling my chest. Lonely. No, that wasn’t quite it. This was a specific sort of loneliness. I missed Nolan, missed what we’d had at North Shore, and right as I was debating seeking him out, he appeared in the doorway like magic.
“I hoped I’d find you here.” He grinned at me as he sauntered in.
“Here I am.” I grinned back as he shut my door with a firm click.
“No twins?” He looked around like they might be lurking behind a set piece.
“Nope.” I motioned him closer. “They said they wanted to play soccer with some friends before we headed home. Which gives me a chance to clean up.”
“I see.” Nolan stepped close enough to kiss, so I did. And a second time because once was never enough with Nolan. He tasted like coffee and sugar cookies, and I went right for a three-peat because why not? This one was long and sultry, probably a bit much for on school grounds, but damn, I’d missed him all day. Squinting, Nolan pulled away to stare at the palm trees. “Why does that palm tree look like a—”
“I know.” I groaned. “It’s one of several things I have to fix before the boys are done with soccer.”
“What else?” Strolling to one of the workbenches, Nolan picked up a cordless drill. “Maybe I can help.”
“Do you know how to use that thing?” I tilted my head, considering whether a city boy like him had even seen power tools before.
“Honey, your tools are safe with me.” Nolan turned on the charm while deftly switching the drill bit for a screwdriver tip. Marching over to the arch Liam K. had abandoned, he tightened several screws. And why I found that ridiculously hot, I had no clue. “I was a theater major, remember? And I’ve been in more Off-Off Broadway shows than I can count. Helping build sets is part of theater life.”
“I feel bad putting you to work. You didn’t stop by to get roped into helping.”
“Who says?” Nolan scoffed. “The kisses were a nice bonus, but I’ve got time before helping Cara with dinner. The girls already walked home without me. Also, I’m invested in our festival being a success.”
The our hit me square in the chest, a warm, weighted blanket of cozy pleasure.
“Me too.” I held his gaze a moment too long. Looking away, I fetched a staple gun. “In that case, can you stretch canvas? I need several big ones for backdrops.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Nolan took on a fake, flirty tone that made me laugh. “And just so we’re clear, I like spending time with you, and I don’t have to be kissing you to do it.”
“Oh.” I paused from fetching a giant roll of canvas. “So we’re friends then?”
“I think we are.” Nolan patted my cheek. “Is that okay, or would you rather go back to hating me?”
“I never hated you,” I admitted. My neck tensed at having made him think that. “I’m not sure such a thing is possible. Misjudged you, yeah, and some inaccurate assumptions, for sure. But now…”