The Mechanics of Mistletoe - Liz Isaacson Page 0,61
the shoe counter, and Sammy turned toward Bear. He put Lincoln down and said something to him. Link skipped toward her, saying, “Grandma, I want some of the Hawaiian kind.”
“Okay, kiddo.” Her mother looked at Sammy, pure joy on her face. She took Lincoln’s hand in one of hers and Daddy’s in the other, and they moved toward the pizza table.
Sammy tucked her hands in the pockets of her jumpsuit, resisting the urge to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Hey,” she said.
Bear grinned, his bright blue eyes glinting in a sexy, delighted way. “You’re beautiful,” he said.
“Happy birthday,” she said. “Are you surprised?”
“To see everyone I care about at the bowling alley?” He glanced around and looked back at her. “Definitely surprised.”
She reached for him, glad when he received her into his arms. She enjoyed his warmth and strength, and Sammy didn’t care how many people might be watching. All of his family and friends. Her parents and son.
She didn’t care, because she’d been steadily falling in love with Bear Glover, and it was his birthday. She’d done this amazing thing for him, and he said, “Thank you so much, Sammy. I’ve never had a better birthday.”
She kissed him, feeling utterly cherished when he cupped her face in one of his large hands and kissed her back.
Chapter Nineteen
Oakley Hatch held her can of soda and watched as the pumpkin hot air balloon lifted into the air. She smiled, because she knew exactly how to look like she was having a good time when she wasn’t.
She liked Three Rivers, and she couldn’t have picked a better place to retire after her racing career. The dealership was doing well, as there hadn’t been much in town before. A few used car lots, and one dealership that only sold trucks. But she’d brought new cars, SUVs, trucks, ATVs, and other personal sport vehicles to the growing population.
The town had plenty to do in the summer, and she probably shouldn’t be drinking diet cola this early in the morning. She always liked to have something in her hand when she was alone, as it gave her something to use to get out of a situation should one arise.
“There you are,” someone said, and she turned toward her date for the morning.
“Nick,” she said, her smile switching to a real one. He hugged her, and she let him, because Oakley saw no reason not to.
“Did you see them launch that pumpkin?” she asked.
“From afar,” he said. “Which one are they doing next?” He took her hand in his, and Oakley liked the feel of it. His skin was warm against hers, and Nick Ryan was a nice guy. Good looking and employed, kind and not too eager. Oakley had definitely had enough of overeager men.
“I think they’re doing that patriotic one,” she said, and they started strolling across the lawn to the next team who’d put up the next hot air balloon. This festival was all about hot air balloons, and it started at five-thirty in the morning. The point was just to learn about them and be there while the teams launched or when they came back down.
Last year, Oakley’s first year in Three Rivers, she’d seen the balloons from her back deck when her dog started barking and wouldn’t stop. Formula One didn’t really like anything or anyone but her, people food, and sleeping, and Oakley didn’t try to make him.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Nick said as they leaned against the temporary barriers that had been set up in the park.
“Yeah.” She sipped her cola, wondering how much longer she’d have to keep up this charade. She liked Nick, but there was no spark with him. Oakley wanted a man that made her heart pound at the very thought of him. She wanted someone she couldn’t wait to hold hands with, who actually made her nervous, and who would kiss her so completely, she’d never need to kiss another man but him.
It wasn’t going to be Nick.
Maybe it’ll be Stephen Willis, she thought. Her lunch date that day. She tried to look interested as she watched the red, white, and blue balloon take shape, but she had no idea if she’d pulled it off.
Nick didn’t say anything, and Oakley couldn’t think of anything either. Surely he could feel that she just wasn’t that into him. He wasn’t that into her either.
She’d been around the dating block several times, and she knew the game. Men were interested in her, because she was pretty and