Chapter 5
Cricket Jenkins
River guides my hand to show me how to throw the stone and make it skip. I’ve never had a guy this close to me before. Well, other than Micah… but he doesn’t count. He sees me as his sister.
River places a hand on my hip, and warmth spreads through me. I know he’s showing interest in me, and I have to admit, I love it. It’s a feeling I’m not used to. I could get used to it really quickly.
“Did you see that dolphin?” Micah asks, pointing out in a different direction.
“Sorry, no,” I say to Micah as I lean into River’s chest. “Show me again how to throw it.”
“Like this.” He brings my arm back and demonstrates how to flick my wrist as I toss the rock.
“I love that you know how to do this,” I say, following through with the movement again, trying to get it right before I actually try to throw it.
“I think you’ve got it,” he says, stepping back. “Go ahead.”
I practice once more before I throw it. Once I let it go, it skips three times, and I clap with glee. “I did it!”
“Great job.” River holds up a hand, and I give him a high five.
“That was awesome, Cricket,” Micah says, and I can tell he’s really impressed.
He looks good today in his brown leather jacket. It’s my favorite. In the winter, it’s like a second skin on him, and it suits him well.
I feel a full-body blush coming on. I always react this way to Micah when he pays a little attention to me, and it’s embarrassing. “Thanks.”
“You guys hungry?” Micah shoves his hands into his jacket pockets. “We could go to SandWitchery then check out my brother’s bakery.”
“That sounds good. Is it far? Should we walk?” River looks down the street.
“It’s only a few blocks. This way.” I point in the general direction.
As we walk, a strap on my sandal rubs against the back of my left foot.
These are newer sandals I haven’t broken in yet.
They’re cute, so that’s why I picked them.
I wasn’t thinking about walking far. I try to adjust my gait so it doesn’t hurt so much.
When we get to SandWitchery, River holds the door open for me and Micah, and I make note of it. He’s such a gentleman. I’m sure I have hearts in my eyes. Micah, on the other hand, is totally channeling Oscar the Grouch.
River turns to me. “What’s the best sandwich here?”
“I love the Rueben, but if you’re not a fan of sauerkraut, I’d go with the signature sandwich because it’s got the best sauce.”
River nods. “Then signature it is.”
As we eat our sandwiches, I tell River all about Willow Shade Island. I talk about how it was settled over a century ago, how the bridge to the mainland was built in the 1970s, and how everything before that had to come by boat. He listens intently to me, which is amazing.
When I’m talking to Micah, he always looks like he’s writing song lyrics in his head.
That sounds mean. I know he’s a songwriter, and it’s hard for him to turn it off.
Plus I’m sure I do it, too, writing my next chapter in my head while Micah’s talking to me.
I try to pay attention when River talks to give him the same courtesy he’s giving me.
After lunch, we walk down Main Street and stop inside Levi’s bakery. Claire grins when we walk in, wiping a hand down her apron that says Crumb and Get It. “Hey, I thought you guys had school today.”
“We’re off for Thanksgiving week,” I say.
“Oh.” Claire looks at Micah. “Are you back home then? I was under the impression you were still at school this week.”
Crap. We didn’t even think about it being break. I quickly improvise. “He’ll be home tonight. We’re showing River around town today. River, this is Claire, Micah’s future sister-in-law. Claire, this is River Stone. He’s here to audition for a role in a film.”
Claire’s gaze bounces between me and River, and she smiles. “Ah, I see. So nice to meet you, River.” She squints at him. “You look familiar.”
He chuckles like this happens to him all the time. “You probably remember me from my show, Kid Logic. I played Jake.”
Claire’s eyes widen. “That’s it! Wow, you’ve grown up.”
River laughs, and a couple of customers turn to look at him. “I get that a lot.”
Levi comes out from the back, wiping his hands on a towel. “Hey, good to see you guys.”
I introduce him to River, and we pick out some treats for later because we’re too full to eat them now. We leave the bakery, and River carries the pastry sack as we continue along the downtown strip.
I point out various shops and local landmarks to River, trying to be a good tour guide.
Micah’s quiet, trailing along behind us.
Serves him right. I hope he feels awkward, because he’s the one who insisted on coming with us.
He knew it was supposed to be a date. I think it’s kind of funny now that he’s so sullen.
“Oh, we should go in here,” I say, stopping in front of a large storefront with elegant gold lettering that reads Tidewater & Company. “They have really nice things. You might find a souvenir.”
River nods as he takes in the signage. “Sounds perfect.”
We walk through the glass doors. The smell of expensive perfume permeates through the air, and fall decorations are everywhere. A massive banner stretches across the entrance: “Bridal Bliss Weekend—Register Now & Save 20%!”
Before we can even look around, a woman in a crisp white blazer and pearls approaches us with a clipboard and the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.
“Congratulations!” she gushes, looking between River and me. “When’s the big day?”
My face heats. “Oh, we’re not—”
“We’re not sure yet,” River says smoothly, slipping his arm around my waist. “But we’re thinking maybe June.”
I stare at him in shock. Is he seriously going to pretend we’re engaged?
He looks at me, a glint in his eye, and I suddenly want to play along.
It would be really fun. Spontaneous. I’m not usually like that, but today, I want to be that person.
I glance back at Micah, whose jaw looks like it could hit the floor.
The woman claps. “How wonderful! June weddings are so romantic. I’m Diane, and I’ll be your personal registry consultant today.
” She hands River a small handheld scanner.
“This will track everything you scan, and with our Bridal Bliss discount, your friends and family will save twenty percent on your entire registry.”
I grin up at him. “Wow, twenty percent.”
“That sounds like a great bargain,” River says, a playful look on his face. He turns to Diane. “Can we put anything we want on the registry?”
Diane beams at us. “Of course! Oh, you two are adorable. And what about you?” She turns to Micah. “Are you the best man?”
“No,” Micah says through gritted teeth. “Just a friend.”
“Well, friends make the best shopping advisors!” Diane chirps. “Now, let’s start with the essentials. Kitchen first?”
River is clearly enjoying himself as Diane leads us to the kitchen section. He holds up the scanner like he knows what he’s doing.
“Oh, this is nice,” he says, scanning a stand mixer that probably costs more than my car. “We’ll definitely need this for all our baking together, sweetheart.”
I hold in a giggle.
Micah shoots him a look that could kill. “Cricket doesn’t bake.”
“Then I’ll do all the baking when we’re married,” River says with a wink, and Diane actually sighs like it’s the most romantic thing she’s ever heard.
I glance at Micah, who looks like he wants to throw the mixer at River’s head.
“And china!” Diane exclaims, dragging us to the next section. “You simply must have a good china pattern. Something timeless.”
River picks up a plate that looks like it belongs in a museum. “What do you think, honey? The roses or the gold trim?”
“The gold trim,” I say, grinning at him and sliding my arm through his.
“Excellent choice,” Diane says. “Very classic. Your children will treasure these someday.”
Children?
River doesn’t miss a beat. “We’re already talking about names. Gip if it’s a girl and Thor if it’s a boy.”
I try really hard not to let out any laughter, but a single ha slips out. I press my lips together as River totally keeps his cool, not even a snicker.
Okay. Two can play at this game.
River hands me the scanner. “Want to pick out the crystal, honey?”
I take the scanner—and the challenge of trying to make him laugh. I start going crazy as I scan everything from crystal wine glasses to matching bathrobes. “His and hers!” I announce, holding up two fluffy white robes. “For lazy Sunday mornings.”
River’s facade doesn’t crack. He nods enthusiastically at me. “Perfect.”
“You two are precious,” Diane gushes. “I can tell you’re going to have such a happy marriage.”
I’m barely holding in my laughter. Behind us, I hear Micah make a sound that’s somewhere between a scoff and a growl.
“What about towels?” River asks, moving to the next display. “We need good towels, don’t we, darling?”
“Oh, yes.” I pick up a hideous fuchsia-colored one. “We should add these.”
River makes a small snorting sound before he quickly recovers and nods. “That color will go great with this shower curtain.” He holds up one with bright sea animals that kind of looks like the ocean threw up on it.
“Can we be done yet?” Micah asks.
“Oh, but we’re just getting started!” Diane says, walking to the next section. “We haven’t even looked at small appliances yet. Every couple needs a good blender, coffee maker, waffle iron…”
River grins at Micah. “Micah, what do you think? The twelve-cup coffee maker or the espresso machine?”
Micah glares at him. “I think this whole thing is stupid.”
“The espresso machine it is!” River says cheerfully, scanning it. “Micah’s right—go big or go home.”
I can tell that’s not what Micah meant, and from the way River’s grinning, he knows it too.
Diane continues leading us around the store, oblivious to the fact that we’re just trying to make each other laugh and not actually planning a wedding.
River and I keep making jokes about “our future home” and trying to one-up each other on the most ridiculous items—salt and pepper shakers in the shape of toilets, a pineapple lamp wearing sunglasses, a doormat that says “Come back with tacos.”
“This is perfect for entertaining,” he says, scanning a whale-shaped cheese board. “For all our dinner parties.”
Micah sighs loudly. “You won’t have dinner parties.”
“Not with that attitude,” River says, and Diane laughs like he’s a comedian.
By the time we finish our “registry consultation,” River has laughed a total of two times, but I’m up to about sixteen. Diane hands me a folder full of wedding-planning brochures.
“Congratulations again!” Diane calls as we head for the exit. “You two are going to have the most beautiful wedding!”
The moment we’re outside, I crumble. “Okay, okay, you totally won the whole no laughing thing, but you’re an actor, so you had the clear advantage.”
River finally cracks. “That was so funny. I about lost it when you scanned those toilet salt and pepper shakers. I mean, who buys those?”
I have a hard time breathing. “I know, right?”
Micah frowns. “Are we done here? Because I’d rather be literally anywhere else.”
I slap Micah on the back. “Sorry. We were just playing around. I didn’t mean for it to take that long. I’m sure you were bored to death.”
A muscle in Micah’s jaw twitches. “Yeah. Bored.”
I kind of feel bad for Micah but not totally, because he did this to himself. I loop my arm through River’s. “Okay, honey, we should go to the square next. I want to show you the courthouse and the fountain.”
As we walk, I try to ignore the pain in the back of my left foot. I’m going to have a blister soon if I don’t already. I keep trying to adjust how I walk, but it’s not working, and the strap is rubbing my skin raw.
“Excuse me,” a woman says, coming up to us. “I’m so sorry to bother you, but are you River Stone?”