13. Paige
Chapter 13
Paige
I t’s been three days since our first kiss.
Three days that I’ve been reminiscing over how sweet Bran was. How nervous he was to kiss me. What his lips felt like against mine.
He’s strong, I’ll give him that much. For as nervous as he seemed, with his hand in my hair and his arm holding me against him, I never felt safer, more secure, more wanted in all my life.
Since then, it’s been more small kisses here and there. If we share rides, he kisses me before we leave and again when we reach our destination. He tells me he needs to kiss me over and over again for several reasons. One, he wants to make sure I’m real and he’s not dreaming and two, because according to Bran, kissing is like eating a really good potato chip. Nobody can eat just one.
Who am I to argue with that logic?
The other day Bran walked into the shop early in the morning just to hand me a copy of the Nosy Pecker gossip column with our picture on the front page, once again, with a caption that read
PECKS IN THE CITY: BUDDING LOVEBIRDS CAUGHT IN A TWEET MOMENT!
But he doesn’t care about the article at all. He says he didn’t even read it. He only used it as an excuse to walk into my shop and kiss me again. Which he did and it was out of this world.
I swear his kisses leave me breathless.
Smiling all over myself, I park my car behind the shop and open the back door. The moment I step inside, I hear heavy footsteps and turn my head just in time to see Bran’s smiling face before he cups my head in his hands, backs me up against the now closed door, and crashes his lips to mine.
It may be early in the morning but I’ll take Bran’s tongue sweeping inside my mouth over coffee any day of the week. His strong hands grip my hair, tugging it just enough that I raise my chin to meet his height as our lips move together. Testing. Tasting. Taking. Each time he kisses me he becomes a little more assured. A little more possessive. And I like it each and every time. As fast as he started our kiss, he ends it, resting his forehead against mine.
“Good morning, Pidge.”
A goofy smile on my face, my eyes open. “Good morning, Bran. How did you get in here?”
He pulls out a key from his pocket and dangles it in front of me. “Rosie and Javan gave me a key a long time ago in case there was ever an emergency.”
“Ah. And you thought you could use it to jump me with your tongue the minute I walked in the door?”
“Yes,” he says seriously. “I had a major tongue emergency. I thought maybe it stopped working so I needed to assess it right away.”
Stifling a laugh, I purse my lips. “Oh. Okay. And did it work?”
“Totally did. Phew. Thanks for saving me.” He winks.
When I don’t reply with words, he kisses my forehead and continues, “Really, I just wanted to start my day with a taste of you instead of the bitter taste of coffee. So, thank you for your sweetness.”
That gets me to smile because who in the Ted Lasso is this guy?
“I’d take you over a cup of coffee any day, so you’re welcome.”
“Hmm, have you had Tuft Swallow’s coffee? It’s pretty damn good.”
I raise my brows. “Uh, have you kissed you? Because you’re better than good.”
He smiles and huffs out a laugh. “Can’t say that I have but now I’m going to spend my day trying to come up with a way to make it happen.” He leans forward and kisses my lips again. “I’ve got to run. Busy day today and it’s supposed to storm tonight so I want to get home before it hits if I can.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later?”
“Yeah. I’ll text you.” He opens the front door, the bell hanging from the top clinging as he steps out, and waves one last time. “Later, Pidge.”
He still hasn’t told me why he calls me Pidge, or Pigeon. But something inside me warms every time he says it.
Me
GIRL! Where have you been? Did you not get my last text? I’ve been wanting to talk to you for DAYS!
I stare out the window of the shop as I spot Bran walking around the town square with a small air compressor. He stops at each parked car and checks their air in every tire. Some of them he merely checks and walks away and some he fills with air.
Why on earth does he do that?
Is this a service he provides?
Wait…blown tire.
He mentioned his accident was because of a blown tire.
My heart sinks and I ache to run outside and throw my arms around him but I’m distracted by the familiar ding of an incoming text message.
Ella
Why? Did you hear something? What did you hear? Who told you?
Me
Uh…was I supposed to hear something? Now I’m intrigued.
Ella
Oh. Umm, hehe wellllll I might have some news.
Me
You’re not pregnant! Tell me you’re not pregnant.
Ella
Wait, what? Why would I be pregnant? I’m single AF right now.
Me
That doesn’t mean you can’t go out and get yourself knocked up.
Ella
Truth. Okay but rest assured, I’m not pregnant. But I do have news and I’m sorry I haven’t been answering my texts over the last couple of days. It’s been a little stressful and a lot busy and HOLY SHIT HE KISSED YOU?!
Me
Oh, NOW we’re talking about the kiss? What’s your news?
Ella
Not until you tell me about this kiss!
Me
What do you want to know? It was a kiss. His lips touched my lips. And then we moved them together in a slippy-slidey kind of way.
Ella
LOL. You’re incorrigible. OKAY but was it like…sweet and slow? Or did he grab you and take what he wanted?
Me
Definitely sweet and slow. It was almost like he was nervous and then once he actually went through with it he was like “yeah, that’s right. I’m good at this. I remember now.” I mean, I know I joke about it but it really was a moment with him I don’t think I could ever forget.
Ella
AAAAAHHHHHH!!! This is so exciting! So, have you seen him since? How does he seem? Did you bone him yet?
Me
There has been no boning. And yes I’ve seen him since. Obviously. He’s kissed me a few more times now. Well, pretty much every time he’s around me. It’s kind of cute, but he’ll stop in when I’m working and drop something off like a drink or a cookie but really it’s just his excuse to kiss me.
Ella
Oh, my goodness that’s so sweet.
Me
It is. I know he’s always come across as grumpy to everyone else but he’s actually a super sweet guy. I really think I like him a lot. But more on that later. What’s your news?
Ella
Right. Soooo ummmm I’m moving to California.
“WHAT?” I squeal loudly, standing at the counter of the shop causing Mr. and Mrs. Longspur, who are looking at a few furniture pieces a mere ten feet away, to jump. When I realize my outburst, I cover my mouth with my hand, stifling my laugh, and apologize to the Longspurs for the distraction.
“So sorry. Just a little surprise text message from a friend.” I try to laugh it off while I furiously type back to her.
Me
“WHAT THE FUCK? CALIFORNIA?”
Ella
OH, ARE WE TALKING IN CAPS NOW? OR ARE YOU ACTUALLY SHOUTING IN REAL LIFE?
Me
ELLA!
Ella
Okay, okay. Yes. California. I’m leaving in a week. Once I get everything sorted out here.
Me
You’re seriously leaving me? What are you going to do? Where are you going to stay? Have you had this plan this whole time and never told me? I thought I was your person?
Ella
You are, Paige. You are my person. Which is why you also know I haven’t been happy sticking around in Indigo Bay any more than you have been. I need new. I need the unknown. I need a challenge. And Auggie said I could move out there and stay with him. He’s got the room and he’s gone a lot with his hockey schedule anyway. We’d be like two ships passing in the night. How could I say no to that?
Just as I’m about to type out a long sad message about losing one of my best friends to the other side of the country, I see that Mr. and Mrs. Longspur are interested in a few pieces of furniture.
Me
Have to go for a bit. Customers need me. Talk later.
Ella
Yes! Go be an antique star! Love you, P!
I get the Longspurs all checked out, complimenting them on their choice of dresser and washstand for their new rental property, and then open the front door, the bell ringing at the top, so I can help them load their purchase into the back of Mr. Longspur’s truck.
“I hear it’s supposed to rain this evening,” I tell them as I help Mr. Longspur heave one end of the dresser up to the edge of the bed of his truck. “I hope you guys will be able get everything home and inside before that happens. Do you need some help on the other end? I’m happy to meet you at your property to help unload once I close for the night.”
“Oh, no, dear. That’s fine. We’ve got a few neighbors who will help us out. But thank you for the offer.”
“Sure, anytime. Thank you again for coming in today. I’m really glad we had something here that was able to fit your needs.”
Mrs. Longspur wraps her arms around me in a sweet hug. “Rosie and Javan will be so proud of you when they get back from traveling.” She gestures to the display window which is about to be changed for the Fourth of July holiday. “This window hasn’t seen a display like this one in years. You are so creative.”
I hear a bell sound behind me and look back to see a couple new customers step into the shop.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Longspur. I really love coming up with ideas and especially showing potential customers how they might use an old antique in their homes. I’ll let you get home so you can beat the rain. Have a great rest of your day.”
“You do the same, dear. Thank you.” She waves and climbs into their big gray truck as Mr. Longspur finishes tying down their new furniture.
Suddenly there’s a crash from inside the shop that has both our heads turning, a woman screaming and a young kid running out of the shop exclaiming, “Ms. Starling, come quick!”
I’m right behind him running into the shop, the scene in front of me one I could not fathom ever happening anywhere in the world except in the town of Tuft Swallow.
Mr. Landon, a man whose reputation precedes him as someone who could give Lemony Snicket and his series of unfortunate events a run for his money, is laying spread eagle on the floor. The chocolate ice cream from the cone in his hand is now melting all over his white button-down shirt, there are several antique forks and spoons scattered on the floor, and standing by his side is Winston the goat, with the coat from my baby doll display hanging from one of his horns and the corner of a green tote bag dangling from his mouth. That doesn’t stop him though from reaching over Mr. Landon and snatching his empty ice cream cone right out of his hand.
“Winston! What in the world? Mr. Landon, are you okay? What happened?”
“I saw what happened Ms. Starling,” the young kid says, skipping over to us.
“Mr. Landon came and he was eating ice cream from the Swirly Bird and I don’t know if you can do that in here, ‘cause my mama says you can’t have food in stores that don’t sell food. And then Winston followed Mr. Landon in here ‘cause I saw Mr. Landon give him a mint and he loves those stripey mints, and then he got his horn stuck on that baby doll rack right there.” He points to what I privately refer to as Creepy Corner where I have several old baby dolls on display. “And I think it spooked him ‘cause he tried to shake it off but he hit that silverware box and then Mr. Landon got knocked over and well,” he shrugs like an old man telling stories of yesteryear, “here we are.”
Amused by this kid’s story, but wanting to remain professional, I crouch down next to our spread-eagled patient. “Mr. Landon, are you alright? Do you need help getting up? Should I call an ambulance?”
“Oh, I’m fine, no thanks to this giant oaf.” He gestures to Winston who immediately responds with a, “Maaaaaaaaa.”
“Yeah, you owe me a chocolate ice cream you furry beast.”
“Ooookay Mister.” I tug lightly on Winston’s collar. “Let’s get you out of the shop, big guy. I’m sure there are better places for you to be.”
“Yeah,” I hear Mr. Landon say as I lead Winston outside. “Like in a pen on a farm.”
“You know, bud?” I murmur to Winston as I pet him behind his ears and down his back. “How about I tie you to this chair right here, and then I’ll either take you over to Bran’s or I’ll drive you home myself. How does that sound?”
“Maaaaaaaaaa. Maaaaaaaaaaaa.”
I place a quick peck on the top of his head. “It’s a date. I won’t be long, I promise.”
When I walk back into the shop, Mr. Landon is leaving in an irritated huff. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Landon!” I proclaim as he walks away. “Please don’t let this stop you from visiting another time!”
Mr. Landon lifts his hand up in a curt wave though he doesn’t turn around to reply. Shaking my head I spot the young boy who was with him just outside on the sidewalk petting Winston and singing to himself.
“Theeeere once was a goat who went afloat and wore a coat and ate a tote and said,
HELLOOOO to the frog, who was eating a bee, ooooooh, how can you drink tea?
Then the goat died, ‘cause he was tied tooooo, a chair.”
I nearly choke on my laugh as I wrinkle my nose and smile at the kid. “Wow, that was some song. Where did you learn that?”
He taps the side of his head and replies, “Right here. Had it in my head the whole time.” And then he skips off, waving bye to me and Winston. I shake my head once more at the absurdity of the last twenty minutes of this day before my phone dings in my pocket. It’s not the usual text message notification that I’m used to hearing so I pull it from my back pocket and scan the screen.
“Severe Thunderstorm watch.” I release a deep breath and with my hands on my hips, say to Winston, “Well Buddy, I guess we should get ready to close up for the day and get out of here, huh?”
“Maaaaaaaaaa.”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”