19. Susan
Chapter nineteen
Susan
N ate and I strolled into the park, holding hands, soaking in the warm spring air. Frances stood under the big oak tree, fiddling with her DSLR camera.
"Are you lovebirds ready for your glamour shots?" Frances teased. "These snapshots will be the talk of the town. The headline can be 'Swept Off Her Feet—For Real This Time.'"
Knowing Frances's love for gossip and taking photos, Nate and I decided to reveal that our engagement had been fake but had turned into a real-life love story through a series of pictures that Frances would put on the Rivermint Cove gossip mill.
I playfully rolled my eyes at the absurdity of it all. "As ready as we'll ever be."
Nate's laughter danced in the air as he squeezed my hand in silent reassurance.
Approaching the tree where Frances had set up her makeshift studio, complete with a patchwork quilt and an array of eccentric props, it was evident she took this impromptu photo session far too seriously.
"Let' s kick things off with a mock proposal," Frances directed eagerly. "Nate, down on one knee, and Susan try to look positively swooned." Nate adjusted his shirt with casual grace before lowering himself onto the quilt.
His gaze met mine, highlighting his gentle eyes and chiseled jawline. He was handsome without even trying.
Following Frances' cues to feign surprise, I placed a hand over my heart and released an exaggerated gasp reminiscent of a melodramatic actress from yesteryears.
"Beautiful!" Frances exclaimed. "Now give me longing stares like you're madly in love."
I tried my best smoldering look, which probably appeared more constipated than sultry.
Nate struggled to contain his amusement behind that charming grin.
Clicks echoed as Frances captured our playful theatrics through her lens. "I think we've nailed that pose!" she finally announced.
Standing up, Nate brushed off some grass from his pants, a smile playing on his lips. Without words, we shared a knowing look, our eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that surpassed any act we had put on.
"Let's do something more convincing now," Frances suggested, shuffling through her props. "Nate, pick Susan up like you're carrying her over the threshold." Frances had a piece of wood that resembled a door threshold she put on the ground by a tree.
Without missing a beat, Nate swept me off my feet, his arms strong but gentle. I couldn't help the excited squeals that bubbled up as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pretended to stumble under my weight and staggered around the tree and over the doorstep, both of us giggling uncontrollably.
Frances trailed us, camera clicking. "Perfect! Now twirl her around."
Nate obliged, spinning me in circles till I was dizzy and breathless. I clung to his shoulders, our faces inches apart.
Frances continued snapping photos. "Beautiful, you two! Now give me some romantic poses."
Nate gently set me down, both of us still laughing. I ran my hands through my windswept hair, trying to look presentable again.
Nate's eyes sparkled mischievously as he proposed, "How about a kiss showing them that we are now head over heels?"
I felt my heart race in agreement. Leaning in, Nate pressed his lips to mine in a tender yet fervent embrace, igniting a rush of emotions that danced through every fiber of my being.
Click, click. Frances's camera captured every moment.
"Gorgeous!" she exclaimed. "Now, silly faces!"
Grateful for the humor, I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue. Nate followed suit, contorting his handsome features into ridiculous expressions. Our laughter echoed through the quiet park.
After the photo shoot, Frances gathered Nate and me to show us previews on her camera.
"Ooh, I love this one of you dipping Susan back dramatically!" Frances said. She rapidly typed captions onto each photo.
I peered over her shoulder, reading: 'Accidentally in Love!' and 'Picture Perfect Pair.'
"Wait till these land on the gossip mill. Everyone’s going to have a field day," Frances declared, grinning triumphantly.
"These are great, Frances. They really tell the full story," Nate said, giving me a meaningful look.
I smiled back softly, knowing he was right. These photos captured our evolution from faking it to realizing the truth.
"Well, my work here is done!" Frances said. "You two have fun with the rest of your day."
After Frances left, Nate turned to me. "Would you like to head back to my place for some tea?"
“Sure, I’ll follow you in my car, so I won’t have to leave it here.”
Once there, Nate busied himself making tea and grabbing cookies from the pantry. I could tell from his grin that he had news to share.
"Do you remember when I told you about wanting to start a low-cost pediatric clinic in town? I talked to Dr. Maddison, and she encouraged me to pursue my dream."
"Oh?" I turned to look at him.
He nodded. "She thinks I could make a real difference, providing quality care to underserved families. I've been so focused on my work at the hospital that I haven't seriously considered it until now."
"That's amazing, Nate." I could hear the excitement building in his voice. "I'm so happy you talked to her about it, and she encouraged you to move forward.”
"The only problem is the start-up costs." He furrowed his brow. "Renting a space, buying equipment...it adds up quickly. I may need to take out a business loan."
"Hey," I said gently. "If it's really important to you, we'll figure out the money." An idea struck me. "Why don't I help you start researching small business loans and non-profit grants? I just read a great blog post on financing community programs."
Nate's eyes widened. "You'd do that?"
"Of course," I said, squeezing his hand. "This is an exceptional cause. And I have faith in you."
Nate's face softened, his gratitude shining through his blue eyes. "Thank you, Susan. You're... remarkable."
I grabbed his laptop and pulled up a search engine. We spent the next hour huddled over his computer, searching for financing options. Nate explained the details he was concerned about, and I offered suggestions from finance blogs I'd read.
With the loan applications pulled up for Nate to work on, I grabbed my laptop out of my bag and opened a new document.
"Do you mind if I work on something else for a bit?" I asked.
"Go for it," he said with an encouraging smile.
Seeing Nate in his element, dreaming about the clinic, had sparked my own ideas. I had considered starting a literacy blog for a while now, and our deep dive into research was just the push I needed. As a children's librarian, I was passionate about instilling a love of reading in kids. With Nate working beside me, I started drafting my first post on the importance of reading with children from an early age.
I wrote from the heart, weaving in anecdotes about how books had shaped my childhood. My parents read to me every night, getting lost in the library stacks, and the teachers who encouraged my love of literature—all of it spilled out onto the page.
I hoped my sincerity would resonate with parents and kids in our town. My goal was to get more families engaged in reading together. I knew firsthand how magical shared story time could be for forging connections.
After polishing the draft, I turned to Nate. "Would you mind looking this over? I want it to speak to people."
"I'm sure it's great, but I'm happy to read it," he said.
As Nate reviewed my post, his eyes crinkled at the corners. "This is moving, Susan. You have a gift for capturing the power of reading."
I smiled, thrilled he appreciated my words. With Nate's encouragement, I was ready to share my passion with the broader community. Another new chapter was unfolding.
With Nate's help, I published the blog post on the Rivermint Cove website and held my breath, waiting for a reaction. To my delight, comments quickly flooded in from parents, teachers, and fellow book lovers.
"This brought tears to my eyes remembering reading with my daughter," one mother wrote.
"As a teacher, I couldn't agree more about the importance of early reading," an elementary school teacher added.
My heart swelled reading the supportive words. I turned to Nate, who was grinning. "Looks like you struck a chord," he said.
Just then, my phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was from Frances:
"I edited all the photos for the gossip site. I wrote a story about how your fake engagement turned into real love. I hope you're okay with me posting it all tonight—I just want to help get the truth out there!"
I laughed and showed Nate the text: "Frances is going all in as our PR manager. But I'm relieved everyone will finally understand how we went from pretend to romance."
Nate nodded, pulling me in for a quick kiss. "I'm glad too. No more hiding how I feel." His eyes gazed at me tenderly.
With Frances's post going live soon, our whole journey - fake turned real - would be out there for the whole world to see. But Nate and I were ready to share our love story with the world.
Nate insisted on walking me to my car even though it was just outside. As we stepped into the evening air, my feet felt lighter. My steps were no longer weighed down by secrecy.
"I know it was rocky for a while, but I'm thankful we're here now," Nate said, taking my hand in his.
I squeezed his hand. "Me too. I was afraid we'd ruined any chance of something real."
"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm so stubborn," Nate grinned.
I laughed. "Very true. You never gave up on me, on us."
We reached my car, but neither of us moved to leave just yet. The golden light cast a glow on Nate's face as he turned to me.
"I meant what I said - I'm all in this time. No more pretending." His eyes shone with sincerity.
My heart fluttered hearing those words. "I'm all in, too. This is our fresh start."
Nate pulled me close, and our lips met in a kiss filled with promise, a new chapter beginning. When we finally drew apart, both our faces were flushed.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Nate asked.
"Definitely." I gave him one more quick peck and slipped into my car. As I drove off, butterflies danced in my stomach. The future felt full of possibilities—his clinic, my blog, and this tender new relationship blossoming between us. There were challenges ahead, but together, we could weather any storm.