Chapter 3
THREE
february
PENELOPE
Every year since I started working at Ever After I get most excited for our Galentine’s Day event. Planning a theme, working on decorations, and getting customers excited about the event— there’s nothing I don’t love about the process.
Except for this year. Despite my begging and pleading to let me run it solo, Gloria put me and Dominic in charge of planning and running the event.
“Gloria, please! This event requires passion and patience. Two things seemingly missing in your nephew’s core attributes.”
“Oh, Penny.” She waved off my concerns. “He just needs something to focus on.” And that was that.
When the day of the event arrives, I’m slightly on edge.
Okay, that might be putting it lightly. Dominic did a lot of the heavy lifting for the event, literally speaking— he moved the display tables around and brought in chairs to place throughout the store.
I’m in the break room, putting cookies on platters, counting out plastic flutes and napkins.
“Pages it’s like live wires crossing, sparks igniting, bridging the distance between us on this couch.
Was I experiencing this moment the way he intended?
Am I reading into this? Slowly, I lean closer to him and hope against hope that he meets me halfway and kisses me.
But he doesn’t. Clearing his throat, Dominic jumps to his feet, rubbing his hands together as if he’s chilled.
“I should probably get those chairs into the storage room,” he says, quickly striding to the stack. “Do you need me to hang around while you lock up?” Dom looks at me with an expression that tells me he’s hoping I say no. So I do.
“Nah, I’ve got it.” Standing up, I struggle to steady my voice.
I give him the world’s most awkward wave.
What am I doing? My hand feels like a limp flag, and I mentally scold myself for my social ineptitude.
Penelope Elizabeth Adams, you idiot! “Thanks for all of your help tonight. You really saved the day,” I manage to say through a forced smile.
“It was nothing,” Dominic says, nodding before gathering the stack in his strong arms and disappearing into the break room.
He’s wrong. I don’t know what it was, but it definitely wasn’t nothing. Somehow I know that the butterflies he brought to life will remain as long as he’s here in Prairie Ridge.