Page 53 of It Just Feels Right

“I still can’t believeyou planned all this without me knowing.”

“Do you like it?”

I look around at all the other booths and then back at mine. “Baker, this is the best booth here.”

He puffs out his chest with pride. I’m not joking, though. He really did create the best booth at the carnival. It’s all pink and shiny. I have no idea how he came up with the idea, but it’s perfect.

He puts an arm around my shoulder. “I pulled some strings and got my booth right next to you too. I can’t have all these single dads hanging out over here. Not on my watch.”

I slap him on the chest with a laugh. “What a joke. You have made it clear to everyone in Whiskey Run that I’m taken.”

He laughs with a shrug. “Well, you can never be too careful. I can’t have someone thinking they may have a chance.”

I turn in his arms and wrap my arms around his waist. The gymnasium is full of people, but I don’t care. Like Baker, I have made sure to tell everyone that he’s mine.

I lean back and look at his tanned face. “Our spring break was weeks ago. I can’t believe how tan you still are.”

We spent a week at the beach, and it was perfect. It was another surprise that Baker sprang on me. He leans down and kisses my forehead. “And your burn is finally fading.”

The memories come in fast and hard. “Yeah, well, it’s not your fault. You were applying sunscreen to my body every chance you got.”

“I had my motives.”

I can’t help but laugh.

“So do you like the booth?”

“Like it? I love it.”

He pulls me in between our two booths so we’re out of sight. Everyone is still setting up and paying us no mind.

He wraps his arms around me and kisses me fiercely. “I love you,” he whispers when he pulls back.

“I love you too.” These last few months have been amazing. I did end up moving in with him, and I have not regretted it once. Our parents' marriage is over, but they’ve both moved on and are fine. My mom moved into Jasper, and we really don’t see her a lot. Ryan still lives in the same house a few streets over. He and my sister Brook come to dinner at our house every Sunday.

I settle in his arms, content in just staying here right where I’m at. That’s probably one of my favorite things about Baker is that he knows how to hold me. “I have one more surprise.”

I smile as the sounds of kids coming into the gymnasium start to echo off the walls. “You’re spoiling me, Baker Johnson.”

He kisses me again. “I hope so. So do you want to see your booth in action?”

“I do.”

He leads me to the front of the booth, and the kids from my classroom are all standing in a semi-circle outside of the booth. They’re lit up and excited, and I can’t blame them. This carnival is going to be amazing. “Hey guys! Are you ready to have some fun?”

Colby calls out, “Yes!”

I raise my hand to give him a high-five, and he slaps it excitedly.

“You guys want a turn? Officer Johnson is just about to show me how our booth works!”

Kaitlyn, always the rule follower, throws her hand up. “Miss Waters, we want to watch you.”

I point at myself. “Me? All right, kids, I’m going to show you how it’s done.”

I turn to walk inside my booth and am still amazed at everything that’s in it. There are things everywhere. Different knick-knacks, puzzles, pictures, song lyrics. Everything is red and pink, and there’s a big sparkly chandelier hanging in the middle. “Okay, I’m ready.” I turn to the kids standing outside of the booth and give them all a thumbs-up.

Baker starts to go over the rules. “Okay, welcome to Treasure Quest. You have five minutes to solve fivepuzzles. I’ll give you clues, and you have to walk around the room and find the answer or solve a puzzle. You answer correctly, you win the treasure.”

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