Page 130 of Over the Edge

I go outside and call Pat who answers immediately and is already in festival crisis mode. I explain the situation as traffic zips by. After being in Hartsfall for nearly two months the speed of the city is slightly disorienting. It’s hard to imagine going back to moving at that breakneck pace again.

“Oh, thank God.” Pat sighs with relief.

“Interesting choice of response,” I say.

“I mean, I’ve been waiting for something to go wrong. Everything going so smoothly up until now has been very concerning. You’ve got it handled?”

“Yeah. I have an idea or two.” I spare a glance toward the restaurant door.

“Let me know if you need anything to make it work. Just remember no pyrotechnics,” she says firmly. “I can’t have another tree catching on fire.”

“Wasn't that was ten years ago?” I ask, despite the fact that none of my ideas require fire.

“Yes, but Fletcher is still Fletcher.”

“True.” I’ll give her that. “I’ll let you know what I come up with.”

“Bye, kid.”

The door to the restaurant swings open as Evelyn pushes through. She tucks her arms tight to her body to brace against the gust of cool wind cutting through the air.

“Everything okay?” she asks when she's next to me.

“I think so,” I answer as I mull over what we can do now that Alina isn’t going to perform. “Evelyn, the fact that you’re here means you’ve decided what you want, right?”

“Yes, I’m planning on calling up Vincent after the festival and letting him know. Why?” Her brows pull up quizzically.

“Depends on if you’re willing to spend the rest of our day rehearsing classic love songs,” I start, inviting her into my train of thought.

She presses a hand to my chest and looks up at me through her lashes. “Only if I get to decide how to use our breaks.”

“I’m assuming we’ll be emailing a custom graphic to the USDA,” I say.

“Something like that,” she murmurs. “Actually, something completely different. With no clothes.”

“I was hoping so,” I say. I pull her closer and run my hands up and down her arms to warm her up.

“Good. Because I’m vastly unqualified to educate anyone’s children.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything but—” I start, but the rest of my words fall away as she kisses me on the sidewalk.

Mine. All mine.

48

Evelyn

“You’re sure about this?” Garrett asks.

“It’s a little too late to change my mind,” I say as I glance to my left.

The high school’s band concludes its rendition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and applause erupts from in front of the gazebo. The festival is contained within the limits of the town square. Shops have adopted more formal displays compared to what they had set up at the practice event over a week ago. Hand-painted menus and tablecloths in reds and pinks have been added. Closer to the gazebo are activities that can be accessed using tickets, including my abandoned face painting post.

“I think you have a good ten seconds,” Garrett notes over the clamor.

“And if I say yes, are you going to run onto that stage and stop Pat?” I challenge.

“If that’s what you want,” he says, then pulls me to him. His hand lands splayed on my lower back before he continues in ahusky tone. “I will calmly walk on to the stage and tell her you’ve changed your mind.”

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