Page 124 of Fire and Icing

making you feel like you belong,

like you're part of something bigger than yourself.

~ Unknown

“Dustin’s so crazy,”I say to Syd.

We’re closing up the shop at two today. There’s a barn dance at The Grange tonight and it’s the first of the season, so all the shops on Sweetwater and Mill Streets and around the town square shut down early. Even the bank and the grocery stores close at four instead of five. The streets are eerily empty. People stopped coming in over an hour ago.

“What’s he done this time?” she asks. Her tone isn’t bored, but it’s definitely tinged with anall-you-talk-about-is-Dustinedge to it.

“Never mind. Tell me something about you. I know I rattle on about him all day.”

“You’ve earned it. I love seeing you so happy. So, tell me. What did he do?”

“He asked me on a date last week, but he had the gig. So we postponed our actual date to tonight. Only he doesn’t want to do something simple like go to dinner. He wants a tour of Waterford.”

“Well, that’ll be the world’s shortest date in history. Unless you stop at Lover’s Peak.”

“Stop! We’re not in high school.”

“You could pretend you are …” She wags her brows exaggeratedly.

“Syd! We’re not. He wants me to show him around and tell him about my life here before he came on the scene.”

“Awww. That’s actually sweet.”

“I know. And then we’re going to get dinner, and afterward, we’ll show up at the dance.”

“You could eat at The Grange too. You know there’s a potluck before the dance.”

“And … no.”

“What do you mean? You don’t want to subject Dustin to the culinary prowess of the fine citizens of Waterford?”

“Three words for you: Skeeter’s hot chicken.”

Syd busts out laughing. “No!”

“Exactly. We checked around. The Waterford Pantry is still open tonight.”

“What? They’re open? That’s sacrilegious. Does the mayor know?”

“How should I know? All I know is that Dustin wants me to wear my green dress—again—and show him the town, and then we’re getting farm-to-table and then, to cap off the night, we’ll show up at The Grange.”

“Well, put a ring on that!” she jokes.

“Nobody’s putting a ring on anything. We’re just going on a tour of Waterford.”

“It’s sweet. And I love it for you. Hey?”

“Yeah?”

“No. Nothing.”

“What?”

“I just wanted to … ask if we have enough flour on backorder.”

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