Page 25 of One Whopper of a Love Story

With all the force I could muster, I flung the plastic frog against the wall. As it bounced on the ground, my phone rang.

“Nico?”

“I made it all the way to the truck, but if I drive over to see you right now, it will keep you up way too late. And I don’t want to do that. So, I’m back inside, wishing I could snap my fingers and pop up next to you.”

I wiped tears off my cheeks. “Hang on a sec.” While I found the frog on the floor, I switched the call to video and was treated to a view of a shirtless Nico. “You aren’t wearing a shirt.”

He grinned. “I ran out the door in a hurry. It’s probably best that I don’t race across the county line right now.” The phone jiggled a second, then he reappeared, stretched out on his side with a hand propping up his head.

“I thought my comment scared you off.”

“Not at all. You make me believe in fairy tales. Before, I thought they were only in the pages of books. Now I know better.”

“Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I feel a craving for doughnuts coming on.”

I giggled, then slapped a hand over my mouth, not wanting to wake Lettie. “I had a great time tonight.”

“I did too.” His hand neared the phone. “I should let you go.”

“One last thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Thank you for not rushing things. I know we’ve talked every day—”

“And seen each other.”

“Yes, but it’s been nice. We’ve talked. It would be far too easy to get caught up in this current and get hurt.” I stared at the little frog. “I’ve made that mistake before.”

“Want me to tell you a bedtime story?” His grin promised entertainment.

“Yes, I absolutely do.” I propped my phone up and snuggled into my pillow.

“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful mermaid. There was a great storm, and she found herself on dry land far away from the ocean.”

My giggles only spurred him on.

“A prince, who thought he was only a frog, hopped to her rescue. He wasn’t as strong as he hoped to be, but one kiss from the mermaid, and the frog started to change. The end.”

“What about the rest of the story?”

“We’re still writing it.” He pulled the phone close to his face. “I’m loving every word of our tale.”

“Our mermaid tale.”

He chuckled, and I wished my head was against his chest to hear the chuckle rumble inside. “And a whopper of a tale it is.”

Nico walked into the doughnut shop when the crowd was thin, which meant I could talk to him. He set a tiny frog on the counter before dropping onto a stool.

“How are things going, my beautiful mermaid?”

“Swimmingly!” I handed him a coffee mug. “And even better now.”

He winked as he got up to get coffee.

After lining up the little frog with the others, I grabbed his favorite doughnut and set it in his spot. “Big plans today?”

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