Page 44 of Mr. Picture Perfect
It might have been a simple kiss to anyone else, but to me, it felt like everything I had missed out on in my whole life. It felt like a door flying open with glittering treasures inside. It was ten night skies worth of New Years’ fireworks exploding at once. It was the firstandlast bite of moist vanilla cake fresh out of the oven. It was a winning lottery ticket and I had so many debts to pay.
I don’t think I’ve ever allowed myself to feel that level of joy before.
Honestly, I’m not even sure I expected it to feel so good.
But now that I’ve had a taste, everything else feels numb and far away. Photos. Interview questions. Burton’s griping. Even the disaster that became of today due to Anthony’s arrival. Nothing at all seems to bother me or affect me. It’s as if everything in my life up until this point has been a three or a four and I never noticed.
Cole kissing me was a ten.
Now, nothing can hope to compare.
“You alright there, son?” asks Dean from across the table.
My eyes flap open.
Dean is staring at me. Nadine is staring at me.
Cole is also staring at me.
I quickly push the bite of meat into my mouth like I meant to all along and chew with unnecessary vigor, then nod vaguely at everyone before staring down at my plate, my face flushing.
A minute later, the table becomes engrossed in a story Mindy shares about her twins, supplemented by pics from her phone, and I am no longer the center of anyone’s attention. I’m left to stare down at my plate and wonder why I was trying to make out with my food instead of eat it.
Is that how desperate I am for Cole to kiss me again?
There is another piece of information I seem to be pushing to the side like unwanted veggies on my plate. Perhaps the most vital fact I learned yesterday.
Cole telling me he likes me.
And has liked me since our high school days.
How could someone like Cole possibly have so much interest in someone like me? Cole, who is about to have the entire town throwing flowers, money, and unmarried sons and daughters at him?
“Cole, darlin’, I hope you’re really onboard with my zany ideas for this whole bachelor pageant thing,” says Nadine, catching his attention. “I mean, I’m talkin’ full-on beauty pageant. Formalwear. Talent show. The guys and gals will gowild.”
Cole gives her a playful grimace. “Talent show? Oh, I’m not so sure I’m talented enough to—”
“Hon, it doesn’t matter, you can tie your shoes and call it a talent. You’re so adorable, you’ll have them at your feet no matter. Besides, it’s the sexy underwear and swimsuit fashion show that’ll really bring in the big bucks. Y’know, male-body exploitation.”
Cole chokes on a sip of water he was going for.
Dean lets out a hearty laugh. “Oh, Nadine! Come on, now. I’m not strutting any catwalk in my drawers.”
“Oh, Dean, youknowyou’ve got the goods, don’t talk yourself down. Cole, what’s that face for? We already have a venue. Cissy’s been kind enough to offer her big backyard pavilion we use for the Spruce Ball every summer.”
Cole’s eyes grow. “The McPherson pavilion? TJ’s family?”
“Oh, yes, you know TJ, of course, he’s just a year behind you. Aren’t you two friends? He’s such a cutie! A total sweetheart. I’d have invited him on as a bachelor if I didn’t already know Cissy would’ve nipped that in the bud in half a heartbeat. She coddles the boy. You didn’t hear that from me. Also,” she adds after the fastest sip of wine known to man, “I’m not sure we’d have found the right gal for him anyway. Ain’t no lady in this whole state will live up to Cissy’s ridiculously high standards for her prized son.”
Mindy clears her throat from down the table. “Can you go back to talking about the swimsuits? You kinda got off track.”
“I’m actually still rightontrack,” Nadine happily sings, “as I was about to point out how that lovely pavilion of Cissy’s can fit the whole town andthensome, it sure can. And all those people it’ll fit will want to beentertainedfor their buck.”
“Their buck?” chokes Cole.
“Yes, their buck! This’ll be a ticketed event, of course! They don’t call it fundraisin’ for no reason! So one of you better wear thehelloutta that swimsuit.” She appears not to notice the look of frozen horror on Cole’s face. “And I’m not talkin’ no silly polka-dot swimsuits. I want one of you in nothin’ but aSpeedofor the whole swimsuit portion. Full package, showin’ off what God gave you.”
Dean lets out another roar of laughter, unable to respond with words. Cole appears unable to blink or breathe.
