Page 156 of The Nicest Thing
"Uh yeah, but why am I the cowboy again?"
"You just have that energy."
Chase didn't look convinced.
"Plus, my cowboy's an avid reader with a heart of gold," she added, "so it made me think of you."
"Gotcha."He nodded then tipped his hat."Well, I'll leave you two to it."
Once he was gone, I looked around and spotted the other missing character."I see Seaver showed up," I said.
Rose sighed."Yeah, got here a few minutes ago.He and Emmy have been arguing ever since.Or actually, he's been talking at her, but I think she's ignoring him, giving him the silent treatment."
"Sounds about right."
By Rose's request, Seaver was decked out in his old hockey jersey.She hadn't written any hockey books yet, but she wanted to.Plus, she had side characters who played the sport, and we all agreed it might attract more people to the table.
Emmy had known he was coming.
But she looked like she couldn't care less.
"She's going to make him work for it," Rose said.
"Maybe he needs to," I said back.
"I can't wait to see how that plays out."
As we watched, Seaver made the mistake of touching Emmy's arm.She jerked back, pointing a finger at his chest, saying something low and angry that we couldn't hear.As she stormed off into the shelves, he followed.
I shook my head, turning back to Rose."Hope they get it all figured out."
"Me too," she said.
As I stared down at her and she up at me, something settled in my chest.Rose looked happier and less stressed than she was at the last signing.She'd been beaming since finding out her Grandma Rose's place at Silver Pines was secure.Earlier, she got a call, telling her they ousted some shady guy named Director Redmond—apparently the creep was embezzling money from the business in addition to extorting its residents—and replaced him with the old director, who Rose and her grandma loved.Also, her family had all been texting Rose about letting them know if she ever needed financial help.Apparently, Ana showed them the video I made, and they were dismayed Rose hadn't come to them when she was in trouble.I could relate.My girl didn't like to ask for help.But she needed to know we were all here for her.I hoped their messages and my actions showed her that.
"Are you ready for signing number 3?" I asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said."I owe you for getting your brothers and Seaver to come."
"Eh, they would've been here anyway.The book club wouldn't let them miss it."
"But you were the one who orchestrated everything."
I had.
"I love you," she said, lifting a hand to my cheek."Not for this but for everything.You’re my person, Finn O'Brien.You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know," I said, placing my hands on her waist."I am feeling a little jealous though."
A line appeared between her brows."Why?"
"Because all the other guys got to play heroes, and I'm just the nerdy bookworm."
I adjusted my glasses, pushing them up on my nose, with a grin to let her know I was joking.
"How do I look?" I said.
"Nerd hot," she said back, placing a kiss on my jaw."And perfect."
