Page 80 of Unraveling Rain
Xander
It’s the Fourth of July, and the town is decked out in red, white, and blue. American flags flutter from every light post, and storefronts are dressed in patriotic colors. Even the apothecary has joined in, advertising a new soap scent—red cherry pie. I laughed when I first saw the sign in the window, but I immediately knew I had to buy it for Rain.
The bakery’s gone all out too, with star-shaped sugar cookies and blueberry cupcakes topped with firecracker sprinkles. The whole town feels like a scene from asmall-town movie, and it reminds me of the parades I used to watch growing up.
The main road leads to the fairground, and that’s where I am now—watching kids dart between booths, chasing each other, and licking melting popsicles. According to Rain, Gio built it a few years back, when he was trying to make Ruin fall in love with him again.
I came alone today since Rain is working at the diner’s booth, selling pies and other fair staples: turkey legs, bacon mac and cheese, loaded potatoes, and the traditional chili dogs. I’ve seen her at the diner before, but I’ve never watched her like this—completely in her element, running the show.
From a distance, I blend into the ocean of fairgoers, perfectly positioned to watch her without being seen. She’s wearing a dark red polka-dot dress with thin spaghetti straps that show off her freckled shoulders—shoulders I’ve memorized with my mouth and my tongue. Her hair falls in soft waves down her back, and the sun catches the coppery strands just right.
Her smile as she takes orders and delivers food is breathtaking. It’s magnetic. How she’s stayed single this long is beyond me. Maybe she was waiting for the right person. Maybe fate brought me to Azalea Creek at exactly the right time. Either way, I’m damn lucky. Rain is mine. And I can’t wait to continue doing life with her.
“What are you doing hiding over here?”
Miles nearly scares the life out of me.
He throws an arm around my shoulder with a laugh. “Sorry, Xander. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I shake my head, chuckling. “No worries. I was just…”
“Yeah,” he says, following my gaze. “Thirsting over your girl.”
“You know it.”
I finally tear my eyes away from Rain to face him, and that’s when I notice he’s not alone. A woman stands beside him. She’s definitely not from Azalea Creek.
She’s petite, maybe around five-five, but her platform espadrilles give her a few extra inches. She’s wearing a white skirt and a fancy navy shirt with a red bow at the collar. Her brown hair is tied up in a tall ponytail, and her designer sunglasses flash in the sun.
Yeah, she’s not from around here.
“Oh, right,” Miles says, catching me staring. “This is Penny. She’s Gio's financial assistant.”
She steps forward, offering a warm smile and her hand. “And one of his best friends. Nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand. “I’m Xander.”
She nods knowingly, her tone playful. “Oh yes, I’ve already been filled in on Rain’s hot new boyfriend,” she singsongs.
I raise a brow, half amused. When I glance at Miles, he’s rolling his eyes.
Penny bats his chest. “Oh, stop it. It’s not like I’m not part of the family gossip vine.”
I laugh at their dynamic. There’s a certain spark there, and even though her sunglasses hide her eyes, something tells me she’s looking at Miles with heat.
“There you are,” a familiar voice says.
Joss walks up, fanning herself. “Have you checked on Granny yet? Merlin was the one who helped set up her booth this morning.”
Miles winces. “I’m sorry, Ma. We were on our way when I saw Xander and got distracted.”
Joss turns to me with a surprised smile and opens her arms for a hug. “Oh, dear. I’m not sure how I missed seeing you here.”
I return the hug. “Hi, Joss.”
Together, we all make our way to Granny’s booth.
The sign hanging from the tent makes me grin:Come for advice, come for a laugh. Either way, you’ll leave happy.
