Page 36 of Meet Me in Aveline

Tuck placed his hand to his chest dramatically. “Lettie Carlton, are you saying you think I’m pretty?”

I scoffed, “Ugh, no.” I looked down and kicked at the floor. “Okay, yes, of course. Anyone with eyes knows you're pretty. But don’t change the subject. Why aren’t there any names next to the town hunk?”

Tuck spoke softly. “There has never been anyone worthy of the wall for me.”

I felt butterflies in my stomach at the idea that maybe Tuck had never been in love either.

“At least not yet,” Tuck added.

His eyes met mine, and my entire body flushed. We both turned away quickly, staring back at the wall, and I peeked from the corner of my eyes to see his hands out of his pockets. Our bodies were inching closer together, and I could only feel the heat of his body until I felt his fingers finally graze mine. An electric current shot through me, and I had to remind myself to breathe. It was no longer an involuntary action, it was something I had to actively think about doing. My mind was racing.

Was I breathing too fast?

Too slow?

Before I could think any more, I allowed his touch and invited his hand into mine, our fingers intertwining. Every nerve ending in my body was pulsing, and we fit perfectly, as though we were two missing puzzle pieces that had finally come together.

We faced each other slowly, and Tuck carefully ran his hands up along my arms, my shoulders, my neck, until he was cupping either side of my face. We both leaned in, our foreheads touching, and I could smell mint on his breath. His thumb traced my lower lip and my breath shuddered.

I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Can I kiss you?” Tuck whispered.

“Yes, please.” I closed my eyes, my lips opening just slightly, waiting for his mouth to touch mine. Waiting to be kissed for the first time.

Until I heard a woman’s voice interrupt what was sure to be the most incredible first kiss of all time.

“Tuck? What are you doing here?”

TWENTY-SEVEN

LETTIE

I had never moved so quickly awayfrom a person as I did when I heard that voice coming from the doorway. Standing between the foyer and the dining room was an older woman with an inquisitive look and what looked like a large paddle in her hands.

Tuck regained composure much quicker than I did and greeted her. “Miss Evelyn! Hi. This is my friend, Lettie. I was showing her the Inn, she’s anAnne of Green Gablesfan.”

The woman, Evelyn, studied me. She moved closer and switched the paddle from one hand to the other. “I can see why,” she replied. “You look just as Anne is described.” A slow and sweet smile spread across her thin lips.

“Thank you, ma’am. That’s what sparked my interest in the books. You don’t often see redhead main characters, and I identify with her so much. I’ve always liked the way she marched to the beat of her own drum. I’ve always wanted to do that, but instead…” I was rambling and my voice trailed off as Evelyn snickered.

I felt nervous and exposed. This woman who I had never met before had first been privy to a very private moment between Tuck and me, and now I was word-vomiting in an attempt to hide my nerves.

“You are a real life Anne Shirley, aren’t you?” she asked, amused.

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Anne with an E.”

Tuck stood still, looking from one of us to the other. “Should I know what you guys are talking about?”

Evelyn shook her head and shushed him. “Lettie, it is lovely to meet you. I hope you will come back and visit us. Tuck, bring this girl back and show her the rooms, okay?”

“Will do, Miss Evelyn. What are you doing with that cutting board?”

So it wasn’t a paddle.

A cutting board made much more sense than a woman walking around with a paddle.

She held it up. “This? Well, I’ve been hearing that those charcuterie boards are all the rage right now, and I figured we could set one up for lunch tomorrow. Have you heard of them? I think it’s a rich person thing.” She looked at my uniform and gestured to it. “Well, you look rich, Lettie dear, do you know of charcuterie boards?”

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