Page 68 of The One You Want

“Are there any festivals in the winter?” he asked, and Isnorted.

“You clearly still have a lot to learn about this island, buddy. There’s a snow festival, an ice festival, a smeltfestival—”

“What’s a smelt festival? And why is there a snow festivalandan icefestival?”

“Smelt is a popular catch for ice fishing,” I explain. “And who the hell knows why we need a snow and an ice festival—don’t ask me to try to understand the thinking of this crazyplace.”

He laughed softly and I soaked in the sound. I could listen to this man laugh allnight.

He nudged my shoulder again. “Ready for dessert? I saw some amazing looking caramel apples over at Crystal’sbooth.”

I looked up into his dark brown eyes, heart fluttering away in my chest, and wished he meant something a little less literal when he said dessert. Because I could definitely go for another taste of hislips.

Then his words broke through the haze of desire in my head and my mouth gaped. “I can’t get caramel apples fromCrystal!”

His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. “Whynot?”

“Because Crystal and Fran hate each other. They’ve been rivals their entirelives.”

“So?”

“So, Fran already wants to murder me. If she sees me in line at Crystal’s she actuallymight.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Is Fran selling caramelapples?”

I bit the inside of my lip. “I don’t think so. What about some donuts, instead? Sadie’s booth is neutralterritory.”

He let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine.”

I laughed at his pouting expression. “How about this—you go get us some caramel apples and I’ll grab the donuts. Then we can eatboth.”

“Two desserts? I like the way you think,Hillman.”

We stood from the bench and began walking back to the food vendors when all of a sudden, a familiar couple stepped into our path. I froze, mouth immediatelydry.

“Grandmother,” I managed to squeak out. “Grandpa.Hi.”

My grandfather beamed at me in his usual way and pulled me into a bear hug. When he released me, I turned to my grandmother, tight-faced at his side, and pressed a kiss to hercheek.

“Hello, Jennifer, dear,” she said in a pinched voice and I realized her gaze was locked behind me. OnGrant.

Cheeks flushing, I turned to him, grateful when he took my hand as he stepped forward. “Grandmother, Grandpa. This isGrant.”

My grandmother’s sharp eyes appraised him while understanding dawned in my grandpa’sexpression.

“Ah, this is the young man your grandmother tells me you’ve been seeing.” From the way her lips pursed, I was pretty sure she’d done a lot more thantellhim about Grant. She’d more than likely been bitching about him for the past severalweeks.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hillman,” Grant said, holding out his other hand to shake my grandfather’s. “Jenny has told me so much about youboth.”

“I wish I could say the same,” my grandmother said in her frosty tone. I winced, but Grant merely held his hand out to her as well. Caroline Hillman held good manners in far too high a regard to fail to respond but I could see her fighting back a grimace as she shook hishand.

“I hear the two of you have been getting more serious,” my grandfather boomed and her grimace was no longerhidden.

“Yes, my friend Mae just mentioned this morning that she saw the two of you canoodling at that pub.” I wasn’t sure what part was more distasteful to her—the canoodling or the fact that I had done it in a lowlypub.

Either way, it appeared our night out at Cora’s had been successful, then. Hadn’t that been the whole point in going there lastnight?

But it was funny—drawing my grandmother’s attention to our “relationship” had never crossed my mine tonight, not even with the entire town out andabout.