Page 40 of Library or Lattes?

The evening started to pick up steam, as Lennie, Krista, and Avery manned the hot cider and snack stall. (Well, mostly Lennie and Avery … Krista was still looking for Carter.)

James and I were on photo booth duty, and of course we had to test it out first. The whole photo booth was James’s idea. He told me how he used to be really into photography, then showed me all these photos he’d taken in Indiana. The light through the trees, mist on the lake at dawn, weathered barns under endless blue skies. You could tell he really saw things, but something in his expression told me not to ask too many questions.

So I put a top hat on his head and stood on my tiptoes to tie a black cloak around his neck. I took my time tying the knot, letting my eyes settle on his Adam’s apple, which moved gently as he spoke. “Why have you dressed me like a magician?” he asked me.

I shrugged. “Dunno.” I felt as bold as he’d been earlier today. “Maybe I just wanted an excuse to touch you.” And before he could respond, I fastened a curly blond wig to my head and put on a crown. James set a timer for our shot, and I leaned into him, and we looked at each other just before the flash went off. Unplanned, charged. A perfect coincidence. I couldn’t wait to see the pic.

James took off the top hat and ran his hand through his hair. “Nice to take some photos again,” he said, exhaling, as if something heavy had lifted from his shoulders.

“Yeah? You’re great at it.”

James laughed. “Well, I was. But then I kind of ended up just taking Instagram photos with the right aesthetic. But you, Willa Taylor, there’s something about you that makes me want to be me again …”

I opened my mouth to say … what? That he made me feel all kinds of things too? That I counted the hours until I got to see him again, and went to sleep imagining what we could do to each other?

A woman and her kid appeared at the booth, smiling at the props. “Oh, how fun, is that a top hat? Can we get a photo?”

“Of course you can. Step right this way.” I smiled and led them over while James stood behind the camera and snapped the photos.

We had a huge swell of customers, which meant James and I could only communicate with our eyes. But during a break I walked over to him. He had the top hat on again, after taking it from a couple posing.

“I’ve always had a thing for top hats,” he told me. “Very fun. Very British.” And then, like he’d just thought of it, he asked, “Have you ever been to Europe?”

I froze. “Nope. Never. Have you?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Would you like to?”

“Yeah. I think so? Definitely. I’m just not sure how I would actually make that happen …”

“James, I …” I started. The letter was burning in my mind. He was the first person I actually wanted to tell.

But the words stuck in my throat. How could I tell him about the letter, about maybe leaving, when he’d just told me I made him feel like himself?

“I think we’re going to make a lot of money tonight.”

“Okay, lovebirds, out of the way, I need to get in there.” Krista separated us and I noticed she was holding on to Carter Blake like a prisoner. I looked over to catch Lennie’s eye and noticed that she and Sara were … arguing? I turned back to the booth, with something tight in my stomach. I’d grab Lennie for a hug and a debrief as soon as I could.

“Hey, Carter,” I said.

Tonight he was wearing a Penn State hoodie and jeans instead of sweatpants. He looked at me, confused. I pulled off the wig and crown.

“Oh, hi, Taylor, didn’t recognize you there,” he said.

“Carter, are you ready for our pic?” Krista fluttered her eyelashes and tugged on his arm.

“Sure, let’s do it. Proceeds are going to the Kissing Tree?” he asked me.

“Yeah. All for a great cause.”

“Gotta save that Kissing Tree,” he said, and winked at me.

Carter Blake had no effect on me now. But I caught James watching, and his expression was unreadable.

Carter stood in front of the camera.

“Okay, Carter, just put your hand there, on Krista’s back. Perfect.”