“Jo?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you take over here for just a sec?”
“Sure, what do you-”
I dart out the side door of my booth, wiping my hands on my apron. Taking a fortifying breath, I slowly walk in his direction until I can’t contain myself any longer and make a mad dash for him like my hair’s on fire.
As if his smile can get any bigger, I leap into his arms, feeling it radiate straight to my bones. Matthew holds me tightly against him as I dip my head to receive a kiss worthy of the ending of a Christmas Hallmark movie. Tears are tumbling down my face, but I can’t pull my mouth away. I never imagined this day could get any better. “You came back.”
“I’ll always come back for you, Ellie.”
I can faintly hear the people in line behind me oohing and aahing over the clapping and whistles. Matthew walks us to my booth, carrying me with my legs wrapped around his waist, one hand holding the roses that are tickling my backside, and his other hand firmly gripping my left ass cheek when he abruptly stops.
I look to see what has his attention when he gives it away. “Hellooo, Jennifer.” He enunciates the o in a goading tone that makes me smile wider still. Ms. Jennifer Jones Hamilton herself stands speechless, mouth agape, as she watches the high school soccer star, her ex-boyfriend, slumming it with none other than me.
Her face turns as red as the Christmas décor hanging on every stall just before she blurts, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding!”
Matt moves closer to where she’s standing. Dropping his voice low, he responds, “Oh, there’s going to be plenty of fucking. No kidding.”
Before he can walk away, I lean in her direction. “Oh, and Jennifer,” I whisper, “he’s the one who gives good head.”
Her eyes widen, and Matthew throws his head back in laughter.
“You know it, baby. Now let’s finish up here so I can have dessert.”
He resumes walking as we both fall into hysterics. Entering my stall, Ms. Fletcher is beaming, her hands steepled together, watching us, while Jo gives me a knowing grin. Matt drops me to my feet and gives my ass a swat. “Now get to work. Someone has a prize to win!”
* * *
An almost perfect day comes to an end, and I should be exhausted, yet I’m on cloud nine. I wish I could say it was because I took home Best on the Beach. But, alas, I came in second place to the Fruitcake Flingers. I’d been too busy to meander the different booths of the festival. But Charlene had warned me they could edge out a win.
The Fruitcake Flingers had a line a mile long all day, with customers paying five bucks for the chance to win an overstuffed snowman if they hit the target by catapulting a block of fruitcake from a slingshot. The snowman looked as if it was made of sand, but it was a cheap stuffed animal. Their overhead was minimal, and the fun of hurling fruitcake in the air was more attractive than the prize. It was genius.
But second prize was nothing to sneeze at. It was ten thousand dollars. That, combined with the earnings of the day, and I’d still have enough to at least consider a move. I’d have to do the math to be sure, but it was more money than this girl had ever amassed, and I was making the most of it.
While I might’ve been the runner-up at the festival, I’d won first prize in the dating world. I couldn’t have dreamed Matthew would come back for me. To visit his mother, sure. But this grand gesture was all about me.
As if he knew what I was thinking, he lifted our entwined hands to his mouth and placed a kiss to my knuckles as we drove down the main beach road.
“Wait? Where are we going? My house is that way.”
“I know. I dropped my mother’s night nurse at your place on the way to the festival.”
“How’d you manage that?”
He chuckles. “It wasn’t easy. She doesn’t usually work weekends, but for triple her regular rate, she was all in.”
“Matt-”
“Don’t say it. Harrison gave us the beach house for the weekend. It’s going to be worth every penny.” He winks. “I know you’ve got to be exhausted, but I plan to keep you up all night. We can sleep tomorrow.”
My thighs clench at his words. I try to act coy, but I probably look like a rabid animal right now.
“Here it is,” Matt says as he turns into a stamped concrete drive alongside a gorgeous three-story oceanfront home. He hits a button on his visor, and the garage door opens. Before I can say a word, he’s jumped out of the driver’s seat and is making his way to me.
“It’s breathtaking, Matt.”
