“Mary Howard, if you don’t give Fin and Maggie that prize, I’ll refuse to allow you into my shop!” Mrs. L said.
“What’s the deal?” Fin grabbed Maggie’s hand and towed her to where they stood.
“Mrs. Howard says because you weren’t in an upright position you don’t get a placing, even though the third couple didn’t end up sitting,” Nash said.
“It’s okay.” Maggie touched her brother’s arm.
“Mom,” Dylan joined them, “you need to give the dinner to Maggs and Fin. If you don’t, it won’t be pretty. Plus, your daughters didn’t win, so your plans are toast anyway.”
Mary Howard spluttered, protested, but gave in ungracefully.
Fin looked around at their friends who were all reliving the game. Hands were gesturing, voices raised. Around them was noise coming from every corner. But he only saw Maggie.
Turning her in his arms, he thought,why not? and kissed her long and slow right there in front of the entire town of Ryker Falls.
“My heart is broken,” he heard Mrs. L cackle.
Chapter36
They drank cups of mulled wine or hot spiced lattes. Ate food from the stalls and enjoyed the revelry, and Maggie did it all with Fin a few inches away.
He loved her.
“You okay?” Fin looked down at her.
“How could I not be okay?”
“True that. Just checking.” He kissed her softly. “This love stuff is new to me, so I may ask that a few more times, and it’s all good if you do the same.”
“You okay?” She kissed him back.
“Peachy.” He smiled. “I’ll be back soon; don’t go anywhere.”
She watched him walk away and knew she had a silly smile on her face.
“Remember when we used to do stuff like that in public, sweetheart?” Joe said to Bailey. In his arms was Benjamin, who was eating a candy stick. “Smile so sweetly it makes your teeth hurt just watching?”
“I remember.” Bailey sighed. “It was when we had uninterrupted sleep, right?”
“Right,” Joe agreed. “But seriously, you two look good together now you’ve wised up, Maggs.”
Maggie dug about in her pockets for a tissue. Fin’s declaration of love had made her weepy. Feeling the note she’d put in there at the gallery earlier, Maggs remembered she needed to get it to Chief Blake.
“Tell Fin I’ll be back in a minute,” she said to Joe.
“Where are you going?”
“I just need to give Chief Blake something.” Maggie left Joe’s bar and found Bas outside the doors.
“Hey, Bas, nice eye.”
“It’ll get me lots of love and care at home, so I don’t feel too bad about it, but don’t tell Joe. He’s giving me free food and drink.”
“Your secret is safe with me. You seen Chief Blake?”
“He muttered something about teens giving him grief and headed in that direction.” Bas pointed down the main street.
Following the direction of his finger, she walked. She was so damned happy, she could sing, which said a great deal as her singing was at best terrible.
