“You can walk forward now,” Missy says flatly, pointing to the passenger ahead of me who’s just exiting the plane.
My chest feels like a rock’s been wedged inside of it as we disembark the plane and head down the terminal corridor. At the risk of irritating her further, I attempt a conversation, asking Missy simple questions, though it’s nothing but short responses from her mouth.
“Are you sure everything is okay?” I ask again, bypassing any more small talk as we both step onto a downward escalator.
“Yep. I’m glad to be off the plane,” she says. Her words are friendly enough, but there is distinct ice behind her voice.
“Any chance you’d want to meet up tonight?” I ask.
Missy gives me a sad excuse for a smile. “I’m actually pretty tired. I’ll probably crash at home for the rest of the day.”
I swallow and tuck my hands casually into my pockets. “Oh, okay.” So, maybe she’s just tired, and rightfully so. It’s been an exhausting couple of weeks.
We’re almost at the bottom of the escalator when a loud, echoing cheer rises to greet us. Missy and I instantly turn towardthe gathering of familiar faces that whoop and chant, “Team Teal, Team Teal, Team Teal!”
I look out, spotting so many of the same people that sent us off at the airport a couple weeks ago, but now, the crowd is double in size. Ji, Paige, Jordan, and Miles are all there, along with neighbors, family members, old teachers, the bakers from our local bakery, members of the Pine Lakes law enforcement, and even some of the teenagers from Pine Lakes High School.
Missy’s face transforms with a beautiful smile, laughter bubbling out of her. Seeing her so happy makes me feel like I can finally breathe again.
Just then, my little cousin, Izzy, and the short and fiery Mrs. Delgado unroll a large hand-painted sign the size of an SUV that says “Welcome Home #MoltonForever.”
Molten? Oh no.MissyandColtonspliced together.
“Please don’t tell me that was a real hashtag,” Missy says.
I laugh and glance at Missy. Her cheeks are a touch pink as she looks anywhere but at me. As soon as we step off the escalator, she leaves my side, getting pulled into the crowd. Too soon, I lose sight of her.
Mrs. Delgado and Izzy move toward me with the huge sign in hand.
“#MoltonForever. It’s been trending for the past week. Isn’t it great?” Mrs. Delgado says enthusiastically.
I chuckle and scratch my head. “It’s something.”
“Oh, it’s more than something. I knew I made the right choice nominating you two for the show, but I don’t think even I could have foreseen just how good you two would be together. Just let me know when you two hear the wedding bells I’m hearing. I have experience planning those things.” She gives me a wink, but I’m still processing her first words.
“You? It wasyouthat nominated us?” I say, dumbfounded.
Mrs. Delgado pats my arm. “Oh, honey, someone had to do it. You two are fire, as the young ones would say.”
I shake my head in amazement, wondering if I should kiss Mrs. Delgado or file a restraining order on her. Oh, Missy’s going to die when she hears this. I look around, hoping to find Missy, when I’m pummeled by Izzy and her full head of bouncing black curls.
Izzy lets go of the sign, leaving her brother to pick up the slack.
“Hey, Izzy,” I say, giving her a hug.
“Is Mrs. Delgado right? Are you and Missy getting married? I want her to be my cousin. Or second cousin. Is that what a second cousin is?”
I laugh at the words that tumble from her mouth, words that until she’d worked with Missy were nearly nonexistent. Missy had really broken her out of her shell.
“All right, Izzy, let the man be,” my aunt chides, coming up behind her daughter and giving me a hug. “Congratulations, Colton. I knew you could do it.”
I breathe out a laugh. Well, that made one family member.
Shortly after, I find myself in an endless loop of hugging people and giving them my thanks for their support; all the while, my eyes gravitate toward Missy, finding her wherever she is in the crowd.
Jordan claps me on the shoulder, and I turn, fully facing him and Miles.
“Man, you have some explaining to do.” Jordan waggles his eyebrows.
