“The hearts serve as tickets for several of our attractions, including the kissing booth back by the waterfall,” Sabine interjected.
“What great fun, Sabine!” I smiled as I tucked my token into the pocket of my wide-leg black slacks.
Sabine smiled, more warmly than I had seen yet. “Thank you. Through my work revitalizing the conservatory, I became quite familiar with the Eros Festival. I thought it was cute, though I noticed it needed a bit of new life breathed into it. That’s when I convinced my parents that sponsoring the event would be beneficial for reviving the town’s economy and bringing eyes to our conservation work here. It’s been more fun than even I had anticipated having a hand in the festival planning. It’s campy, but somehow it works. I love it.”
I never would have guessed when I met Sabine last fall that she had such a fun-loving side to her. She had always been kind but reserved, with laser-sharp focus. It was nice to hear her talking about her passions and to see how she used that focus for the greater good.
I turned to Oliver. “I suppose it’s time to go shake hands and kiss babies?”
Oliver laughed. “Something like that. Sabine, what you’ve done here is something truly special. Thank you for allowing us to play a part in it.” He took her hand and gave her another kiss on the cheek.
Skylar spoke up from behind us. “Sir, we have a few more minutes before the doors are set to open. This would be the perfect time for a photo op by the waterfall and kissing booth?”
My stomach sank. Oliver had promised me no extraneous kissing. Was this absolutely necessary?
“Great idea, Skylar,” Oliver agreed and took my hand in his.
“You had them set me up for this, didn’t you?” I chastised under my breath.
“I would never.” Oliver looked shocked. “You said you didn’t want any unnecessary kissing and I respect that. We can just go over there and look. We don’t have to kiss at the booth unless you want to.”
“Well, I don’t,” I huffed. I told myself it was the truth.
In the last room of the conservatory, we found a giant waterfall flowing down into a small pool. The sound of the water was relaxing, and if I closed my eyes, I could picture myself on a tropical island far away from all of this. Maybe with Dash on the same beach where we had once vacationed a few years back, plenty of piña coladas at our fingertips.
In lieu of a traditional kissing booth where visitors would pay to kiss strangers, we found something that much more resembled a photo booth, allowing couples to get photos of themselves kissing under the waterfall. It was cute.
Vanessa rolled up beside us. “Would you two like to kiss under the waterfall? I can request that the booth attendant use my phone instead of their tablet for the photo. I’m sure Cordell would love to share it on social media.”
“Um…” I fumbled.
Oliver jumped in, saving me from answering. “Actually, I think that we’re going to go outside and grab something to eat. Adelaide was just telling me how hungry she is.”
“Okay. Skylar and I are going to go on ahead to the concert venue to make sure things are ready for this evening. Faxon, of course, will be with you, but do let Skylar or me know if you need anything.”
As Oliver led me outside, the crisp winter air hit me, and a shiver ran down my spine. Food stalls and a merchant market sprawled across the grounds beside the conservatory and into the cobblestone walkways. Instrumental music played on speakers throughout the area, and I was delighted to spot heaters lining the walkways.
“Thank you for that,” I murmured to Oliver.
“For what?”
“Don’t be coy. You know what.”
Oliver blew out a breath through his nose. “I meant what I said, Adelaide. I’m not going to force you to do anything. I want you to be here with me enthusiastically. You’re doing me a favor and your boundaries deserve to be respected.”
God, he was so sexy when he respected my requests and stood up for me. It was impossible to dislike him when he was so considerate.
We walked in companionable silence for a moment before Oliver asked, “What sounds good to eat?”
“Hmm.” I thought and looked around. Many of the stalls already had long lines, and while I knew no one would bat an eye if we skipped the queue, it felt wrong. I suspected Oliver would agree.
I spotted a stall without anyone waiting and inclined my head toward it. “That one.”
I had agreed to this farce with Oliver as a way to use what little influence I had for good. Today, I decided that would mean shining a light on a small business.
We approached the wooden counter under a sign that read “Hamish and Family Crepes.” The clerk—a short, gray-haired man—looked at us, surprise washing over his face as he realized who we were.
“Your Majesty!” He bowed deeply.
