20. The Hunt
20
The Hunt
Deacon
She said yes. That's my reward for quitting my cowardly act and choosing not to let fear drive me. A date with Alice Beaumont. That's a pretty sweet reward.
When I wake up the next day, Lola is immediately on my case about my—and I quote—"weird happy face."
My lips pull down in a frown. "I don't have a weird happy face."
"Um, yes you do." She nods, narrowing her deep-green eyes. "What happened? "
"Nothing."
"You're such a bad liar, it's embarrassing."
"And proud of it." I salute, and she laughs.
She gives me a pointed look. "See, that's what I'm talking about. You never do things like that."
"Fine." I sit down. "I'm going on a date with Alice tonight."
She flies from her chair, hands banging on the table. "Oh my gosh! Yes! I knew it."
I roll my eyes, even though she pretty much just summed up my own emotions right now. "Calm down."
"That's so great," she gushes, her eyes sparkling. "What are you planning? Where are you taking her? It has to be perfect."
"Way to put pressure on a man," I say, shaking my head. "But don't worry, I've got it covered."
"Really? Tell me."
"Nope. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Maybe," I tease, thrilled to have such a trivial exchange with Lola.
She blows out a long sigh. "Now I know you don't have a plan."
"Hey!" I poke her arm. "I totally do, and it's going to be epic."
I'm not lying. This will be the best date of Alice's life. I know it'll be mine. I just have to do a bit more research this afternoon, but from what I gathered online last night, it'll be a hit.
"Okay, let's get going. We're going to be late for Dr. Stewart."
During the walk over to his practice, Lola and I casually chat about school, and it's so effortless, I don't even know how we got there.
As always, she has her session first, then waits for me while I have mine.
"So," Dr. Stewart, says with a warm smile, opening his notebook. "How are you doing? As I understand it, you had quite an interesting week."
"Is that what Lola told you?"
He nods. "She says she had a great time with you and Alice at Sycamore Springs. Do you agree?"
I smile, looking away. "I do. I missed my hometown and being in nature. We hiked, camped, went fishing—everything I love."
"What about the company you had? Lola says she feels closer to you. Do you agree?"
My heart leaps in my chest. "I do."
"She also said you grew a lot closer to Alice."
"Wait, what does that have to do with Lola?" Of course she had to blab about my love life to the shrink. But my heart jolts at the thought of me having a love life. With Alice.
"Lola is fond of her, and she says you're happier because of her. While I can't be sure that's the reason, you do look happy today."
I scrunch my eyebrows. "How so?"
"Well, for starters, you've been smiling ever since you came in."
I touch my mouth and sure enough, the corners are pulled up. How can I smile without realizing it?
"It's a good thing, Deacon," he says with a chuckle. "I'm glad to see you doing better. And evidently, that's had a positive impact on your relationship with Lola, so it's a win-win."
"Yeah." I nod. "Alice is great with Lola. We really had fun together at the lake." My eyes fall to the floor. "And, um, we passed by my grandma's house, then went to visit her and my mom at the cemetery."
"Oh, how did that go?"
"It wasn't easy." I swallow hard. "I still feel guilty, but I'm working on it. Alice helped with that."
"I'm glad she helped you. And I'm glad you're finding ways to process your pain and grief."
"Me too. "
For so long, there's been this huge weight on my shoulders, and while it's not completely gone, the burden is lighter, and life just got a little bit easier.
I'm waiting for Alice at the door to her shop, and as soon as I lay eyes on her, my breath catches in my chest. She looks amazing. Her hair flows naturally over her shoulders, and she's wearing a silky-looking purple sweater dress. Not even that small bump on her head can spoil her beauty.
"Wow," I say, scratching the back of my neck.
She looks down, agitating her hands. "Is this okay? You didn't say anything about where we were going, so . . ."
I take her hand, and she meets my gaze. "You're perfect."
A blush spreads over her cheeks. "Thanks. And are you sure it's fine closing the bar? We could have gone another time."
I swat a hand. "Don't worry about it. There's no game tonight." And my business can handle a night off without much problem. Game nights are such a hit they cover for the slow ones.
As we start walking, I smile when I notice her brooch. It says, " Books are my love language ." And without knowing it, she chose the perfect one for our date .
"Will you tell me where we're going?" she asks, her eyes teasing with eagerness.
"Nope." I chuckle. "It's a surprise."
We continue our stroll for about fifteen minutes, until we reach Boundless Books.
Alice stops dead in her tracks. "We're going to a bookstore?"
A confident smile builds on my lips. "Yes."
She stares at the building. "For our date."
"Yes," I repeat, this time, with a little less confidence. "I planned a scavenger hunt, and the loser buys dinner. Winner's choice."
"Are you serious?" she asks, her eyes bulging.
I scratch my head. "I thought it would be fun, but if you don't—"
"It's amazing," she gushes, placing a hand on her heart. "It's the absolute dream date."
I smile. "Told you I knew what you liked."
She looks at me for a second, probably trying to think of a witty retort, but her face breaks into a grin. "Fine. You were right. So, how does this work?"
"Eager to get started, huh?"
"Are you kidding? I was born for this," she says, stretching her arms above her head. "Bring it on. "
I just laugh as I pull out the pieces of paper from my pocket, which list all the books we'll have to find.
She studies the list, eyes glimmering with anticipation. "Okay. So, we have to find:
A book with a character who shares your date's name
A book cover that features your favorite color
A book set in a place you'd like to visit
A children's book that you love
A book written by an author who shares your initials
A book with your favorite animal on the cover
A book that you think your date might enjoy
A book with a story that resembles your relationship with your date
A book that reminds you of your date
A book cover model that reminds you of your date."
When she finishes, she drops her arm and looks at me.
I frown, suddenly not feeling so confident. "What? Too hard?"
She quirks an eyebrow. "How long do we have to find all these?"
"Well," I say, glancing at my watch. "It's seven, and the store closes at eight. So, until closing?"
"Okay. And are we taking pictures of the books or actually bringing them? Because that wouldn't be very nice for the booksellers. "
"Good call. A picture is good. And if there's a tie, the first one back to the front of the store wins."
She rubs her hands. "Okay. Let's do this."
I bump my shoulder against hers. "Don't think I'll let you win."
"I don't need you to go easy on me." She pokes my bicep. "I'm going to kick your butt, Deacon Collier."
It takes everything in me not to grab her hand, bring her close, and kiss her senseless. But we'll save that for after the hunt.
We step into the bookstore, and Alice almost makes a run for it. This woman really means business. Looks like I have to bring my A-game. I'm sure Alice already has an idea for most of the books on her list, being a bookseller. Plus, she's probably been here before, leaving me with a huge disadvantage.
But even if I meant what I said—that I'm not going to let her win—I also wouldn't mind losing. Either way, I'm on a date with Alice tonight, and that's already a big win in my book.
Books. Right. Let's try and find these books. I pass in front of a New Release display and grab the first book I see that has a blue cover. Favorite color, check. I don't see anything else here that could fit the criteria, so I try to locate the Romance section. I'm pretty sure I'll find a book she'd enjoy there. I've also seen plenty of covers at her store with animals on them.
As I meander toward the Romance section, I pass in front of the Children's Books. I snap a picture of Treasure Island, which I used to read with my mom, and Alice in Wonderland for Alice's character name. I realize this is actually working to my advantage. No famous Disney character is named Deacon. At least, not one that I know of.
I browse the shelf for an author with my initials, but no luck so far. I do spot a children's book with a dog on it, so I take a picture.
I walk around, still searching for the Romance section, but this place is a maze. When I look back, thinking I just walked past it, I find myself face to face with Alice.
She smiles, gazing at me with a particular intensity in her shimmering eyes. "So . . . How are you doing?"
"Good." I smile. "Really good, actually. Almost got everything," I lie.
Her eyes widen. "What? How? You cheated and came here beforehand, didn't you?"
I cock my head. "Oh, come on, now. Don't be a sore loser. And anyway, it's not a race. As long as you take a picture of all your books before the store closes, it's good."
"Except in the case of a tie!" she exclaims .
"Oh, right," I say, holding back a smile. "Forgot about that."
She sizes me up, then chuckles. "No, you didn't. Well, no time to chat. I have a scavenger hunt to win."
"Sure," I say, hooking my thumb in my back pocket. "Go ahead. I'll just take a leisurely walk while I think about what I want for dinner. I'm thinking lobster."
She gasps, then giggles as she scurries off to an aisle.
As soon as she's out of sight, I hurry to the back of the store. There's a big flower display. I'm guessing that's where all the Romance is.