When the application was filled out, the card received, and the book checked out, they headed back toward the story room. April leaned over and said, “Sorry about that. I had to sell us as a couple so they didn’t get suspicious about our sharing an address all of a sudden. People around town know me.” A mischievous smile broke out on her face at that. “I guess there will be rumors spread around now. I hope you don’t mind too much.”
Cal didn’t mind at all. “I don’t go into town, so it won’t matter much to me.”
In the quiet that followed that brief conversation, they browsed the bookshelves just outside the door to the reading room. Cal thought for a moment about whether his answer was entirely accurate. It was true he wouldn’t mind the rumors. He’d never been sensitive in that way. What people thought about him was none of his business or concern.
But if he was completely honest, not coming into town or caring what people thought wasn’t the main reason he wouldn’t mind. It was because of her. People thinking Cal Nolen had found a woman like April to be with would make him feel proud more than anything. If anyone had asked him, he would have told them that the only thing an acquaintance with Nurse April could do for a person’s reputation was improve it.
The time went by quickly, and before he even realized it had been half an hour, Owen came running from the story room. He spotted Cal and April right away and ran toward them.
“Did you have fun?” April asked.
“Um… yeah!” he said in a tone that made it clear he wasn’t buying her pretend ignorance. “What did you guys do?”
“We browsed around,” April said. “Your dad got a library card and a book.”
“Really?” Owen turned back to Cal, who nodded. “Does that mean we’re coming back here?”
Cal sighed in exasperated resignation. “I suppose. I’ll have to return this at some point.”
“Can I come? Can we go to story time again?” Owen was pleading, and Cal’s heart melted at the sight of it.
“Of course, you can, chief,” he said. “If you had a good time, we’ll do this again.”
April chimed in, “That book you’ve got in your hands gave me an idea.” She pointed to the cozy mystery Cal had just checked out. It was amusing the way she was acting like he had somehow chosen it, like she hadn’t basically dropped the thing into his hands and probably already had the cover memorized. “Let’s go get some hot chocolate before you two head home. Would that be OK? My treat.”
Owen perked up at the suggestion. “What’s hot chocolate?”
At first, April seemed to think he was kidding. Then, she clearly realized he wasn’t. “It’s… a warm drink made of chocolate. It’s a treat. You really haven’t had any before?”
Cal felt the need to explain. “We try to avoid too much sugar.”
“Oh.” April blushed. “Sorry, I didn’t realize. We’ve had cake and cookies, so I thought it would be fine.”
“Those were special occasions,” Cal explained. Owen’s disappointed expression made him want to turn things around. “This is also a special occasion,” he said, and Owen’s smile blossomed. “It’s our first library event, so I think we should celebrate. Let’s go.”
They walked a few blocks to a nearby café. The trees along the street were rustling, their leaves dancing in the wind and painting interesting patterns on the pavement. The row of shops that held the café was quaint, with signboards hanging over the walk and windows painted with seasonal designs. The café itself had a warm interior with flowers on the walls and mason jars with candles in them. It was an inviting atmosphere, Cal had to admit.
At the front counter, Cal ordered a hot chocolate for Owen and a coffee for himself. Then, April ordered a latte and attempted to pay, but Cal wouldn’t let her. “You’ve done so much for us, Nurse April,” he said with a smile. “I’m not going to let a generous woman like you buy my drink when I can treat you instead.”
She put her wallet back, and her cheeks turned reddish for a moment. Cal couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or charmed, but he hoped it was the latter. “Thank you,” she said, her voice quiet and shy, which sounded very unlike her.
“It’s my pleasure,” Cal told her, and he meant it. For some reason, he had the urge to treat her to everything. He wanted to make her smile over and over again until he had that smile memorized. She was beautiful when she was happy, and Calwanted nothing more than to repeatedly bring that out in her any time he was in her presence.
They received their drinks and chose a table in the corner. Owen sat in a booster seat and cradled his hot chocolate like it was a treasure he had found. He had a whipped-cream mustache as he sipped the warm beverage. The baristas had been kind enough to steam the milk to a lower temperature, so the kid wouldn’t burn his tongue in his excitement.
“This is the best thing I’ve ever had,” Owen said. “It’s like drinking cake. Thank you, Nurse April.”
“Thank your dad,” she said. “He insisted on getting it for you.”
Owen turned to Cal and said, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dad!”
Cal had to admit that sitting in this little café with a beautiful woman and watching his son enjoy a hot chocolate was a more enjoyable way to spend the afternoon than he would have guessed. Maybe this was something he could do on purpose every once in a while—make a ritual of it every other month or so. Not too often, of course. But maybe sometimes. Every time April sipped her drink, Cal allowed himself to stare at her. She was easy on the eyes, to be sure, and she made Summit Falls a far more tempting town to visit than Cal could have guessed it ever would have been.
CHAPTER 9
APRIL
Tonight was one of those rare nights when April, Crystal, and Nathan had the evening off together. So, of course, they had planned a night out. The three friends had a favorite bar they went to whenever they had a free night. It was one of only a few in town. It wasn’t too clubby or too pubby for anyone’s tastes. It sat somewhere between with a nice, celebratory atmosphere and good lighting.
