Feels Like Love by Jeanette Lewis Page B

tonight.
    April
felt briefly guilty for not offering to take everyone to watch the fireworks,
but she shrugged it off. They didn’t usually attend as a family anyway.
    “I
have to go out for a little while,” she said after dinner while she worked on
the last part of her plan. “Ben is already in bed; will you guys be okay here?”
    “Sure,”
Trevor said. “Where are you going?”
    “I
have some things to take care of,” she said, in a tone that discouraged any
further questions.
    It
was the perfect night for fireworks – calm and clear and not too cold. Her
heart sped up when she rounded the bend of the hill and saw Wade’s truck. He’d
backed in, like they used to, on the little bluff that gave them a perfect view
of the fireworks.
    He
was leaning against the truck and he smiled when he saw the thermos she carried.
    “Mint
hot chocolate,” she said, holding it up.
    “I
know.”
    Wade
had covered the lowered tailgate with a thick blanket and had another one to
wrap around their shoulders. She poured the hot chocolate into the thermos lid
and they shared it back and forth.
    Stupid
talking. Why couldn’t they leapfrog over the awkward explanations and go
straight to the part where he finally kissed her?
    “So
…” Wade said after a minute.
    Yes. So. “I’m not engaged anymore.”
    He
exhaled heavily and leaned forward, clasping his hands between his knees. He
sat still for a long moment, then finally raised his head. “You have no idea
how happy that makes me.”
    “Me
too.” April slipped her gloved hand into his and he clasped it tightly.
    The
fireworks began, spraying light over the valley below and sending muffled booms
echoing off the surrounding hills.
    They
watched in silence for a moment, then April continued. “I also … I’ve thought a
lot about it and, I know what I said in the past, but I don’t care what you do.
If you want to be a farmer, it’s okay with me.”
    He
gave her a quizzical look. “That’s a change.”
    “I
know. But I think I’ve been against it for so long that I’m objecting more out
of habit than anything else. It’s not so bad. Besides, I want you to be happy
and if farming makes you happy, that’s good enough for me.”
    “Truly?”
    She
nodded.
    He
brought one hand up to cup her chin. “ You make me happy,” he said and her
eyes slid shut as their lips met. She forgot all about the fireworks and the cold;
she forgot about everything except for the familiar feel of his mouth on hers.
    She
was breathless when they broke apart. He gave her a quick grin, then looped his
arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She felt a surge of contentment
as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
    They
watched the fireworks for a while, but April didn’t think he was paying any
more attention to them than she was. Her mind raced ahead. Her family would be
so happy; Emily would be over the moon. She felt a dart of guilty pleasure at
the thought of telling Tracie Brandenberg they were getting married.
    Whoa
… slow down. They had plenty of time; there was no need to skip right to the wedding.
    “What
made you change your mind?” Wade finally asked and chills shot through her at
the feel of his lips against her hair.
    “I
went to see Pastor John this morning and he helped me sort things out,” April
said. She shook her head. “Scott was right, we weren’t right for each other. I
think I knew it, but didn’t want to admit it. The pastor made me realize that sometimes
the thing you want isn’t the thing you’re supposed to have.”
    She
snuggled closer to him as a spray of gold and purple exploded in the valley.
They would definitely serve chocolate cake at the wedding.
    “So,
he called it off?” Wade asked.
    “Yeah,”
she lifted her face to his, impatient to get back to the kissing. “But, I’m
glad he did.”
    Wade
didn’t respond. He stared out across the valley, his jaw clenched.
    “What’s
wrong?” she ran her finger down the side of his