Read Feels Like Love for Free Online Page B

arched windows, turrets, and even a princess leaning out of
a tower. Her grocery list included ice cream cones, sugar cubes, licorice, and
lots and lots of blue m&ms for the moat. There had already been a heated
argument between Emily and Trevor on whether a Barbie could stand in for the
princess or if all the elements had to be edible.
    Scott
looked up from his computer and whistled. “Pretty fancy. Will it be big enough
for a Barbie?”
    “She
won’t get to use one anyway,” Trevor insisted. “She’ll get disqualified.”
    “No,
I won’t,” Emily said stubbornly. “Tell him, April.”
    “I’m
really not sure, Em,” April hedged. “Maybe we can call Paisley; she’s in charge
this year.”
    “It’s
going to be so cool,” Emily’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t forget the cookies for the drawbridge,”
she told April.
    They
went over the list one more time and April tore the paper from the notebook. “Want
to come shopping with me, Scott?” She stood behind him and ran her fingers under
the collar of his shirt.
    He
captured her hand and kissed her palm. “I’d better stay; I need to finish this
chapter.”
    “Okay.
Can I take your car?”
    She
felt him tense. “What’s wrong with the van?”
    “It’s
kind of big and …” April faltered. “Never mind. Forget it,” she said quickly.
    He
turned back to his work. “Be safe.”
     
    April
moved slowly up and down the aisles at Dove’s, gathering the supplies on the
list and stopping for a few minutes of small talk with people she knew. The
store wasn’t particularly crowded, but even so, she was surprised by all the
strange faces. Once she’d known almost everyone in town. Of course, many of the
shoppers were probably tourists. The thought made her feel better, like she
hadn’t strayed too far from home.
    The
checkout clerk had bright red hair from a bottle and was wearing too much
makeup. It took April a minute to recognize her.
    “Tracie?”
    They
were classmates, but not friends. During their senior year, Tracie had made a
play for Wade and her tactics included showing up uninvited to his house, grabbing
the seat next to him at lunch, and flirting with him constantly. April knew
Wade’s heart and wasn’t worried. Still, Tracie quickly became irritating. There
were never any direct confrontations between them, but always an undercurrent
of resentment and annoyance coming from both sides.
    “Hey,
April,” Tracie said in a bored and faintly chilly tone. “Home for Christmas, I
guess?”
    “Yes,
and Emily talked me into doing a gingerbread house,” April gestured to the full
basket on the conveyer belt.
    Tracie
began pulling items out of the basket. “I heard you got engaged,” she said, as
she dragged the groceries across the scanner. “When’s the big day?”
    “In
the spring.” April regretted buying so much stuff; this would take forever. She
did not want to stand around making small talk with Tracie Brandenberg. “So,
what have you been up to?” she finally asked.
    “The
usual,” Tracie shrugged. “Working a lot.” She paused and then continued with a
small smirk. “Wade and I are going out; I don’t know if you heard.”
    April
digested this news. He was seeing Tracie Brandenberg? Well, it didn’t matter. He
could see whoever he wanted.
    But
… Tracie Brandenberg?
    “Oh,”
she found her voice. “I didn’t know you two were a couple.”
    Tracie
slid a package of rainbow sprinkles slowly over the scanner. “Yep. For a while
now.”
    Why
did her chest suddenly feel so tight? April couldn’t think of anything else to
say, so she stood in awkward silence while Tracie finished ringing up her groceries.
It seemed like an eternity before everything was bagged.
    “I
guess I’ll see you around,” April said, taking her receipt. Miraculously, her
voice was steady.
    “Yep,
see ya,” Tracie turned to her next customer.
    April
heaved the bags into the van and stomped around to climb in the driver’s side.
She sat for a while