Lib Novel Page 40
He nodded, his eyes solemn.
“You go first,” he told her.
“I’ll lead the way,” Jared offered.
When it was their turn at last, Cora followed Jared up, smiling when she saw that her friend, Sabrina, from school was there with a little girl who had to be the baby cousin she talked about non-stop at work.
Cora turned to introduce Sylvester, but he was still on the ground.
“I changed my mind,” he yelled to her. “Get a candy cane for me, okay?”
“We’ll just grab some hot cocoa,” Ginny called up. “You two have fun.”
Cora turned to Jared in dismay, but he was already sitting and everyone on the truck was staring at her like she was holding up the ride.
“Okay,” she called back down. “See you in a little while.”
As she contemplated the journey across the top of the truck to get to Jared she started feeling a little seasick herself. And they weren’t even moving yet.
“You’re okay,” Jared said, holding his arm out.
She went to him as quickly as she dared, not looking to either side, or down, her cheeks burning as she sat beside him.
She didn’t even mind when he wrapped an arm around her.
“Breathe,” he whispered.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. In spite of everything going on around them, she felt better instantly once she was concentrating on her breathing. Each breath was filled with Jared’s reassuring scent. She felt entirely surrounded and protected by him.
After a moment, she opened her eyes.
“I’m okay,” she said, feeling embarrassed.
“Have a candy cane,” Santa Claus boomed from his seat beside them, giving her a friendly smile. “If you get carsick, it will settle your tummy.”
“Thank you,” she said, tucking it into her pocket for Sylvester.
“You’re saving that for Sylvester, aren’t you?” Jared asked.
She nodded.
“You can have mine,” Jared told her, handing it over. “For being so brave.”
“Thank you,” she told him, smiling now. “I know you’re joking, but I’m definitely going to eat this.”
He unwrapped it for her and she broke off a piece and handed him back the rest.
The sweet, bright taste of the candy settled her, as promised. When the truck lurched forward a moment later, she was feeling fine enough to wave to Sylvester and Ginny, who had run up to the top of the little amphitheater by the library to see them off.
She nearly winced at the idea of Ginny seeing Jared’s arm around her. But the older woman just smiled and waved to them without an ounce of judgement on her face.
She turned to say hello to Sabrina, who was on the opposite side, but the sirens started up again, ending any possibility of conversation, so the two of them just waved and laughed.
She recognized a few other people from town as well, and they all had smiles of approval for her and Jared.
“Everyone smiles at me when I’m with you,” Jared murmured into her ear.
A happy tingle went through her. It felt good to be out in town by Jared’s side, knowing that all these people were seeing them together and accepting the idea of them as a couple.