Falling for Ezra Thomas (Life With the Thomas Brothers #4)

10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Lorelai

Sweet and Salty has been transformed into something from a fairy tale. The whole town is either inside or mingling in the street out front. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how small Coldstone Creek is, then someone goes and gets engaged, and it’s a big affair with everyone from the mayor to the shop owners on Main Street in attendance.

Vivien smiles and tries to be cordial for both Beck and herself, but her fiancé has almost shut down. This is ten times more than Beck’s comfort level can manage, which proves that the party was a distraction for his mother.

“He’s miserable,” Ezra says and adjusts his tie. “You know how he feels about all of this attention.”

“Yeah, I know. I wish we could rescue them, but it’s their party. I think your mom needed the distraction.” I look up at him and sip my water.

Ezra scrunches his nose. “I know. I wish I could have changed the timing of everything, but the Army doesn’t answer to me. Totally unrelated, you are gorgeous. Have I mentioned that?” He grins and looks me over once more, taking in my green dress. He toys with one of my meticulously crafted waves and sighs. “I want to dance with you all night, but…”

I lower my gaze and try not to cry. “I know. You need to get some rest. Early morning and all.”

Ezra tips my chin back and kisses me while the town chatter fades in the background. I melt into his embrace once again, clinging to what time we have before it’s all ripped away. I try to imprint the feel of him in my mind, something to think about when he’s nowhere to be found and I need one of these hugs.

“Wish I could stuff you in my bag and take you with me.”

I giggle. “That sounds a little homicidal. Come on. You can walk me home.”

Ezra looks around. “There’s still another hour left in the party. Should I stay longer? I don’t want to upset Viv and Beck.”

“I have a feeling people will understand. Maybe we’ll let Viv and Beck know, and if they want us to stay then we’ll hang out a big longer.”

He groans but concedes and leads me toward our siblings. Viven catches my gaze and furrows her brow, her gaze dodging between Mrs. Kilmer and me. This is a plead for help if I’ve ever seen one, only, I’m trying to escape with my boyfriend to steal some time with him before he has to leave. I can’t do both, but my options disappear when Mrs. Kilmer turns her head and her gaze lands on me.

“Lorelai!” Mrs. Kilmer says and opens her arms wide.

Oh no. Ezra’s grip on me tightens, but it’s too late. We got too close, and now we’re all stuck in the orbit this woman creates with a few well-placed compliments and sweet smiles. Somehow, she manages to get us tangled into more town events than anyone can survive, but if that’s the worst thing I can say about her, then it’s not so awful.

Ezra knows we’re not going anywhere now and settles in beside me.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages. You didn’t attend the Christmas pageant or the party at the Thomas’ this year,” Mrs. Kilmer says.

Ezra’s gaze lowers. He knows why, but I don’t want him to be upset about it anymore. I squeeze his hand and rub my thumb over the back of his knuckles. “I was really busy, but I’m glad to see you here. How is your family doing?”

“Oh, well you’ve met my sister, Maude, right?” she asks. I nod so I don’t get sixty years of backstory and she waves her hand. “Well, she got scammed by one of those email things the other day. I tried to tell her that no one wanted to give her a thousand dollars for taking a survey, but she didn’t listen to me. Now she’s…” Mrs. Kilmer’s voice fades into the background as my mind goes on the fritz.

Ezra runs his thumb up and down my wrist, making me woozy. I’m beginning to understand how my sister got sucked into her relationship with Beck so fast. These men, when they know what they want, do not waste time staking their claim and settling in for the long haul. However, on this particular occasion, there are a lot more question marks and things to consider before falling in love with a man who will never let me go.

By the time Mrs. Kilmer has given me the rundown on every family member she has from here to Nebraska, the crowd has thinned out and given us some breathing room. Mayor Kilmer relinquishes his hold over Joe, the grocer, and sets his sights on us. Rather than get caught in another half hour conversation, Ezra yawns and glances around.

“Wow, looks like the food is almost gone. We should help Mom set out some more,” he says and tugs me away from our captors.

“Oh, darn. We were just getting to the good part,” Mrs. Kilmer says. “Oh well, do be sure to stop by my office soon, Lorelai. We should get coffee and catch up sometime. Bring your sister and mother along.”

Oh heavens. When Vivien and I were little girls, our mother would bring us with her when she had coffee meetings with Mrs. Kilmer. The woman always means well, but she can keep a conversation going for ages. Mom used us as excuses to get out of the meeting when it went too long.

“Of course. I’ll ask Mom when she’s free. You’ll have to excuse me though. I need to take care of that thinning table.” I smile my brightest and manage to escape when she sets her sights on Vivien again.

“Let’s go before someone else catches us. I texted Beck. He said run, but I owe him one, whatever that means.” Ezra slides his hand up my inner arm and grasps my bicep, not allowing me one inch of space between us as he directs us back into the kitchen.

Once hidden from everyone, he slips his suit jacket off and drapes it over my shoulders.

“I have my jacket here. It’s just out on—”

“Not a chance you’re going back through that way,” he says. “They’ll catch you and we’ll never get out of here. I want to spend time with you alone before I have to leave.”

He shoves open the back door and takes my hand again. The world spins around and makes me dizzy when he twirls me in place and presses my back against the brick of his mother’s bakery. Here in the alley, dimly lit by a fading street lamp, the noise from inside is a dull hum. I’m cozy enough wrapped in his jacket and his arms as little puffs of breath fade into the night air.

“Kiss me, sweet girl,” he whispers before kissing along my jaw.

“Is that the only reason you brought me out here in such a hurry? I thought you wanted to walk me home and talk to me,” I tease.

“Kiss first, talk later,” he says and presses his lips to mine.

I’m going to be miserable. I know the moment this man gets in the car and drives away from me, my heart will break and I’ll spend my nights missing him, missing this. We should be in the euphoric phase of dating right now, enjoying every second of this newfound attraction while we work out how our relationship will go. The biggest decision we should have to make at this point is where to go for dinner, not where we’ll find pretty stationery to write to one another while he’s gone.

Ezra pulls back and stares down at me. “Are you okay? Should I stop?”

I lower my gaze and bite my lip. “No, I want to kiss you, but I know what comes tomorrow, and I hate it,” I admit.

He palms my cheek and brushes a tear from under my eye. “I hate it too. I feel like I barely have a grasp on this and it might get yanked away while I’m gone.”

“I meant it when I said I wanted to do this, Ez. I’m just going to miss you so much, and I’m already spiraling because of quitting my job.”

“I’m sorry I have to leave. I wish things were different, but I can’t change it.”

I sigh and relax further against the wall. “I know, but if this is something you have prayed about and are convicted to do, then who am I to tell you that you shouldn’t for my sake? It’s unfair to be selfish about this merely because it’s a bad time for me.”

Ezra stands straight as if I’ve kicked him. “Is this too much for you right now? Am I…am I pushing you into something you don’t want or aren’t ready for?”

“No, no that’s not it. Please don’t think that. I’m only afraid like you are, that’s all.”

He leans against the wall with one arm and rests his forehead against mine. “I promise you the whole time I’m gone, I will be thinking about you, praying about our relationship, and investing in what our future can be when I get back. I realize that might be intimidating, but you’ll just have to talk to Vivien about it and get used to being relentlessly pursued, Lorelai Mays. Don’t forget, I’m as driven as you are when I set my mind on a goal.”

His breath is minty like the soft peppermint candies his mother stocked in crystal bowls on every table. I have no idea how many he’s eaten, but the sweetness washes over me and offers a sort of odd calmness I desperately need. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck, drawing him as near as possible.

“Kiss me so I can’t forget this moment while you’re gone,” I whisper and leave myself in his hands. I trust him. I care about him. And more than anything, I want to believe him when he says he’s all in with me.

I have hope now, a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, and if I’m lucky, the rest of my life will sort itself out in the coming weeks. I want to be ready for dating a Thomas brother and all that comes with it, so I set my sights on getting through one day at a time, taking it as God lays out the groundwork.

In the meantime, I kiss him and let all of my troubles wash away. His gentle movements prove that letting go isn’t a foolish action, but maybe the best decision I’ve made in a long time. My whole life has been full speed ahead, but now, the slow sweetness of his kisses soothes me, comforts me, and gives me the support I need to face tomorrow without him.