Sprinkle All The Way (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 29

twenty-nine

NOAH

Eventually I lost track of time after Christmas Eve morning, but spending several uninterrupted days with Violet was more than I could have hoped for. Unfortunately for Simon, we spent most of the week naked, making up for lost time. I think we lost power at one point, but I was too busy spending all my time wrapped up in her to notice. In turn, she took her time marking all my tattoos like I did to hers, as I learned what spots on her body elicited moans or giggles. We exchanged gifts on Christmas, me giving her several of my sweaters and her giving me a box of all the notes I had left her over the years. She found it in one of her boxes, and I almost cried when I saw them all together.

Yesterday, we finally managed to make it downstairs to bake the sugar cookies for the make-up event. All the stress I had from the previous month was nonexistent with Violet by my side. Between batches I managed to sneak a few orgasms in for her, which I wish I was doing right now. But seeing her beam like a shining star while surrounded by her family at the festival will have to do.

She’s helping Ava decorate a sugar cookie as I stand off to the side with Jacob and Iris. The family from the first night at the festival passes by and waves at me before grabbing cookies for themselves. It takes me a second to wave, because no one ever waves at me. It seems like the ending of the snowstorm must have put everyone in a good mood. We didn’t end up winning the window decoration contest, but we’ve gotten multiple compliments on it and people seem excited for the shop to open.

“Did you ask her to stay?” Jacob nudges me, taking me out of my train of thought.

“Violet?” I ask, clarifying he didn’t mean the woman I was waving to.

“Yes, who else would I be talking about?” He rolls his eyes.

“Shut up, Jacob. I told you not to ask unless Violet said anything first,” Iris whisper-yells, hitting her husband in the arm.

“Well, too bad, I’m asking,” he tells her, turning to me. “Did you ask her?”

“Do I have to?” I ask him, narrowing my eyes.

Jacob rolls his eyes again. “Take it from me, always ask. Even if she doesn’t act like she wants you to, she does. Trust me,” he finishes with finality nodding toward his wife.

Iris rolls her eyes, but the upturn of her mouth tells me he’s probably been through something similar with her before.

I don’t have time to reply before Ava comes running over with a cookie covered in frosting and sprinkles, Violet close behind her.

The second she’s next to me, her hand finds mine and my heartbeat picks up slightly. No matter how many times I touch her I still get excited by that first touch. Jacob glances at our hands and then at me while Violet is distracted by a conversation with her sister.

Leaning closer to her, I whisper, “Take a walk with me? ”

“Okay,” she says. “We’ll be right back.” She turns to tell her family.

I lead her through the crowd to find a more private area to talk to her. I’ve floated around the idea of asking her to stay, but I’ve been too scared that she might say no. Part of me was hoping that I wouldn’t have to ask, but that talk with Jacob confirms that I need to take that chance. It looks like it’s going to have to wait another minute as I see Bernice approaching us.

She stops right in front of us, with the widest smile on her face. “It’s so nice to see you two smiling together. I wanted to find you and apologize for any ill will I’ve sent your way. Thank you for donating the cookies for the contest. I’m looking forward to visiting the shop once you have it open,” she tells me.

“Thank you,” I stutter, not sure what else to say.

She nods, lips tight together in a thin line. Right as she’s about to turn, Violet speaks from next to me.

“Also, I wanted to let you know Noah was never arrested. He was just helping a girl get away from a bar fight. And we’ll set aside some cookies for you at the shop,” she smiles, but her eyes say ‘fuck you, Bernice’ and I hold back a laugh at how proud I am to call this woman my other half.

“Good to know, enjoy the festival,” she says quickly before disappearing into the crowd.

I glance over at Violet who is looking at me with the widest grin on her face. I don’t understand what’s in the air today to have everyone all of the sudden like me.

“That was weird, right? Her coming up to us?” I ask her.

“No. It was normal,” she says, rolling her eyes at me. “That’s what happens when people like you.”

“Really?” I can’t help but wonder if there could be another reason behind Bernice being so nice to me.

“Really. You’ve worked hard this last month. I’m so proud of you,” she says, throwing her arms around my neck and pulling me closer to her. “Accept that people see you now. Plus now that she knows that you weren’t arrested the whole town will know by the end of the day.”

“Fine. And thank you,” I reply, grabbing her face and kissing her quickly. “I did have a few things I wanted to talk to you about, actually.”

“All good things I hope,” she says, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me close.

“Of course. Now that the festival is over and I’m all set to open the shop, you don’t really have a reason to keep hanging out there with me. But I was hoping, instead of going to your parents or the city, would you stay here with me?” I pause briefly to gauge her reaction, and see her eyes crinkle from how wide her lips have gone. “I want you to work with me. And move in with me. And never leave my side again in general, if that’s okay with you?” I rush out the last part before I get ahead of myself and propose to her.

She squeals, jumping into my arms the best she can from our current position. I wrap my arms under her butt, allowing for her legs to meet behind my back. She starts kissing any part of skin that’s not covered by some type of winter clothing, saying “yes, yes, yes” between each kiss. A small part of me hopes she’s leaving behind red marks from her lipstick.

When her lips finally reach my mouth I cup her cheek and hold her close, tasting sugar cookies and the future.