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16. Isabel
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FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 16.1
I’d have to address the shorts with Mom another time. “So what are you doing here?”Mom had a seat on the recliner and we waited while she mashed all the buttons on the side and finally got the leg rest to come up. “Pam called me. We’re besties now, by the way. Boston is an absolute bear, apparently. Pam got the whole story out of him, right before she boxed his ears for being a dimwit and made him late for work.”My heart ached just hearing his name. I hated to hear he was suffering, even though he deserved it. “Again, I ask. What are you doing here?”Mom scoffed. “I’m here to offer you my shoulder to cry on, of course.Or, if your date with Chad went well, we can party!”“Date with Chad?” Ashley piped up, crossing her arms over her chest like she was hurt at my omission. “You didn’t tell me that part.”I rolled my eyes and plopped down on the couch. “I just didn’t get to it yet.”Ashley leaned over and sniffed my arm. “Why do you smell like hotdogs?”My eyes went wide as I sniffed m
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 17. Boston
I spent the better part of the week after El and I parted ways completely miserable. The worst part was that it wasn’t like ripping off a Band-Aid. She didn’t walk away from me and then leave me to nurse my wounds alone. She walked right back into my life every single day when I went over to the Cunning Ham after a full day at West Wines to help Mom.It wasn’t her fault. El worked there. And I was glad—she was a phenomenal wine hostess and made more sales from behind the counter than I ever could have. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do when we turned her loose on the unsuspected restaurants around here. But I wasn’t going to be at her side to celebrate with her.And that hurt.What hurt more was the way she utterly ignored me every evening when I arrived, literally turning away as if I didn’t even exist. She laughed and chatted with everyone who came through the door as if her life was just peachy, as if we hadn’t shared anything, as if none of it mattered to her.Meanwhile, I mope
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 17.1
“Yes. So you’ll go?” “Fine. Yes.”“Can you paint me a little flowerpot to put out front, please? And don’t just smear it with paint like you did with that one in third grade. Put a little effort into it.”I picked up the case of wine I’d come back here to get. “You said you loved that pot.”“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. You were only eight. But you really phoned that one in.”“Nice, Mom.”She smiled and batted her eyes at me, and I spun, ready to push back out to face the ever-ebullient El as she studiously ignored me some more. “Be there at noon.”I sighed and spent the rest of the night trying not to stare wistfully at the beautiful girl who hated me as she laughed and talked like she didn’t have a care in the world. My week had been horrible without her, but I was having trouble believing hers had been anything but great. The only bright point was when Chad called to tell me she was all mine.“She’s a fun girl,” he’d said. “Just not my type.”“Why’s that?”“Mostly because s
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 18- Isabel
I didn’t see anything. Couldn’t hear anything. I was walking out the door like a scared little chicken, too overwhelmed by what Boston had just shared to function properly. And let’s face it, I was Isabel Watson, the bumbling blonde with coordination issues and a surprisingly long streak of bad luck. That was my only explanation for what happened next.My shoulder hit the side of the doorframe and the impact jarred my teeth loose. It also jarred loose the teeth on my zip up sports bra. I spun in a full circle due to the impact, during which time my girls felt their restraints fall away and headed for a hasty escape as the zipper gave. My arms came up to cross over the front of my chest and I ran into another wall. This time the wall was Boston. His eyes peered down at me, looking so concerned it further melted that wall of ice I’d been trying to build around my heart. I wanted to look down to assess the situation, but I didn’t dare. It was bad. I could feel the sides of the bra poking
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 19- Boston
“This pot is not exactly what I had in mind,” Mom complained as I heaved the gigantic thing out of the back of my car outside the winery the next day. “You’re kidding, right? The painting place girl told me you picked it out yourself.” I stared at my mother, trying to decide if I was more aggravated about the pot or about the meddling attempt to push El back into my armswhen she clearly wasn’t ready.“I did. I just, I really thought you’d put a bit more effort into paintingit.”“What was your goal in sending me there, Mom? To get a painted pot,or to get El and I to talk?”Mom frowned. “Both. But the pot would have been nice to have when people show up for the festival this weekend.”“The festival is about wine and food, not gargantuan pots. What are you going to put in this thing, anyway?”Mom shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought something grand, something to really make a statement might be required. No one knows usyet, and I want them to see that we
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 19.1
“It’s just . . . I mean, it’s not very you.”I set down a folding chair and stood up to look my brother in the eye. “Right. And I think that’s the answer. I’ve been too me this whole time.”“Uh, sure.”“No, you’re right. I’m the problem. I’m uptight and hard driving. I never just stop and enjoy the view, because I’m always worried about letting something fall, letting someone down. I think it’s time to be less me. I’m going to let it all go and take a chance.”Lincoln looked skeptical, but he didn’t say anything else.El arrived just after nine, looking adorable with her hair pulled into a ponytail and her polo shirt tucked into a short khaki skirt. Ashley was at her side, and as they walked past me in the parking lot, El gave me a soft smile and Ashley leaned behind her and offered me a dramatic wink.I smiled at El and tried not to encourage Ashley, who’d been so enthusiastic on the phone when I’d called to ask for her help, that I was still concerned I might have a burst eardrum.I
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 20- Isabel
The sunshine, my bestie, and the taco I’d just inhaled were giving me new life. Sure, it was awkward and painful seeing Boston every time I turned around, but I was starting to feel less sad and more frustrated with myself. Why couldn’t I just forgive him already? He said he was sorry, he’d begged me to forgive him, and I was still holding on to a grudge.“I think I might be a grudge holder, Ash,” I announced as I swallowed another bite of taco.She snorted. “Are you just now figuring that out?”“Hey! You’re supposed to be my best friend.” If the shredded beef taco hadn’t been so good, I might have thrown the last bite at her.“I am your best friend, dummy, that’s why I’m agreeing with your assessment. Remember when Samantha passed you a note to pass to Thomas Sax in third grade and you got in trouble for it?”“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I had to do an extra book report all because that little twerp wanted attention from a boy who ate glue.” I got worked upjust thinking about it. I hated
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 20.1
A flicker of recognition sprang to life in me, and my stomach clenched. “Oh no,” I muttered. I had a bad feeling about things. This was sounding a lot like what happened with me and Chad at the wine festival. To everyone else, this was just a rag-tag theater production, but I could sense something bigger happening up on that stage.The pig took the mannequin’s hand and her arm fell off. The audience gasped and Boston scrambled to pop it back on. From behind me, poor Frank bellowed something I couldn’t quite make out. Boston successfully got the arm back on and cleared his throat, clearly determined to continue this truly horrific play.“Allow me to woo you, lovely maiden?”Well, there was a blast from the past. I hadn’t heard the word “woo” in a while. But there was no time to consider it because the play marched on.“I am willing to be wooed,” the mannequin said.Mom, Dalton, and Lincoln all reached below their chairs and picked up signs that had been lying face down on the stage. Mo
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FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 72- Dalton
Me: Guys, we need your help. Rae is leasing the Chest R. Cheeses next month and I’m going to need some muscles to get it into shape for her studio. Can I count on you to help?Lincoln: Dude. I’m almost finished with Hannah’s cottage. I’m practically a general contractor by now.Dillon: Well, I would, but I don’t live here. Maybe I can squeeze in a weekend?Boston: Of course we’ll help. But first, I need to get everyone together for an announcement before Dillon flies out. Can you make it to the winery at seven tonight?Everyone agreed to meet, but I was more focused on the fact that they agreed to help Rae and me. Now that we were back together and better than ever, I wanted to get her set up in her new space as soon as possible. Her business was exploding, especially after someone posted a snippet of the flash mob on TikTok yesterday. Fans were going berserk about us being together in real life.My phone rang and I picked it up, even though I didn’t recognize the number. Quite frankl
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 71- Raeanne
For two days after the flash mob, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Every time I closed my eyes, Dalton was there, dancing and singing with half of Solano Creek. It was the perfect gesture, and I’d heard there was stiff competition between the Cunningham boys when it came to romantic gestures. And every time I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing, my hand found the little gold key around my neck.We’d gone to dinner after the flash mob, along with Dalton’s family and mine, and the little Italian place we’d chosen had given us all free appetizers when they learned we were the ones who’d been dancing and singing out on the promenade.And after dinner? I’d gone home with Dalton after picking a few things up at my place. And so far, I hadn’t exactly left. We agreed it was too early to make big decisions, so no one was giving up an apartment or anything. Not yet. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to spend every second I could with the man I knew I was meant to find.“You look ha
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 70- Dalton
I didn’t know how Rae did it. Stepping up on stage for dance performances every few months growing up. I thought for sure I’d puke just getting everything set up for my make-or-break moment at the Promenade. If I thought about actually having to dance in front of everyone at the end of this ill-thought-out shindig, I just might lose my breakfast.“Don’t jack it up now, brother,” Dillon clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a shake. “Dude, you look a little green.”I didn’t like the way he was peering at me, like I’d grown a second head. “You try throwing it all on the line for a girl with everyone you know—and people you don’t know—watching you. You’d be a little green around the gills too.”Dillon flinched back. “Yeah, no. No way would I do that for a girl. Nope. The trend stops with you three.”He had a valid reason for concern. Us Cunningham brothers were notorious for putting on quite the spectacle to get the girl. When I’d hatched the original plan with Lincoln, it had grown leg
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 69- Raeanne
The days felt like they were dragging by. Like the kind of dragging weighed down by heartbreak and disappointment, by uncertainty and a little bit of self-loathing thrown in for good measure. The glass on the front of the studio hadn’t been fixed. I’d spoken to three glass shops and the landlord of the building, and evidently there was some kind of glass shortage in Solano Creek.“All those wine bottles we make here,” the landlord surmised.“I doubt that’s it,” I told him, pacing my apartment again. I could see a faint track worn into the brown rug where I’d been pacing regularly for days. Soon I’d probably go right through the floor. I needed to dance. I needed my life back.And I didn’t know if I needed him, but I really wanted Dalton. But my pride was still up and every time I picked up the phone I ended up talking myself back into anger. He didn’t understand me. And if this had been bad, it would only get worse if we dragged this thing out.Or that’s what I’d been telling myself r
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 68- Dalton
Twinkle Toes: I think so.I shut the screen off and tossed the phone on my nightstand. I couldn’t look at it any longer. I’d stared at our last text exchange so many times over the last few days I had the whole conversation memorized. Staring at it didn’t make the pain go away, nor did it provide answers as to what had gone so epically wrong. I mean, that had to be some kind of relationship crash and burn record right there. From I love you’s to broken up in twenty-four hours. Maybe Rae was right. I should probably stick to the light and funny stuff. Leave the grown up, complicated adult things for everybody else who could clearly handle them better.I was late for work, but who would really care? Boston was still on his honeymoon and Leslie was probably organizing his tackle box for the inevitable fishing trip right after his retirement party. My phone vibrated and my heart decided to gallop out of my chest, thinking it was Rae. But it wasn’t. Probably would never be again.Dillon Th
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 67- Raeanne
Inside my apartment I sank heavily onto the little couch I’d inherited from my grandmother. The cheery floral pattern was completely at odds with my mood. I leaned back into the dusty embrace of the yellow roses, my spine releasing some of the indignant tension I’d been holding there.What had Dalton been thinking? Was my studio a complete joke to him? How could he expect me to just pick up the whole thing and drop it down into the center of a Chest R. Cheeses? The place had been a total circus. I could still hear the shrieks of kids screaming over the maniacal music they’d piped in to float above the roar of the arcade machines.I was a classically trained ballerina. And while I didn’t expect Dalton to understand all the various implications of that and what it meant to me—about me—I did think he had respect for what I did. For the fact that I was running an actual business, and doing it increasingly well.But maybe I’d been wrong. Both Dalton and my dad had decided I couldn’t contin
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 66- Dalton
The rollercoaster of emotions over the last twenty-four hours had me up at dawn, energy crackling in my veins when I should have been sleeping in and enjoying my weekend. After we got Rae’s studio cleaned up last night, she’d gone home to her place, stating she was incredibly tired and needed rest. She’d been so busy with teaching and hiring, and now the added stress of a break-in, I didn’t push her to stay at my place. Plus, her parents were standing right there and I didn’t think that would make the best first impression. But her parents were on my mind now.I’d had an epiphany somewhere around three in the morning as I lay in bed trying to sleep. I’d gotten Rae into this mess by choosing her videos to duet to win my bet. I needed to get her out of this mess. The guilt of being the impetus for all of this would eat me alive if I didn’t make things right. I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t make her suddenly less TikTok famous. The only thing I could do was protect her goi
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 65- Raeanne
I’d never been the sappy type, not really. Sure, I could get a little choked up listening to music or when the corner bakery got the devil’s food exactly right. But this was different. As the Cunningham brothers proceeded down the center aisle with El’s bridesmaids on their arms, a little knot of emotion formed in my throat.Lincoln and Hannah went first, then Dillon and El’s friend Ashley. Dalton appeared next at the end of that long aisle, and my heart expanded inside my chest. He walked El’s friend Gigi down the aisle, but his eyes found mine in the crowd, and held fast nearly the entire time. When he took his place at the front, near the arch of white flowers, I realized I’d been holding my breath, and I let it go just in time to turn back to see El stepping out from the back and to the head of the aisle, her mother Robin at her side. El looked gorgeous—glowing and bright, her hair curled and shiny, and her dress was a satin sheath clearly made just for her. She gazed around, but
FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING 64 - Dalton
I adjusted the fancy tie around my neck for maybe the hundredth time that morning, unsure if my nerves were for Boston and El, the best man’s speech I’d need to give at the reception, or because I intended to man up and tell Rae exactly how I felt about her today. So many times over the last week, it had been right there on the tip of my tongue. The three little words that seemed so inadequate for what was going on inside my chest whenever I was around her, or thought of her, or caught a sweet jasmine scent that reminded me of her body lotion I was obsessed with. I hadn’t been looking for her, but she’d danced her way into my heart nonetheless.Was it too early to tell her I loved her? I mean, we’d only been dating for just shy of a month, but it wasn’t so much the time, it was the depth of what we’d shared. We were working on a shared goal, each of us supporting the other. To her, I wasn’t just the funny guy. Everything about us together was just plain nice. Maybe the word nice wasn’
