The wordradiantjumped into my head, and although I knew it was more often used to describe women, it was perfect for the grin on his lips as we pedaled. Looking happier and more relaxed than he had since he’d arrived back in town, he really seemed to be enjoying himself.
When we stopped outside the drug store a little while later, I swore I saw a spark of pure, childlike joy in his eyes. “Here?”
“Yep. Do you remember the cheap candy we’d buy every time any of us had some allowance?” I asked as we parked our bikes on the rack. “Those are some of my best memories.”
He laughed as he glanced at the storefront that had looked exactly the same for as far back as I could remember. “I remember scouting around for loose change people dropped outside the store, and when I’d get enough pennies and nickels together, I’d come in to buy us all candy even when I didn’t have any allowance.”
“So that’s how you always used to have some money left over for candy,” I mused, smiling as I shook my head. “I thought you had some kind of secret stash or maybe a snack-money superpower. Heaven knows I never held on to my allowance for long enough to be able to afford any more toward the end of the week.”
A soft tinkle rang out when he opened the door. He smiled up at the old brass bell hanging above it. “God, it’s like time stood still in here.”
“Isn’t it awesome?” I adored this place, and not just because of the fond memories I had of coming here when we’d been kids. It was one of those familiar comforts, and I was hoping that he’d feel the same way.
As I preceded him into the store, I hooked an immediate right to the candy aisle and picked out a chocolate bar I knew he used to favor. Then I grabbed a lollipop for myself. I paid for them before Colt could even reach for his wallet.
“They cost much more now,” he commented as I handed him the candy. Outside, we unwrapped our choices and he devoured his chocolate, nodding and looking a bit like the boy he used to be. But then, once he’d swallowed his last bite, the boyishness vanished as he watched me with the lollipop.
A flush instantly heated my cheeks, and I yanked it out of my mouth to use it to point at the bicycle. “Okay, we’re done here. Let’s go.”
He ambled back to his bike but shot a confused frown my way as he got back on. “Wasn’t this your favorite place? I was kind of hoping we were going back home now.”
“So you could give me a different kind of lollipop?” I joked, and he shrugged a shoulder as he smirked at me.
“Well, I mean, I could. You’re the one who suggested it. Just remember that.”
“I see what you’re doing, mister, but playing that ‘oh, look, you came up with it yourself’ game isn’t going to work on me. Besides, this was just a pitstop, not our final destination.”
He groaned. “Fuck. Now I feel like watching that movie. Do you think Blockbuster still has it?”
“Final Destination?” I grinned, lowering my chin before I waggled my eyebrows at him. “They would if Blockbuster still existed. And look who’s getting back into the spirit of enjoying the simple things, like riding bikes, eating chocolate, and renting a movie at the end of a day.”
“It’s a nice break from reality. I’ll give you that much,” he said. “Okay, so where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” I repeated the sentiment from earlier and got on my bike, taking off and laughing when I heard him curse and scramble to catch me.
In short succession, we visited a playground we used to play on as kids and a small farmers’ market that had come to town after Colt had left. He let out a low whistle as we walked down the aisle, and I could tell he was enjoying himself based on the big goofy grin on his face again.
“Wow. Rockdale has really upped its fresh food game. This is amazing. Are they really all locals?”
“Born and bred either in our county or one of our neighbors. It’s so cool that they’ve all gotten together here to sell directly to the public. I get almost all my food from here these days. Teddy and Scott do, too.”
“I don’t get to farmers’ markets as often as I’d like, but I think if I still lived here, I’d have gotten my stuff from here as well. Farm fresh just tastes better.”
A flutter went up in my stomach.It’s working. He’s considering what he might’ve liked if he still lived here.
As far I knew, he hadn’t even considered what he liked about the town before he’d left. When we approached our next stop, he lit up.
“The movie theater. God, I can’t even remember how many matinees we watched here that summer.”
“I don’t remember, either. There were too many other things going on during the movies to have kept count of how many we sat through.” We’d been too busy making out to pay much attention to what was happening on the screen.
Hoping to repeat one of those hot make-out sessions, I bought our tickets, waving him off when he tried to pay. “It’s my treat. You’ve flashed your money around enough these last few weeks.”
Thankfully, my little joke didn’t seem to hit a sore spot. Instead, he laughed and shook his head. “I wasn’t flashing anything around. It was for the wedding, but okay. Thank you. It’s been a long time since anyone has treated me to something.”
“Get used to it,” I said as I took his arm and led him into the theater. “I may not be a millionaire, but for however long you’re here and we’re spending time together, I’m going to insist on splitting expenses with you.”
He blinked hard, then looked at me like he wasn’t quite sure if I was real. “You’re something else, Em. In the best way possible, you really are nothing like any of the women I’ve met since I left here.”