“Oh, that’s so sweet. They look like a really cute couple,”

“Yeah. Cute couple,” he said, his words coming out one at a time like he was choking on them.

“Well, before we got interrupted, you said you had a question to ask me?”

She sat there smiling expectantly. Did she know what he was going to ask? Was she assuming?

“Right… Well… I was just going to ask you… If you had any idea what time the spring festival starts?”

She sat there for a moment, her face falling slightly. “Oh. No, but I’m sure Julie knows. I can text her later.”

“Great.”

The awkward silence that hung between them was as thick as molasses. When the food came, they ate quietly, each of them avoiding eye contact and only talking about the food. How the rolls were nice and hot. How the soup was creamier than they’d imagined it would be. What had he done? He should’ve just popped the question when he had the chance. Now she was mad or sad or something.

William didn’t know what to do. If he proposed now, she was going to think that he was doing it forcibly. That he didn’t really want to but felt he had to. And it wouldn’t be the romantic gesture that he had planned. No matter how awkward it was, he had to find a different way to propose to her that would be something she would remember forever. A crummy, stupid restaurant wasn’t enough for her anyway. He was going to go big the next time.

Chapter 7

Julie walked into the bookstore to find Dixie sitting at the table, reading yet another Charlotte McLemore book. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be any customers in the store just yet since it was pretty early.

“Good morning,” Dixie said, hardly looking up.

“You’re reading another one?”

“Yes, I am. And I swear this one is better than the other one. I don’t know how she does it. She’s like a genius or something,” Dixie said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

“You’re such a fangirl.”

“So, did you read that book?”

Julie scrunched her nose and shook her head. “No. I tried last night but I got one page in, and I fell asleep on Dawson’s shoulder. He kept elbowing me, but it didn’t do any good. But I’m going to try to read some on my lunch break today.”

“Charlotte’s coming in just a few days. You’ve got to get it read or she’s going to know it. She’s going to realize that you didn’t like the book…”

“I never said I didn’t like it. I’m just exhausted. By the way, have you talked to Meg about the wedding for me?”

Dixie shrugged her shoulders. “I’m going to do that. I just got so caught up in this book last night that I totally forgot to call her again…”

Julie pulled the book out of her hand. “Young lady, you are not allowed to read anymore of this book until you get your chores done.”