As the day was coming to an end and the sun began sinking below the hills around them, people began to arrive. They brought their folding chairs and began gathering into little groups, already in the party spirit. It wasn’t long afterward that employees from the store came out and set up three long tables end to end, then began carrying out tray after tray of crown-shaped sugar cookies with yellow icing. Then they added another couple of tables a short distance away with hot coffee and cold pop.

The closer it came to sundown, the more people arrived, until the parking lot was full and people were walking in from the streets. Between the party-like atmosphere and the kids running about, the place was a minefield of energy.

Sully and Melissa were sitting on one of the exterior benches outside the supermarket, drinking coffee and eating cookies when Elliot Graham walked up with a cookie in his hand.

“May I join you?” he asked.

“We’d love it!” Melissa said, and scooted down a bit so Elliot had plenty of room to sit.

Pleased with his venture out into a public forum, Elliot sat down beside Sully and took a bite of the cookie.

“Mmmm,” he said. “I taste a hint of citrus in the cookie. Lemon, I believe.”

“I think I chewed and swallowed mine too fast to get anything but sweet,” Sully said. “But they sure are good.”

“Agreed,” Elliot said, but his eyes were sparkling as he looked around at all the people. “I am amazed at such a crowd. I don’t think I knew there were this many people in Blessings.”

“Some of them are rural customers,” Melissa said, then pointed to a couple near the cookie table. “There’s Jake and Laurel Lorde. They don’t live in Blessings. And that’s their daughter, Bonnie, between them.”

“Amazing,” Elliot said. “My hesitation to mingle has only exacerbated the isolation I’d put myself in. I need to do better. I think I have been missing out.”

“And I’m just learning what Blessings is all about,” Sully said. “All I know is I like it.”

“Of course you do,” Elliot said. “It’s where you’re supposed to be now.”

Then he dusted the cookie crumbs from his fingers and stood. “Thank you for the company,” he said, and disappeared in the crowd.

“He seems like a really sweet little man,” Melissa said.

Sully grinned. “According to him, he and I will be great friends.”

Melissa smiled. “Really? I love that!”

Sully leaned over and kissed her. “And I love you.”

She blinked. “We’ve never said that before.”

Melissa’s features were blurring in the growing dusk, but she was already imprinted on his heart.

“Don’t you think it was about time?” he asked.

She nodded. “I think it’s past time.” She threaded her fingers through his. “Johnny Raines was my first love, and Sully Raines will be my last. I can’t see my future without you in it. Love you forever.”

He grinned. “My bed or yours?”