“Scoot over, Cody,” Mrs. Battle said imperiously.
Cody obeyed, making space between him and Alana. They helped her distribute paper plates laden with funnel cakes to the table. Mrs. Battle sat down next to Alana, did a double take at the ring on her hand, then looked at Lucas. “It’s about time,” she said.
The news spread quickly once Mayor Turner got hold of the band’s microphone; before long she and Lucas were shaking hands and giving hugs. Freddie was working on her second funnel cake while the band warmed up for their second set. “The town’s chief of police getting engaged to the town’s librarian is a big deal,” Freddie noted. “It’s kind of a cliché, you know.”
“We are nothing of the sort,” Alana said firmly. “We’re a once-in-a-lifetime love.”
“That you are,” Freddie said, shaking extra powdered sugar onto the funnel cake.
“You have to fit into an Alexander McQueen dress in three weeks,” Alana reminded her.
“That’s why you’re eating half of this.”
“I’m not eating another funnel cake. I have to fit into an Alexander McQueen dress in three weeks, too.”
Cody snitched half of the cake and took a huge bite. “Problem solved,” he said to laughter.
Lucas shook his head, then held out his hand to Alana. “Dance with me?”
The band started their second set with a cover from The Band Perry. She took his hand and followed him onto the dance floor. It was such a relief to settle her head against his shoulder and close her eyes.
“This is nice,” she said.
“Uh-huh.”
“We’re getting married next June in the backyard.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Let’s wait to take our honeymoon. Go somewhere warm in January. Last winter was horrible.”
“Okay.”
“You don’t care?”
“I’d go anywhere with you. Live anywhere to be with you,” he said.
“That’s a lovely sentiment, but this is home. So we’ll travel, but we’ll always come back here.”
“Home,” he murmured into her hair. Alana closed her eyes and rested her cheek against his shoulder as they turned in a slow circle. “We’ll always come home.”