Who really killed Wanda Day! - Wedding Bells (DAY! Series Book 2)

Chapter 4 - A Start, A Son, And Someone Suspicious

"Okay, thanks anyway," Belle said, trudging behind Thommy toward the shed door. But when the young man tried to open it, the darn thing was locked tighter than a nun's habit. He shook the handle three times and then looked at Belle with the helplessness of a puppy who just peed on the carpet. "Okay, we're... locked up?" she asked, and Thommy could only nod in defeat, his shoulders slumping lower than a bad soufflé.

Belle let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation settling on her shoulders like a damp wool blanket. This was all her fault - she had asked her mom to grab an old painting from the shed, and now she and Thommy were locked up. After a few minutes of standing around, the two sat down on some rickety wooden boxes, the silence between them growing thicker than molasses. 28 agonizing minutes ticked by before Belle finally broke the deafening hush, turning to Thommy and asking, "So, uh, what kind of hobbies are you into?"

And just like that, the two began a conversation that would last another four hours and two minutes before Jonah finally opened the shed door from the outside and freed them from their predicament.

That night, Belle lay in bed, her mind consumed by thoughts of Thommy. To her, he had always been just that: Thommy - the guy her friends were so fond of, with Bethany, in particular, swooning over his 'beautiful puppy eyes' and shamelessly daydreaming during their lunch breaks about his possible bedroom skills. But Belle never quite understood the appeal. However, as she lay there in the darkness, something shifted. She remembered Thommy's eyes - those warm, brown orbs that sparkled with genuine enthusiasm, like an overexcited labrador, when he spoke about his favorite books. And with a coy, slightly amused smile playing on her lips, she drifted off to sleep.

Much like Belle, Thommy lay in his humble abode, staring up at the sloping ceiling as he grappled with the swirling thoughts and emotions within. Though he had encountered Belle on numerous occasions in the past, and had always found her to be a vision of loveliness, he had never quite seen her 'like this' before. Thommy shook his head, utterly perplexed by the unfamiliar stirrings in his heart. Whatever this peculiar sensation was, he was convinced it would dissipate by the time the first golden rays of dawn broke over the horizon.

But alas, nothing disappeared - not for Thommy, nor for Belle. Just a few short days later, the pair found themselves serendipitously crossing paths in the hotel break room, where they decided to share their lunch. This chance encounter soon blossomed into a delightful new routine. As they broke bread, Thommy and Belle discovered a shared passion for the literary greats - from Edgar Allan Poe's haunting tales to the imaginative works of Jules Verne and the cunning mysteries of Agatha Christie. To Belle's pleasant surprise, the quiet Thommy was just as infatuated with the written word as she was. And she found his occasional stammering and the warming of his cheeks, which lent him an endearing air of innocence, to be utterly charming.

Seven weeks had passed since their first chance encounter, and Belle was venturing into the woods with a singular purpose - to meet with Thommy once more. When she finally tracked him down, she politely asked if he might recommend a pleasant spot for her to indulge in some reading. After a moment of hesitation, Thommy eagerly guided her to his sanctuary - 'his tree,' as he affectionately (and somewhat possessively) called it.

This majestic, gnarled oak stood tall in a small, idyllic meadow, beckoning them to bask in its peaceful embrace. As they settled beneath the tree's sprawling branches, Belle produced a veritable bounty from her bag - four brand new books, fresh from the library. And so, side by side, Thommy and Belle immersed themselves in the captivating tales, their voices mingling as they took turns reading aloud. Thommy's occasional nervous throat-clearing and Belle's suppressed giggles only added to the charming awkwardness of the moment.