Page 103 of The Sasquatch and the Hairdresser

Cryptids United in Delightful Dating and Love Encouragement (CUDDLE) Forum

SuperShySasquatch: Once again, my boyfriend beat me to the punch. He told me he loves me first! I’m over the moon right now. He’s my penguin and I’m his. I’m so happy I can’t stop smiling.

LoungeSingerLizardMan: Walking on sunshine, eh? The musical greats always know what they’re singing about when it comes to love.

IPutTheBrahInChupacabra: Not gonna lie, I’m having some serious envy vibes right now. Congrats, man.

YetiOrNotHereICome: I’m getting a little romantic high off the energy you’re bringing to the forum, my friend! Love it!

MerMagicMan: It brings a tear to my jaded eye. Maybe true love does still exist… you’re starting to make me a believer.

NessieNeedsLoveToo: I think we need to start asking you for romantic advice pretty soon!

Harvest Festival Opening Day…

Hal

My lips are still tingling from Skylar’s morning kiss and I’m practically floating when I finish cleaning up the kitchen and head out with an excited Elvira at my side.

To my surprise, she has adapted to a leash like a natural and seems content to follow me everywhere I go so long as she can sniff and pee on interesting things along the way. In that respect, she doesn’t appear to be all that different from a regular dog. Considering how Waffles tends to enjoy pulling Max through town, I’m grateful we’ve been able to make this transition relatively painlessly.

I spend most of the morning checking in with folks around town, particularly the business owners participating in the Harvest Festival, and ensuring all last-minute preparations are finalized. But I find I have trouble concentrating on what I’m doing because my mind keeps wandering back to last night—and this morning.

Kisses. My mind is full of sweet, loving kisses.

Ever since we confessed our mutual love, I’ve been so blissed out I can think of nothing but Skylar. That night in his salon is something I’ll never forget. Skylar gave me the most decadent haircut of my life and topped it off with a long, leisurely make-out session with him in my lap. When he told me he loved me and then laid a mind-numbingly breathtaking lip-lock on me, it was the kind of swoony-sweet experience I’ve only read about in romance novels until now. It was like turning on a light inside me that hasn’t stopped glowing ever since. Skylar’s lips are downright magical. I keep reaching a hand up to touch my own, still marveling at how bold Skylar was then, and continues to be. There’s no hesitation at all. He wants to kiss me, and that makes me happier than anything.

Shortly after lunch, I make my way to the orchard with a few hours to spare before the Harvest Festival opening performance—courtesy of Jayden’s class—that will kick off the festivities. As I wander the rows of trees, I’m relieved to see that Laurelis seems to have everything well in hand.

I know that the magic protecting Mystic Hollow has gone a little wonky of late, but I’m convinced the true magic of the town is in the ways it brings folks together. I never could have imagined my favorite romance author would move to town, let alone that he and I would become fast friends. Mystic Hollow also brought Skylar to me, and I’m eternally grateful. I don’t think there’s any other way he and I would have crossed paths in this life. To me, that’s the kind of magic that makes me love and want to safeguard this town.

What I dream of might be considered small and mundane to some, but to me, it means everything. In my fantasies, I see us continuing to share a daily routine like the one we have now, where we enjoy breakfast together every morning and talk before Skylar goes off to work. In the evenings, we spend time cuddling, telling each other about our days, and just coexisting in a kind of loving harmony that I’ve always longed for.

I imagine us going on dates together in Mystic Hollow. Brunch at the diner, clothes shopping at the Emporium, exploring the used bookshop, and wandering the apple orchard together. Winter will be here before we know it, and I dare to dream that we might share a bed by then. I really want to be able to sleep beside the man I love, to cuddle through the night and keep him warm. I fantasize about what it will be like to hold him and have his presence at my side, steady and loving.

It’s more than I ever thought I’d be able to find in this life.

When I’m done with safety checks on the portable stage for the children’s performance, Astraea appears with Rowan and his familiar. They both look like they haven’t slept. Astraea’s wearing the same clothes from yesterday and Rowan’s in a rumpled T-shirt and jeans.

I reach into my apron and pull out some wrapped homemade granola bars.

“You two look like you could use an energy boost. Would you like one?”

They each accept my offering, and I smile. Elvira whines at my feet.

“Feeling left out, sweetie?” I reach into another pocket and pull out a homemade dog biscuit that I break into three pieces. “Here you go.”

Each of her heads happily munches on the pieces of biscuit, and once she’s done, she lies down at my feet again.

Astraea surveys the orchard. “We had a long night, but Rowan managed to finish working his mojo on the node and the apples have stopped singing, thank fuck.”

“What about the demon portal?” I ask.

“Still working on that,” Rowan says around a mouthful of granola bar. “Closing a portal takes time, but it’s still contained for now.”

It doesn’t sound like Akram will be able to open his bar yet.

A bell-like sound rings and we turn to watch as Max rolls up on a bicycle with Princess Peach riding in a front basket. He’s definitely channeling some Wizard of Oz vibes.