Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
“No. Before—the night I wanted you to come over.”
For some reason, this admission excites me. Maybe it’s because she wanted me so badly that night—and almost caved by reading a letter solo. “And you waited,” I say.
“I’m used to edging,” she says, her eyes flicking with mischief.
“You’re very patient,” I say, praising her.
“I never was before,” she says as she glances toward the display case. Tomorrow it’ll be filled with brownies, bars, and cookies. Then this shop will be teeming with customers. “Weird for a baker.”
“You’re full of contradictions,” I say. And I love all of them.
“I am. But maybe that’s why I’ve always liked baking. There’s a recipe to follow, and I needed that when my life was a mess.”
“You’re not a mess, Mabel. Not even close,” I reassure.
She draws a deep breath and nods, perhaps finally believing that. She opens the letter. “Oh, it’s a short one.” She unfolds it and passes it to me. “It’s from Russ.”
I smooth out the paper, clear my throat and read.
Dear Harriet,
I shouldn’t do this. I truly shouldn’t. But I can’t hold back anymore.
I can’t stand the nights without you. I think about you all the time. I want to be with you all the time. I know it’s against the rules, but sometimes you have to break them. Will you go out with me?
I’m yours,
Russ
I set it down as Mabel gives me an I caught you look. “Admit it. You read it in advance. Before you asked me out.”
A laugh bursts from me. “Nope.”
“Really?”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “I swear.” I glance around at the firehouse-turned-bakery. “Maybe it’s this place. Maybe it’s got some kind of magic. It worked on them.”
She holds my gaze, her eyes warm, inviting. “Maybe that’s why my grandmother gave this firehouse to me. Their story sort of mirrors ours.”
“It does in a way,” I say.
“It’s almost like she knew. Hey, did you tell her you had a crush on me?” she jokes.
I laugh harder. This woman. She just makes me so happy. “I didn’t even meet your grandmother.”
Mabel shrugs. “Still feels like she wanted this to happen.”
Does she have any idea what these words are doing to my heart? It’s expanding by the minute. I take her hand and squeeze it, then tell her the thing I have to do next. “Before we go out, I want to tell your brother.”
She tenses, but nods. “What are you going to say?”
That’s the easiest part of all. “That I’m crazy about you.”
Her smile falters—not in a bad way, more like surprise. “You are?”
“Mabel. Have I not made myself clear? I was taken with you the first time I met you. And I’m not missing my chance this time around. Even if we have to break the rules.”
The don’t date your business partner rule. The don’t fall for your best friend’s sister rule. The no-romance rules we both set. I’m smashing through all of them.
She brushes her thumb over my knuckles, a soft smile curling at the edges of her lips. “Then break them, business partner.”
“I will.”
Theo’s been traveling, and I’ve been on the road for games, so I haven’t had a shot at a face-to-face with him until several days into the new year.
It comes after Charlotte and I return Lola one morning—we had the sweet senior Beagle mix for one night when her regular foster needed to go out of town for twenty-four hours. I head to the city and drop off Charlotte at school, then cruise to the arena next, pulling into the players’ lot at the same time as Miller.
He hops out of his car, giving me a chin nod. “Is today the day?”
I push my palm down in a keep it quiet gesture. “Yes, but it hasn’t happened yet. So let’s lower the volume.”
No point hiding my feelings from him. Besides, he figured it out a long time ago.
“Oh gee, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know Theo had spies in the parking lot.”
I roll my eyes. “Everyone has spies everywhere.”
“Paranoid much?”
“Nope,” I say, then hedge. “But I do hope I leave his office in one piece.”
“Dude. Me too,” Miller says, shuddering as he yanks the door open. “The guy scares me. He’s intense.”
“Who’s intense?”
Speak of the devil. I gulp. It’s Theo, walking toward us.
I scramble, thinking fast. We’re playing Seattle soon. That’s it. “The Seattle goalie. He’s like the abominable snowman.”
“He’s like a dragon guarding his gold,” Miller adds, backing me up.
“He’s the Loch Ness monster.”
Theo gives us a look like we’ve lost it. “Are you two practicing metaphors now instead of drills?”
And that doesn’t help either. “We were just planning to do some extra sprints, right?” I say, clapping Miller’s shoulder.
“Excellent. More sprints. Less metaphors,” Theo says, then grabs the stairwell door, but before heading up to his second-floor office, he ducks back and looks at me. “I got your text about wanting to meet. Perfect timing. I have something to discuss with you too.”