“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I don’t know, Arlo. Jayden is…was…Levi’s boyfriend. I don’t know what he’s doing back in Stillwater.”
Now I’m the one without words. Levi asked me to leave, and he’s talking to his ex. What could they possibly have to talk about?
The bakery door opens and Sage comes in, almost breathless.
“Thank you for saving me from running up the road to Bittersweet. The evil wi—” he stops himself when he sees Ava. “Um…the craft fair committee moved the next meeting to tonight. You need to go get your stuff and head to the town hall.”
“How? The meeting isn’t meant to be for another three weeks, after the next fair.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know, but I don’t think you should miss it. You’re ready. Execute the plan. You can do this. I might be a little late, but I'll meet you there.”
I stare at him blankly.
“Arlo, you need to move,” he says.
“Right, yeah. Thanks.” I look at Liv, who’s now looking at me with pity.
I kiss the top of Ava’s head and leave. On the way home, I know I only have one solution.
I need to park whatever is happening with Levi in a safe space in my brain and get ready to face the craft fair committee.
Now more than anything, I need to win this because it may be all I have left after today.
21
LEVI
I takeone final look at Arlo’s parting figure and use it to draw some strength. Remembering the way he holds me when we’re in bed just talking, the way he’s totally smitten with Ava and smiles at her like she’s the most precious jewel.
I know it was rude of me to ask him to leave with Ava, but I don't know how the conversation with Jayden is going to go. I'll apologize later.
When I turn back, Jayden is sitting in the chair vacated by Arlo, and I don’t like it.
“What do you want?” I ask, not bothered in the slightest over how clipped my tone sounds.
“I could ask the same,” he replies, a tense smile gracing his lips. The first I ever kissed.
“What?” My shock comes out a little louder than I expected, and it attracts some attention from two women across the road. When they see us, they look at each other and walk away, their heads close together, clearly gossiping. “You might want to leave before more people see us together.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” he says.
“You didn’t ask one.”
He rests his forearms on the table. “Look, I didn’t want to interrupt your afternoon with your…”
“My boyfriend and my daughter,” I say, so there’s no shadow of a doubt about who Arlo and Ava are.
Jayden smiles. “She’s cute. I can see where she gets her looks. Anyway, I’m in town for some…business. I didn’t intend to look you up, but I know you asked for my phone number, and I saw you, so…” He shrugs.
I take a deep breath, unsure how to ask him what I want. Around us, people stare as they walk past. I can only imagine the stories they’re making up and how quickly they’ll reach Jayden’s mom.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath that takes me right back to that night.
“Come on, this way,” Jayden says, taking my hand and pulling me toward the gap in the fence.
“What if someone sees us?” I ask. I'm terrified, but Jayden's hand holding mine is enough to make me feel safer. I always feel good when I'm around him. It's like he has this special power.
