She thought for a moment. “No rodents.”
“No gophers. Got it.” I grinned.
She grinned back. “I’m glad you’re staying, Poet. Now how do we get Wyn to move here?”
“Aside from chaining her to the town clock pole, I don’t know,” I said.
“Well, let’s hope the pull of Hadley, Salem and you are enough to sway her to move to our beloved small town.”
Our beloved small town.
I wasn’t born here. I wasn’t raised here. And yet, it felt like home.
I headed back to the apartment and texted Muddy for a banana bread recipe. A few minutes later, it came through on a voice message and I quickly jotted it down.
Shaking my head, I unloaded all the supplies Gracie had given me and turned on the oven to preheat.
My phone rang as I was in the middle of mashing the bananas.
“We’re downstairs,” Salem commanded. “Let us in.”
“Ask me nicely,” I quipped even as I went to the door of the apartment and traipsed down the back stairs, phone to my ear.
“Please,” Hadley begged. “I gotta pee!”
“So what else is new,” I said with a laugh, opening the back door.
Salem and Hadley weren’t there.
“Where are you guys?” I demanded.
“Out front,” Salem said. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the back entrance.”
“We’ll go around,” Hadley said.
“Don’t bother,” I said. “I’ll come to the front.”
I hung up the phone and went through the empty storefront, a zing of excitement blasting through me when Ithought of wooden bookshelves and ginormous couches taking up space.
Salem and Hadley stood at the front door. I unlocked it, letting them in.
“I guess this means you’ve forgiven me,” Salem said. “If you’re letting me inside . . .”
“Forgiven—oh?” My brow wrinkled as I locked the door again. “Yeah, I guess I have.”
Hadley hugged me to her side. “I love that about you, Poet. No grudges.”
It only reminded me of what Brooks had said to me just last night.
“Come on,” I muttered. “I left the oven on.”
They trailed after me up the stairs and into the apartment. Hadley booked it for the bathroom immediately.
“You promise you’re not mad at me anymore?” Salem asked, her hazel eyes earnest.
“I promise. I’d tell you if I was.”
