* * *
WalkingTheo had ended in making out in the woods, pinned to a tree, until a family of four caught us and embarrassed us out of it. Or at least, embarrassedmeout of it.
Iggy had laughed all the way back to the cabin, bright and happy. I thought maybe he’d come to the same conclusion I had—that there was no point letting a cloud hang over today.
Now I was tucked away in the coffee shop kitchen, listening to the muffled sounds of customers outside and the playlist Iggy had going—90s love songs this time, as far as I could tell.
In here I was warm and surrounded by smells that took me right back to my childhood, like all of Otter Bay seemed to. What happened tomorrow didn’t matter.
All that mattered was that I had a few hours today to bake in peace.
Measuring out ingredients, checking oven temperatures, pouring batter, rolling dough, all of it took on a meditative quality as I worked with the constantly-shifting but consistent bustle of the coffee shop outside.
Brownies for Iggy, cookies for Dante, doggie treats for Theo. I wanted to leave them all a parting gift.
I really had forgotten how soothing this was. I could feel the tension in my shoulders lifting as I worked, perfectly content while Iggy was busy running the shop.
Pride welled up in my chest all over again every time I thought of him opening this place. Iggy always had a determined streak, and it was clearly paying off.
The other thing I’d forgotten about baking was how easily I lost track of time while I was doing it. By the time I stuck my head out into the front of the shop, the chairs were all stacked on the tables, and Dante was mopping the floor.
“Where’s Iggy?” I asked, looking around to see that Theo was gone, too.
Why did he leave without me?
Dante turned, took his earbuds out, and frowned at me. “What?”
“Where’s Iggy?” I repeated, looking around the packed-up coffee shop. Even with no one out here, there was still something about the place. A kind of peace.
“He didn’t want to interrupt you,” Dante said. “When he peeked in earlier he said you were so deep in your own little world that you didn’t even notice him watching.”
That was true, I hadn’t noticed that I was being watched.
“So did he go home?”
“He told me to tell you to meet him on that cliff top. He said you’d know what that meant.”
I knew exactly what that meant, as soon as Dante said the words.
Our spot. Mine and Iggy’s.
“I know what that means. He say anything else?”
“He said you’re leaving tomorrow morning,” Dante said.
“I am.”
Dante narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t forget the curse.”
I almost asked what curse, but it came back to me before I could draw breath to form the question. The shoelaces curse.
“I haven’t forgotten,” I said.
“Good,” Dante said, taking the mop up again.
“I baked you cookies,” I said. “They’re in the kitchen.”
“Doesn’t get you out of being cursed,” Dante said, but I could see the sparkle in his eyes at the mention of cookies. “Burnt butter choc-chip?”
