She did.
“It’s not going to happen.”
She frowned. “What’s not going to happen?”
“Jay and I aren’t going to talk about what she did and just go back to what we were before. She lost me the second she kissed me.”
“But you’ve been friends for so long.”
“Yeah, and sheknewI loved you the entire time. She did what she did anyway.Youare my priority.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”
She sighed and leaned her head against his chest. “God, I love you.”
“You have no idea.” He kissed the top of her head, thanking every God out there that Jay’s kiss hadn’t broken them. That Maggie was here, with him. That she was his.
28
“Why are you making me go to The Pancake Bar?”
Maggie shot Polly a glance as they passed the gazebo. “You need a break from Bloom, and you love his pancakes.”
“Love is a stretch. I tolerate them.”
That wasn’t remotely true, but Polly only admitted to her love of Basil’s pancakes in her sleep or when she was drunk.
Basil had been in business for a long time. His father had run the shop before him, and The Pancake Bar had been their go-to meal as teenagers.
“So that wasn’t you who asked for a pancake tower as your sixteenth birthday cake?” Maggie asked, already knowing the answer.
“Nope. Not me. And if it was, I was having a teenage episode.”
“What about when you told me you dreamt about bathing in Basil’s homemade honey butter syrup?”
“Oh my God, do you memorize every little thing I say?”
“Specifically for these moments.”
“Okay, well, memorizethisfun story—two days ago Basil came into Bloom and loudly told everyone that my homemade muffins look like they lost a fight with a microwave.”
Maggie bit back a laugh, because she could see Basil saying that. He wasn’t the most mature person in Deep River, but he did make the best pancakes.
Polly didn’t fight fair, though. She was always telling customers that The Pancake Bar was closed or out of stock of something or their stovetop was broken.
“How do you bring this side out of so many men?” Maggie asked. “Basil. Joel.”
“I donotwant to talk about Joel. The man has an ego the size of Texas. He’s annoying and loud and cocky and…”
They stepped into The Pancake Bar and stopped, because there in a corner booth were Joel, Connor, and Zac.
“Why does baby Jesus hate me?” Polly murmured.
Maggie couldn’t hold back the grin. “It’s like the universe wants you two together.”
“We’re sitting at the bar.” Polly tugged Maggie toward the stools at the front.
