Chapter 7
Slipping my feet into my shoes, I take the final sip of my first cup of coffee and set it on the side table next to the front door. I’m technically not running late as I’m not actually scheduled to work this weekend, but I like being around in the mornings, especially on the weekends.
I step onto the front porch, jogging in place for a few seconds to loosen up my muscles before starting my run.
There are two things I never miss starting my day—coffee and my morning run. I’ve missed one or the other a few times and I always feel it when I do. There’s something about the routine that just sets me up for a more successful day.
The sound of soft music drags my attention from the rising sun to the cottage to my right. I don’t know how I managed it, but I forgot about the man staying so close to me.
There must be something wrong with me. I can’t remember the last time I had butterflies in my stomach at the simple prospect of seeing someone.
I don’t think I even experienced this feeling with Mark, not when we first started dating in high school, or our first kiss, or any other first I had with him.
But somehow, a man, more than a hundred feet away from me, has butterflies soaring in my stomach.
Jerking my head away from the music—and the man—I rush down the steps, focusing all my attention on getting my watch started to begin my run. I’m pretty sure I hear a voice call out behind me just as I take off, but I allow myself to live in the land of denial, telling myself I imagined it.
It’s not like I won’t see him over and over again for the next three months. He’s living right next door. There’ll be no avoiding him.
“What the heck do you mean you ran here?” Sadie gasps as she fills a glass with water for me. “You ran from your place? What is that, ten miles?”
I glance down at my watch and wince. “A little over eleven miles. But I run marathons all the time, it’s fine.”
“Madison!” Sadie exclaims. “You run marathons occasionally, not all the time. Besides, knowing you and your morning routine, you don’t have your phone on you.”
Wishing she were wrong, all I can do is shrug. I take every opportunity I can to disconnect from my phone, and my morning run is one of the few times I get away with it. I mean, who’s answering their phone when they’re huffing and puffing from exercise?
“Seriously? Madison.” She sighs.
“I know, but I didn’t intend to run here when I left for my run. I just…” My words trail off.
Sadie never actually called me back yesterday. I understood why when a man opened the door this morning, but that means she doesn’t actually know what happened. More specifically, she doesn’t know who checked in at the inn yesterday.
Like most people who saw him, I have no doubt Sadie will know exactly who Beckett Stone is. I haven’t actually caved in my urge to look him up, but it’s pretty clear just how popular he is.
“What?” Her brows crease and worry pours from her features.
“You never called me back yesterday,” I deflect, picking something else that bugged me until I got here this morning.
“Sorry about that.” A deep voice sounds from behind me, and I can honestly say I’ve never been more grateful for Reid than I am in this moment.
Without waiting for anyone to acknowledge him, he steps up to Sadie’s side, resting a hand at her hip and pressing a kiss to her cheek before grabbing a mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee.
After months of back and forth between the two of them, it’s nice to see how natural they are around each other.
“I guess I can forgive you,” I tease, not even trying to keep the smile from breaking free.
“Yeah. I don’t believe that for a second.” The worry on Sadie’s face morphs to suspicion and I’m not surprised she sees right through me.
“What? Of course I forgive you for not calling me back. You were busy getting busy with Mr. Asshole over here.”
“I think we’ve given up the nickname asshole.” Reid chuckles from his spot leaning against the kitchen sink.
“Nuh-uh.” Sadie lightly smacks at his chest, her eyes watching me closely. “We’re not playing into Madison’s game of avoidance. Why’d you actually run over here this morning?”
I sigh. There’s no point keeping it from her. This town might keep it secret from the world at large that Beckett Stone is here but it won’t be a secret in town.
“I had to rent out Millie’s Cottage yesterday,” I hedge, prolonging the inevitable.
“Okay…” She stretches out the word, expecting me to continue. “You finished renovating that place a couple weeks ago.”
“I did.”
“Madison,” she huffs, exasperation clear in her voice.
“Wyatt set up a reservation at the beginning of the month for a friend of a friend, but as typically happens the reservation didn’t get saved.
So, Beckett Stone showed up expecting to check in to one of the cabins, only they’re all booked from the holiday and already have reservations through the end of the year.
” I take a breath, getting ready to plow on when Sadie holds up her hand.
“I’m sorry. Did you say Beckett Stone?”
“I was hoping you’d miss that part,” I murmur.
“In what world does someone miss you saying the name Beckett Stone? You know who he is, don’t you?”
My wince is answer enough.
“Wow,” Reid mutters. “Even I know who Beckett Stone is.”
“Do we have to keep saying his full name? He’s just a guy,” I grumble.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Sadie soothes. “Beckett Stone is not just a guy.”
“All right.” I straighten my spine, dropping the empty glass to the counter next to me. “I’m well aware he’s famous, but he is still just a guy. Being famous doesn’t make him God or better than the rest of us. He’s a human being just like everyone else.”
“That’s a passionate speech there.” Sadie tries to hide the smirk behind her mug, but fails miserably.
With nothing to say, it takes serious effort to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I have no idea where the emotion came from, but she’s not wrong. For having just met the man I sure jumped at the chance to defend him.
“I’m sorry. So, you’re all discombobulated because a paying guest showed up expecting something and you had to turn him away?” Sadie asks, bringing us back to the reason I’m here.
“Sort of,” I murmur, shuffling my feet slightly. “I didn’t actually turn him away, at least not entirely.”
“Right, you said you’re renting out Millie’s Cottage.”
“Yeah…”
“What’s the problem then?” Reid asks when I don’t continue.
What’s the problem? The problem is that I’m insanely attracted to the celebrity living next door! Those aren’t the words I let fall from my lips though. I go with the much safer answer. “That cottage was never meant for paying guests.”
“Okay.” Sadie steps forward, leaning her elbows against the kitchen island. “Let’s be honest. Who was that cottage meant for? Everyone you know either lives in town or close enough that they don’t need a place to crash when they come to visit.”
“That’s not true.” I frown.
“Mads, I love you, but it is. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” she rushes to add. “Stonebridge Hollow and that inn are what’s important to you. It makes sense that the people you care about most are all close enough that you don’t have to leave either for long.”
I could lie to myself and say I never realized how small I keep my corner of the world, but how does that help?
It’s not like I never left home. I went away to college, but even then I knew once those four years were up I’d be right back here, building up the inn to everything I imagined it could be.
But I’m getting closer and closer to achieving all the goals I set out for myself, and when that happens, what will I do?
There’s only so much I can do at the inn and with the cabins around the land. The last big obstacle to tackle is the old farmhouse, but that won’t take nearly as long as my house and the cottages took.
I haven’t let myself think about it in months, but did my focus on the inn and the family land play a bigger part in my break-up with Mark?
At the time I didn’t think it did, but if I allow myself truly to analyze my choices over the last ten years, will it change my understanding of all the relationships I have around me?
“I see you going down a rabbit hole, and that wasn’t my intention with any of this.
” Sadie reaches for me, her hand covering mine.
“I was simply pointing out that fixing up the cottage wasn’t because you wanted a place for people to stay when they come to visit you.
You fixed it up for this exact purpose. You wanted another place where guests could come to enjoy that beautiful land around you. ”
“I don’t…” My words trail off as my eyes meet hers.
Sadie and I don’t lie to each other, and we try our hardest not to let the other lie to themselves either.
I’m not gonna start now. “Maybe you’re right, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
I thought I’d have time to get used to the idea of sharing my space. ”
“Okay, but are you really sharing your space?”
I shrug, not really having an answer.
To an extent I’m sharing space. This morning being a prime example. I know Beckett called out to me, and yet, I completely ignored him.
Then again, would I have done the same thing if I wasn’t attracted to him? If I wasn’t having these confusing thoughts and feelings coursing through me?
Objectively, attractive men have stayed at the inn before, and I’ve never had a problem interacting with them. So what’s so different about this one?
“I’m gonna go,” Reid whispers.
“No, you don’t have to go.” I stand straight, upset with myself for making Reid feel like he needs to leave. “I’m the one who barged in.”
“You’re fine. I have a shift at the station back in Ashford Falls. I need to get going anyway.” Reid offers a smile, leaning down to press another kiss to Sadie’s cheek.
“I’ll walk you to the door.” Sadie squeezes my shoulder as she passes. “I’ll be right back.”
I nod, but she doesn’t see it, her focus on the man at her side.
Turning slightly, I have a clear shot to Sadie’s front door.
I can’t hear them but I can see them, and it’s clear the deep feelings they have for each other.
The way he has his arms wrapped around her.
The way her hands rest against his chest. The way they lean toward each other, not wanting any space between them.
For the first time since Mark and I broke up, I allow myself to think about what I want for my future—outside of the inn.
I’m not ready to dive head first into a relationship.
It’s only been a few months since ending a ten-year relationship, and I really should figure out what life looks like without a man by my side.
But I know I want to share this life with someone, and in order to do that, I need to open up my circle.
There’s absolutely no harm in making new friends and seeing where this life takes me.
Who knows? I might open the door to some amazing opportunities if I let myself enjoy the journey instead of focusing on the destination.