Chapter 19
NINETEEN
ZOE
Two nights later, Zoe found herself curled up on Cassidy’s overstuffed sofa for an impromptu girls’ night with her and Krista.
She hadn’t spoken to Jackson since he’d walked out of her apartment, and though she kept telling herself that giving him space was the right thing to do, the silence gnawed at her.
She’d done it for him. She could see the pain he carried and knew he needed room to breathe and to sort through the things he wasn’t ready to share. She loved him enough to step back, even when every part of her wanted to run after him, to tell him she didn’t need him fixed, she just needed him.
Zoe’s chest tightened. The entire town thought they were Maple Falls’s next great love story, but how on earth were they supposed to keep fake dating for another month?
There was no pretending now. How could there be after the way he’d set her body alight?
Every time she pictured standing beside him with his hand at the small of her back, the crowd cheering as they danced beneath the twinkle lights, her stomach did a somersault.
Cassidy, of course, didn’t know any of the thoughts swirling in her head. Neither did Krista. She needed the distraction tonight, but to them it was just another excuse for wine, snacks, and gossip.
Cassidy’s apartment was a vibe as always.
She had a wreath woven with silk tulips and pink ribbons hanging above the mantle, glass jars filled with jellybeans and foil-wrapped eggs on the end tables, and a bouquet of daffodils sat in a vase shaped like a bunny on the coffee table.
Even the throw pillows had little embroidered chicks on them.
Zoe couldn’t help but smile. “You really lean into a theme, don’t you?”
Cassidy beamed. “If you think this is bad, just wait until Christmas. Last year was just the start.”
Zoe laughed. December had been Cassidy’s first Christmas in Maple Falls, and her tree had taken up half the living room, strung with so many lights it could’ve guided Santa in from orbit. Cassidy had kept the same all-in seasonal energy going now, just swapped red and green for pastels.
“I heard about your hot double date with Madison and Zach at the Millers’ old barn,” Cassidy said, taking a sip of her wine.
Zoe groaned and reached for a cracker. “You people need new hobbies.”
She pretended to study the spread. Cassidy had stacked it with wedges of brie and cheddar, curls of prosciutto, little clusters of red grapes, and a pile of crackers. Zoe would pretty much study anything rather than think about how that axe-throwing night had ended.
“It sounds like things are going well though, no?” Krista asked, raising her eyebrows.
Zoe smiled automatically, because that’s what she was supposed to do. She should be beaming like a woman hopelessly in love. “He’s… wonderful,” she said lightly, trying not to think about how those words twisted inside her. “Sweet. Sexy. Makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.”
Krista grinned. “You girls are so lucky,” she said. “No Mr. Sweet-and-Sexy for me. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you.”
“Don’t worry, Krista, I’m on the lookout for swoon-worthy candidates. Who knows, maybe this summer will be your turn for a hot romance story,” said Cassidy, munching on a grape. “I assume Jackson will be your date at Edith’s wedding?” she said then, turning to Zoe.
“Of course,” Zoe said quickly. “Wouldn’t miss it.” Do it for Mom, she reminded herself. Play the part. Smile. Pretend everything’s fine. Four weeks. You can do it.
Cassidy poured more wine. “Edith came into the Cocoa Corner yesterday and told me about that flower you’ve been searching for. It sounds so mysterious and romantic!”
Zoe perked up, grateful for the change of subject. “Yes! The mystery bloom. I found an old map that might lead to it. Jackson and I are going to hike some long-lost trails.”
“A romantic hike through the woods with your rugged outdoorsman boyfriend?” Krista raised a brow. “Sounds terrible. I’m not jealous at all.”
“Make sure to pack a blanket. The grass can be a bit scratchy on your back,” Cassidy replied with a laugh.
“Cassidy!” Zoe shot back, but she was laughing all the same.
Krista grinned. “You know, if you do find this mythical flower, you’ll have to name it after him. ‘The Hawthorne Heart,’ maybe?”
Zoe laughed, shaking her head. “It already has a name, Moonlight Kiss.”
Cassidy popped a grape into her mouth. “You can’t make this stuff up. It’s like Maple Falls is writing your love story for you.”
Zoe’s smile faltered for a moment. “Maybe,” she said softly.
Krista’s teasing smile relaxed. “Okay, but seriously, what’s going on? You look… off. Not bad off. Just… distracted. Like your brain’s running a hundred miles an hour. Is it your Local Blooms project? Everything okay with Cherry Crush?”
Zoe forced a laugh, spearing a cube of cheddar with a toothpick. “It’s just a lot. Between Cherry Crush, Local Blooms, Edith’s wedding, and everyone obsessing over Jackson and I at the Spring Fling… it’s a lot.”
Cassidy poured more rosé into Zoe’s glass with a sympathetic click of her tongue. “You can thank your mom for that last one. You could pull out, if you wanted? If you guys told people you didn’t want the attention, they wouldn’t vote for you.”
“No!” Zoe said with more feeling than she meant to reveal. She huffed and closed her eyes. “If winning Couple of the Year helps Mom have the retirement holiday she deserves, I’ll happily do that for her.”
Cassidy sighed dreamily. “You’re such a good daughter. I don’t think there’s any doubt you’ll win. I can’t get over how Jackson looked at the Spring Market. Because holy sparks, Zoe. That man is gone for you.”
Zoe felt heat crawl up her neck and tried to hide it behind a sip of wine.
“I thought you were going to say something about his biceps,” Krista said to Cassidy.
Cassidy laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink. “Those forearms! I swear, if he ever needs a side hustle, he could model for a lumberjack calendar.”
The women laughed beside her, but Zoe’s chest ached.
Later, back in her loft, the silence pressed close.
The apartment felt too big with just her and Whiskers, who was curled lazily in the window, tail flicking in time with the hum of the radiator.
Zoe had lit her favorite lily and pear scented candle and the soft glow danced over the cluttered coffee table.
The faint scent of sugar and smoke wrapped around her like a blanket.
An open box of chocolates from Cassidy sat within reach, half-gone. She popped one into her mouth, letting the dark chocolate melt on her tongue, and stared down at her phone. The screen glowed in the dim light, far too bright for how uncertain she felt.
Her thumb hovered for a full minute before she finally typed:
Still good for the hike tomorrow?
She hit send before she lost her nerve.
The moment stretched. Zoe hated how heavy it felt while she waited. Her glass of wine sat untouched, condensation sliding down the stem. Whiskers leapt down, padded across the rug and hopped up on the couch, curling behind her knees.
Zoe’s phone buzzed.
She glanced down at it.
Jackson’s name lit the screen, but instead of a reply, the three dots appeared. Then vanished. Then appeared again. Her heart thudded each time they blinked in and out, like watching him wrestle with his reply.
Finally, the words settled.
I’ve got the list ready. I’ll pick you up at five if that works.
Zoe huffed out a breath. She brushed her fingers over Whiskers’s fur and whispered, “Five it is.”