Page 95 of When Forever Falls Apart

A frown instantly forms on my face. “Gross! Who the hell asked that?”

“Your dumbass brother,” Eva drags.

I let out a groan. Aston is a pain in the ass. As my mind shifts back to my original question, I begin to tug on the loose string of my frayed jeans. “When did you decide that, no matter what, you were all in for Aston?”

A long sigh echoes over the phone. “When I saw him standing there at Peppermint Lake. It was everything I had ever wanted. The man I love and the home I love, all stood before me. Nothing else mattered.”

A smile warms my lips. “It sounds like the perfect love story. Would make for a great romance novel.”

Eva bursts into laughter. “Yeah, smutty, too.”

I join her, our bubbling laughter lifting the weight off my chest slightly. And as we both slow down, I let out a loud, knowing breath. “Good night, bestie,” I say in a soft voice. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

We hang up the phone, and for the first time in a long while, it feels like I have my best friend back. But then I remember the secret I’m keeping from her. It’s not that I don’t want to tell her because she’ll get angry. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I think she will get too excited and claim we need to double-date for life.

It’s the simple fact that I don’t know where this is going.

And after what happened earlier, my gut is warning me that there is something more to Elliot’s elusive mood.

I just hope he isn’t going to break my heart.

As much as I force myself not to admit it, I’ve fallen for Elliot Woods in ways I never imagined possible. All I want to do is go see him, tell him how I feel.

He may not be capable of falling in love.

But I’m alreadyall in.

CHAPTER 26Elliot

It was a fight neither one of us saw coming, and the truth is, I felt bad for snapping at Madelina.

My guilty conscience tormented me until Madelina showed up at my door last night.

The morning sun peeks through the small cabin windows, bringing some light into the usually dim room. I stretch my arms above my head to wake myself up, feeling the cotton sheets slide down my naked body. Beside me, the bed feels achingly empty.

I open my eyes to see Madelina isn’t beside me. With a sudden need to find her, I pull on my boxers and step outside the room to hear her voice on the deck.

Madelina sits cross-legged, wearing my favorite baseball tee, her fingers gently scratching the chin of the wandering pug.

“So, what do you think, Margaret Anne?” She’s speaking as though the dog can offer her advice. “Do you think I should go all in? What do I have to lose, right?”

I cross my arms beneath my chest, tilting my head in a mix of curiosity and confusion. “Go all in on what?”

Madelina’s eyes widen in surprise as she places a hand over her heart, dramatic as usual with her mannerisms. “First of all, you scared the bejesus out of me! Second, goodmorning.” She jumps up to wrap her hands around my neck, the gentle brush of her kiss spreading warmth across my entire body and straight to my dick.Goddammit. I muster all my self-control, knowing she’s sore from last night. Slowly, she pulls back with a grin. “And third, I’ve got this idea for a bookstore in town.”

“A bookstore? But there’s already two in Cinnamon Springs,” I point out, raising an eyebrow at this sudden idea of hers.

Her enthusiasm for this hour of the morning is palpable. She leans forward, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Yeah, but my idea is something entirely different. A romance-only bookstore. It’ll be a place where anyone is welcome, and it will feel just like home.”

My curiosity remains as I take a seat beside her. Madelina loves to read, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise, though she hasn’t mentioned it before.

“When did this all come about?”

She bites her lip, her gaze drifting thoughtfully. “I’ve been toying with the idea for a while, but yesterday I saw a ‘for lease’ sign go up next door, and it felt like the universe was telling me something. Like a sign, literally.”

Madelina takes the few steps into the kitchen, then emerges to hand me a steaming cup of coffee. I bring it to my mouth, eager for my morning caffeine hit, and inhale the aromatic scent of freshly ground coffee beans.

“So, does this mean you plan to stay in Cinnamon Springs?” I ask, the question tasting bittersweet on my tongue.