Page 155 of Sugar & Shadows

We had people. Real people. Passionate, ridiculous, and resilient. And a one-eyed bear. Birch Hollow could never.

“I’m actually more upset now,” I explained as the bright sunlight warmed my face. “Not that we lost the festival, but that we lost it to such losers.”

“They were not, um…impressive,” Gabe said as he opened the passenger door for me.

“Be honest. Those people could not organize a bake sale without a consultant.” I huffed. “And they don’t even understand maple culture, the heritage, or the history. It’s insulting.”

“You’re very defensive about my town,” he said as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Our town. Now let’s get outta here before I get arrested.”

His grin widened.

I wasn’t ready to process why, but I liked making him smile. He seemed to enjoy me at my most unhinged.

With other men, I’d tried to tone it down, to keep myself under control. But with Gabe, there was no holding back. I was ready to throw down in a small-town meeting, and he would have had my back.

As he pulled out of the lot, I typed out a message in the TAP chain while talking in stream of consciousness bullet points.

“Maybe new logo. Online naming competition. Bear awareness campaign starring Betsy. Maplewood Games announcement has to be fire. Can I pour a bucket of syrup over your head?”

I looked over at him. He was still smiling, the expression a little dopey, both hands on the wheel.

“You writing this down?”

“I’m driving,” he replied.

“Excuses.”

As we reached the town limits, I lowered my window and leaned out.

“Hey, Birch Hollow,” I screamed. “Get fucked.”

Gabe laughed until he cried. “I think I might be falling in love with you.”

Shifting, I gaped at him. The weight of his words wrapped around me like a hug.

His face reddened as he focused on the road, his hands tightening around the steering wheel. He wasn’t joking. This was pure honesty.

Panic swept over me, snuffing out the comfort that I’d initially experienced. How the hell was I supposed to respond to that?

“You like pie?” he blurted after an excruciating silence.

“I fucking love pie,” I replied.

“Good. I know a place.”

Chapter 40

Sabrina

We were still laughing when we pulled into the driveway. After a pit stop for some truly life-changing pie, we were back in town and I was halfway through my ten-step plan for Birch Hollow annihilation.

Gabe killed the engine, and with a sigh, he turned to me.

For now, I pushed that “falling in love with you” comment as far back in my mind as I could. There was no time for that. We had far too much to get done.

And I was still figuring this all out. What the connection between us meant. How I’d deal with my thoughts and emotions and what the hell I’d do with my life when this project was done.