Page 36 of Falling for Keeps

“What’s he going to call the new place?”

“I’ll ask him when I go take his picture for his jug.”

“I can do it,” Maggie says, fluffing out her hair.

Again, the woman is engaged.

“That’s okay. You need to man the desk.” I push all my cut-up papers into a pile and stack them together to finish later. “Tell Seth I’ll be back soon, if he asks.”

She says nothing, popping her gum instead. Some people were never taught proper professional etiquette.

Should I tell Seth I’m running across the street? No. That’s weird, right? We’re not in a relationship. We had one date—to the wedding—and it’s been business as usual ever since.

Except for the lingering looks. And the late-night texts asking me weird questions like where I see myself in three years and if I’ve ever had rhubarb pie.

Yeah. I don’t get it either.

It’s cold outside when I walk toward Keller’s Bakehouse. The place smells amazing when I push the door open, baked goods and coffee scenting the air and making me want to curl up with a blanket in a window seat somewhere to read. I don’t have a window seat in my house, but I plan to rectify that shortly.

By shortly, I mean it’ll probably be finished sometime next year.

“Hi, welcome to—oh, hey Emma.” Sadie smiles, returning to filling the glass case with freshly baked goods. She brushes her bangs from her eyes. “How’s it going?”

“Just prepping things for Kiss the Pig. Can I snap a picture of you really quick?”

“Sure.” She puts the last few sticky buns in the case and closes it, wiping her hands on her tan canvas apron with a black logo across the chest. Her long, copper hair swings when she moves around the counter, and her smile is bright. “Over here?”

I open the camera app on my phone and hold it up to frame her face. “That’s great. Hold the smile…there. Got it.” I show her the photo. “Do you approve?”

“Yeah, but maybe I don’t want to look too happy. I’d rather people vote for anyone else.”

“It’s always a close call. Carson mentioned he was going to put a big donation in your jug and James’s jug so he won’t win.”

“Carson who?”

“The dentist across the street. Carson Price? He’ll be the third person.”

“Oh, then I’m not too worried. I was a little stressed it would end up being a physical representation about who sides with my family in this town and who’s sympathetic to James.”

I hadn’t thought about their family rivalry when I asked James to participate. It was either him or his mom up for repping their maple farm, and I’m not about to ask that sweet woman to kiss a pig. “Autumn Ridge likes to draw out its drama as long as possible.”

“Consider hiding the whole thing from the Ednas. Then it won’t blow out of proportion.”

“I’m kind of relying on them to remind everyone to vote. I’m hoping it brings in enough money to cover all the new books for the elementary school and our Reading with Santa event this Christmas, if we can swing it.”

Sadie pulls a face. “Go on and make it about the kids,” she teases.

“They are the future.” I laugh. “Hey, can I get a maple sticky bun to go?”

“Of course.” She heads behind the counter and pulls one from the glass case, boxing it up for me. We chat about the upcoming Fall Festival and how much the town will change with the influx of leaf-peepers.

“I’d better go. Maggie’s going to rat me out if I take too long.” I roll my eyes.

“Good luck.”

Crisp air greets me at the door. I hold my sticky bun and check for cars before jogging across the road. It’s past lunchtime now, so who knows if Carson will be in or not. I peek through the window on the door and find him measuring something in the corner of the waiting room.

Knocking as I let myself in, I give him a warning. “Hey, Carson.”