7. Madi

Chapter 7

Madi

After spending a good couple of weeks in town, I couldn’t help but think I might have finally found my groove here. The Cozy Creek Confectionery was basically heaven on earth—from the customers to the coworkers—I loved everything about it.

I discovered that Gigi’s schedule was not a typical nine-to-five or five-to-lunch like Kenzie’s. She kept her own hours and told me I could do that, too. She had plenty of employees. What she wanted from me was someone trustworthy and responsible to ensure the place ran smoothly while she was incapacitated—she wanted the freedom to cut her day short or not come in at all. Popping in at odd hours, occasionally working the counter, and getting to know her employees would accomplish that.

She also encouraged me to sit with her and her friends whenever they were at the shop for tea, scones, and chats about what was happening in Cozy Creek. They were amazing.

I drove Gigi’s old PT Cruiser to her house every day, bright and early, to take Basil on his morning walk. She’d let me borrow it since she couldn’t drive with her booted foot. My car was still in the shop. According to Quinn, the mechanic who was also Cole’s brother, the ignition coil needed to be replaced, and the part was on order.

Escorting Basil around the neighborhood and through the park had replaced my morning trek to work in Colorado Springs. I was making my own hours, making new friends, and having the time of my life. Ross who?

And it must be said, walking in Colorado Springs did not have the added benefit of Cole sightings or various other fire department members, either. Getting my steps in while enjoying the show they unwittingly put on was a bonus I hadn’t expected. Those guys liked to work out, and they gave the citizenry of Cozy Creek plenty to gawk at. How anyone got any work done here was miraculous, considering the many sexy distractions walking, jogging, or sprinting through town at any given moment. And don’t get me started on the stretching or pull-ups on the exercise equipment in the park.

I still wasn’t ready for dating, but nevertheless, I found myself primping in the mirror every morning before making my way to Gigi’s place to get Basil. My brand-new pale pink Lululemon set was the outfit of the day for this morning’s excursion. It was skin-tight and did amazing things to my boobs and booty.

I decided to forgo makeup this morning for a change, only adding a slick of pink lip gloss to match my outfit. I always showered after walking Basil, but applying makeup before and after walking him was getting old. I could admit I was high maintenance, but it was starting to get ridiculous, and I was over it. Pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I stuck my tongue out at my straightener.

I spun in front of the mirror to ensure the back looked as good as the front, smiling in anticipation when I imagined Cole’s reaction if I saw him. I liked how it felt when his eyes were on me. It felt like he really saw me, not like he was checking me out. He wasn’t winking or being flirtatious. He was paying attention and learning who I was; it was a heady feeling. I craved it.

I was playing a dangerous one-sided game, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. Talking to him made me feel good. It gave me a lift I desperately needed after spending the last couple of years begging for scraps of affection from Ross. The trouble was that after each conversation Cole and I had, I liked him more, no matter how innocent it was.

Kenny wound through my feet as I contemplated my life choices in front of the mirror. He was a morning cat, always up at the crack of dawn. Victor and Sage were still sleeping on my bed. I could hear Victor snoring from there. “Hello, you.” I picked him up to cuddle him. “Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone, you hear?”

His meow was not convincing. This cat was made to cause drama. I set him down and grabbed my keys on the way to the door.

Saturday mornings were busier than weekdays. Cozy Creek was a tourist destination as much as a homey small town. A few years back, a social media influencer called Cozy Creek the best, worst-kept secret in Colorado, and it stuck. Weekends were for brunching, shopping, and wandering around Main Street, where visitors and locals alike could peruse the marquee at the visitor’s center to find all the latest town announcements.

I stopped at the marquee to see the fundraiser for the Cozy Creek Fire Brigade announcement pinned to the top. I stood there lost in thought for a minute, imagining Cole in a dunk tank, wet T-shirt contest, or shirtless for some random yet totally valid and not at all gratuitous reason. They should have hired me to plan it. Oh well, maybe next year.

I let my eyes wander as I headed down Main Street for a fast-paced walk. Fall was in full effect, with haystacks, pumpkins, happy scarecrows, and colorful pots of mums placed up and down the street, decorating doorways and staircases in numbers too big to count.

I turned the corner toward Gigi’s house, waving at Natalie as I approached. She was sitting on her front porch and did not look happy at all. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” I called to her.

“Hey! I’m fine. Are you going to walk Basil today?” She was a sweet girl. After school, she sometimes visited Gigi’s shop with her friends for lemonade and cookies.

Occasionally, throughout my time here, she’d catch me early in the morning at Gigi’s house or come up to the counter to chat about makeup and boys and sometimes in-depth topics like college choices and what she should do for the rest of her life. For now, she wanted to be a veterinarian, and I thought it was a great idea. She was great with the cats, and Basil adored her. She made me remember how I was at her age, and I missed it.

Where did all my hopes and dreams go?That wasn’t the right question. Why had I set them aside to work for my mother and settle for a man who wasn’t sure if he even loved me? I had let other people steer me in the directions that benefitted them, which was what I needed to think about. But later—I could think about all that when I returned to Colorado Springs. Cozy Creek was supposed to be my respite from all the complicated feelings I didn’t want to deal with.

“Can I come with you?” Her voice broke through my reverie.

“Oh, of course, you can if it’s okay with your dad. Go ask him, and I’ll grab Basil, then meet you in the front yard.”

I watched her run through the garage door before crossing the street and letting myself into the house. Gigi was already at the Confectionery. Her friends had picked her up early today for their standing brunch date.

Basil came running to greet me at the door, leaving a trail of canine gas behind him. I quickly hooked his leash to his collar and grabbed a few bags to clean up after him.

I smiled at Natalie as she darted across the street to meet me. “He said it’s okay!”

“Want to go to the park? I mean, after Basil finishes.”

“Yes! I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh yeah? About what?” Basil found his way to his favorite mulberry bush and lifted a leg. He was fine, so I focused on Natalie. I’d make sure she ended our time together feeling better. It was my morning mission.

“Dexter Ryan. How do you get a boy to ask you out? I can’t ask my mother. She’s too busy lately.”

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. From the tone of her voice, it seemed like her mother was her biggest worry, not Dexter Ryan and their potential date.

“You’re fifteen, right?” I decided to cut to the chase. “Are you allowed to date? I don’t want to encourage something your parents would disapprove of.”

“Yeah, I can go to dances and stuff with my friends. Not car dates, whatever that is.”

“I see. Nothing with just the two of you?”

“Exactly.” She rolled her eyes. “Like I’m some kind of baby. All my friends can date. And my mom has no business telling me what to do when—never mind. It’s embarrassing. I’m over it.”

“You can talk to me if you want. My parents have been divorced since I was a baby, and I rarely see my dad. I’ve been here for over two weeks. Have I heard from him? That’s a big fat nope. Awkward is the nicest way I can describe being around both of them. Rare is another word. They avoid each other like it’s their job.”

“I’m sorry, that sucks. And, yeah, it’s awkward, all right. I hate it, and I’m sorry you have to deal with this crap too.” We turned our focus to Basil. “Is he going to let us go for a walk or just nose around in the grass?”

“He has to start his business in his own front yard. Picking a prime spot is part of his process. Part two will be in the park, somewhere behind that big group of aspen trees or near the gazebo. It is not for us to question. Basil has his ways.”

She laughed, but it seemed forced. “Got it. Dogs are weird. Boys are weird. Mothers are weird too.” Her chin wobbled. “Like, she was supposed to pick us up this morning to take us to brunch, but she canceled. Apparently, Todd’s kids are more important. They’re not ready to be a family or a stepfamily or whatever the hell we’re supposed to be since she cheated on my dad and busted up our family. So she went to the Skytop Diner with them and left me and Evan here. Supposedly, she’s going to talk to them and smooth things over. But who cares about us, right? Her own kids? Ev is inside playing Xbox with Dad. Like, she wouldn’t dare go to Gigi’s with them for brunch. Gigi would give her that look and probably kick her out.”

“She totally would.” I kept it light. I wasn’t sure what she wanted from me yet—sympathy, distraction, or the freedom to vent her feelings and have someone impartial to listen. “I’ve seen that look; she always gave it to my ex and sometimes my dad. Her judgy face is legit. I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Natalie⁠—”

“It’s okay. I’m okay. I mean, did she ever ask if Evan and I are ready to have a stepfamily? Nope. We’re supposed to go along with whatever she wants. But his kids can throw a fit and get their way.” Her head shook from side to side as she seemed to realize what she’d shared with me. “God, I didn’t mean to dump all that on you. I’m so embarrassed.”

She needed someone to talk to, and that was obvious. “Don’t be. It’s fine,” I reassured her. “I’m glad I could be here for you. Please don’t worry. I know how much this sucks. Believe me, I get it.”

“I can’t talk to my dad about this. I know he’s still mad at Mom and Todd, and I don’t want to make things worse, especially after what happened at Bookers. He’s trying so hard to make everything all right for Evan and me⁠—”

“But it’s not,” I deduced. What had happened at Bookers?

“Nope. Not one freaking bit.”

God, I saw so much of myself in her, and it broke my heart.

“Your dad said something to me the other day when I was upset and embarrassed. You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating.”

Her lips tipped up in a slight grin. “Shit happens? Grandpa says that all the time.”

“Yeah, shit happens—to all of us. But most importantly, you are allowed to feel what you feel. I don’t mind at all if you want to talk more about it, and I’m honored that you trusted me enough to open up. I’m in no place to judge anyone. Nobody is. Obviously, the divorce and your feelings about it are more serious than a simple shit happens. My point is, don’t be embarrassed when you get overwhelmed by your feelings and have to let them out.”

“No, I get what you meant, totally. Speaking of shit—” Her eyebrows shot up as she gestured to Basil with a tilt of her head. He had just finished part one of his daily business. “We can walk now.”

I held my hand to her, honored when she took it and squeezed it.

“Let’s get a move on. Want to do the honors?” I offered her Basil’s leash, and she took it with a grin. “I’ll be on clean-up duty.” I held the bags up as Basil barked happily at her side. “I’ll get that one when we get back.”

“What kind of dog is he, anyway?” she asked.

“According to Gigi, he’s almost a beagle. She rescued him from an animal shelter when she was at my place in Colorado Springs. He’s not purebred by any means.”

“Like Snoopy?”

“Maybe a bootleg, street dog version of Snoopy. Basil has seen some things out there on the streets. He’s kind of nutty.”

We power-walked through town, falling into a comfortable silence as we basked in the fresh air and bright yellow sunshine.

“Thanks, Madi. I didn’t think I could feel better after my mom called to cancel.” Her whispered voice carried through the light breeze and warmed my heart. I loved that I could be here for her to talk things through, just like Gigi had always been around when I needed her.

“Any time, honey,” I answered as we approached the park.

We spent the rest of our time watching Basil run around, barking and yipping at the falling leaves in the breeze while we chatted about lighter topics.

As I walked them back home, I thought about Cole and his divorce and whether or not I should tell him I knew some of what had happened between him and his ex. I would hate it if he knew all the pathetic details of my breakup. Ross hadn’t cheated on me, but keeping me dangling on a string while he put up with my affections and fed my hopes for our future was still pretty bad.

Oh crap, what if he knew about everything already? I had previously doubted Gigi would spill anything genuinely personal, but who knows? She considered Cole a good friend and was obviously trying to push me in his direction.

Oh well, what did it matter if one more person knew how sad and desperate I had been?