Chapter 38

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

When I walked into the coffee shop, the first thing I did was look at the blackboard, and it didn’t fail to make me smile. Every single day it was something different, and every day I looked forward to reading what Max wrote for me. It was foreplay for my soul. The first quote was: You and I will always be unfinished business . When I read the words, my stomach had dropped with anticipation at what those words implied. It would always be Max and Freya.

The second quote was: A sky full of stars and he was staring at her.—Atticus . And boy did he stare at me every time he came into the shop; he couldn’t take his eyes off me. To be fair, I couldn’t take mine off him either. Then I got a bouquet of beautiful paper roses. The petals were made from poetry books. Max gave me a bouquet of poems and sonnets. All of this just made it harder to resist him. He was still going along to what I had asked of him in the hospital.

We were keeping our relationship on the down low, way on the low.

Forty-five days, one thousand eighty hours, and I was head over heels in love again. Max hated it though, and he told me so every night when he came to visit me at Grandpa’s. People assumed I was the reason for the canceled wedding, but no one said anything to my face.

Cowards much?

Only those who were kiss-asses to the Newtons gave me nasty looks. Since they weren’t my friends, it didn’t bother me. Today’s quote made my heart melt. We loved with a love thatwas more than love.—Edgar Allan Poe.

I had yet to write something down, but I would soon. I justknew the moment I grabbed the chalk and professed my love to him that was it. We couldn't hide anymore.

“If you don’t date him, I will,” Emma said when Max sent the bouquet. If only she knew . Our relationship was just between us, and it was nice getting to know each other again. We talked a lot, about what happened to him after I left, what I did, and about Abigail and Ashton. Although it was painful, it was part of what made us who we were today.

I talked to Emma the day I got discharged out of the hospital, and I told her I wanted to expand her coffee shop into a diner. At first, she didn’t want my help; she didn’t want me to invest my money and then lose it. I knew I would not lose any money. It was time for Sunny Pines to grow, and nothing said growth like a bomb diner. Since Max would never cash my check, I had money to spend, plus enough to get a car. My grandpa’s Chevy was dead. D-e-a-d, dead.

Emma’s Coffee would become Emma’s Diner with renovations starting soon. That also meant more job opportunities for others in town. I totally got the idea the day after my hangover and Jana’s burger sparked a demand that wasn’t available in town. Emma insisted on changing the name to something else since we were co-owners now, but I wouldn’t hear of it. Let’s be honest, I would never be the town’s favorite girl, but I was done caring and trying to make others happy.

When the door chimed, I felt it in the way my skin prickled, the static in the air, the way my belly fluttered; it was him.

“May I get a cup of coffee, Miss Pratt?”

I looked up, trying hard not to beam at Maximilian. He was here, and he was mine.

“You want me to fix it for him, Freya?” Jess looked warily between us, but I shook my head and bit my lip. No one was fixing my Max shit but me.

“It’s okay, Jess. I know just how Mr. Dunnett likes it.” I watched with glee as his eyes darkened. The problem with a nonexistent boyfriend, we barely had time for stolen kisses. Jess left, muttering something unintelligible under her breath.

“Freya,” Max said, his voice thick with desire.

“Maximilian.” I dragged out his name, letting it roll off my tongue. Something he didn’t have to tell me because I’d known it since we were young,he loved the way I said his full name.

“I’m two seconds away from not giving a fuck and taking that smart mouth right now,” he harshly whispered.

And because I still loved to tease him, I said, “Your coffee is ready, Mr. Dunnett.”

Oh yeah, total foreplay.

“Freya, tonight, pack a bag,” he stated before walking away, making me shiver all over. Most nights I fell asleep on him, which I felt bad about because the couch was shit to sleep on. Even my grandpa said so. I watched him leave, thrilled and scared at the same time. Max had sold his loft above the practice. I knew he did it mostly for my sake. I didn’t try topersuade him to keep the place. It was nice knowing I would never have tospend the night in the same place he and Abigail had spent countless nights together.

“The sexual tension was so thick, I think I got pregnant.” Jess’s smart-ass remark interrupted my thoughts.

“Jess.” I smiled at her. “Mind your own business.”

“Then you better tell Max to stop professing his love on the board.”

I stuck my tongue out at her because she had a point. Jess dropped her smile, tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, and looked at the board with longing. Oh my God, did Jess have a crush on Max?

“Honestly I don’t understand why you aren’t with him? You both like each other.”

“It’s not that simple,” I answered immediately.

“If the love of my life offered to ride off into the sunset with me, my response would be when do we leave and what do I pack?”

“I’ll remind you of this when you’re in love,” I added dryly.

Jess turned to me.“Please do. If I’m stupid enough to ignore it like you are, you have my permission to kick my ass.”

Was it really that simple? How long did one have to wait to date after a canceled wedding? Plus, Abigail left town after Max broke up with her. I felt terrible for her; I wish things would have gone differently, but it was what it was. I told Max I wanted to reach out to her and apologize, but Max said I would be the last person she would want to see. He was right. I knew how much it hurt to lose Max. I hoped she found someone to make her happy.

I sighed when I thought of the mess my life had turned into regarding my dad bomb. Dex was still AWOL—not that he used those words, but he was on vacation away from Sunny Pines. We didn’t have time to talk. I guess it sucked to find out your dad wasn’t who you thought he was. Just because I didn’t want to talk to his father, it didn’t mean I didn’t want to talk to Dex. I asked Chief Tim, and he said Dex was coming back in a few days. If I had to stalk him, I would.

I had no family other than Rusty and Grandpa, so this was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Rusty made me promise he was still my number one brother. I told Rusty that Dex wouldn’t get married without me in attendance. Let’s face it, I would never get over that .

“Hey, Bear.” I waved at Jake who had just walked in.

“Freya, looking good.” I went out to hug him while Jess got Emma from the back so she could make him a drink. Bear was her tester in the concoctions she wanted to try. Bear looked at the wall, shook his head, and smiled.

“What’s so funny?” I poked him.

“Just wondering when you and Dunnett will get your shit together. I come in here expecting to see ‘Do you like me? Check yes or no.’” He laughed, and I punched him. I thought the board was cute, and it was our thing.

“So… Jake, is there anyone special you like? Do you have a girlfriend? I’m good at matchmaking.”

Jake looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Really? Who’d you match?”

“Yeah? Who you’d pair up?” Jess pipped up.

“Emma and Dex. Did you know he’s my brother?” Bear shook his head. Clearly, I was a little cray-cray.

“Freya, everyone could see Dex was crazy about Emma. He’s been trying to get with her since the moment he got into town. You were the only one who had the guts to push Em. And don’t take this the wrong way, girl, but to be a good matchmaker, you have to have friends,” he mocked me.

“Hello, I’m right here.” Emma waved Bear’s coffee. “And I’m not dating Dex.”

Emma didn’t like when Dex turned the tables on her.

“Yet… you aren’t exclusive yet. Let my little brother come back and I’ll talk sense into him.” I grinned at her horrified expression. Then I turned back to Bear. “Anyway, wh at kind of girls do you like? Do you have a type? You’re a simple guy, so I assume nothing too prissy?”

Bear took a sip of his coffee, a faraway look crossing his face. “Not looking to date anyone. I tried the whole engaged thing after college; it wasn’t for me,” he said nonchalantly. He did not just drop a bomb like that and walk away like it wasn’t a big deal.

Emma, Jess, and I looked at each other gaping. “Who would be stupid enough to dump him?” Jess said and both Emma and I agreed.

“Do you know who he was with in college?” I asked Emma, but she shook her head.

“I’m totallysingle if you want to hook us up,” Jess craned her neck so she could watch Bear leave.

“Dude, he’s too old for you. You’re more suited for Quincy; at least neither of you would go to jail for dating each other.”

Jess didn’t have a reply, which was good because I was mentally packing an overnight bag.

My lady bits were excited, and so was I.