Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold #19)(51)

“Should I be worried?” her friend asked.

“Not yet.”

Shelby nodded and drove around to the main road. When they reached it, she turned left, back toward town.

“You know I love you,” Shelby said a couple of minutes later.

“You closed the bakery and drove out here at five-thirty in the morning without asking why,” Madeline said. “Yes, I know you love me.”

“You like the guy?”

“I’m not sure.”

That earned her an eye roll.

Madeline sighed. “Yes, I like him.”

“Thank you for admitting it. You’re not the type to sleep with someone without liking him first.”

“How do you know we slept together?”

Shelby groaned. “Seriously? You expect an answer to that?”

Madeline sighed again. “I’m confused.”

“You’re running.”

“No. I’m getting back to town so I can...” As she refused to sigh a third time in ten seconds, she was forced to hang her head. “I ran.”

“You ran out on someone you care about. After being snowed in at his house. At Christmastime.”

“I’m a horrible person.”

“I still love you. But you might want to be thinking of a way to explain it all. If you want to see him again.”

Oh, no! Madeline hadn’t thought that part through. For a second she considered asking Shelby to turn around, but changed her mind. She needed to think. She needed a little space and she really needed to change her clothes.

“I’ll send him a text,” she said.

“That’s romantic.”

“Hey, what about being on my side?”

Shelby drove into Fool’s Gold. “You don’t get to have attitude this morning, missy. I closed the bakery and drove up a mountain for you. Remember that.”

Madeline smiled at her. “I will. Forever.”

* * *

Jonny read the text again. It was simple and to the point. I freaked. I’m sorry. Can we talk later?

He supposed he could be pissed, but in truth, he appreciated the honesty in the message. Last night had been unexpected—for both of them.

He’d already showered and had breakfast. Now he wandered through his house and tried to figure out how it could feel so empty. Madeline had been with him less than forty-eight hours. There was no way she could have had such an impact on him or the place. Yet here he was, walking around as if he were a lost puppy.

He checked his email, then flipped through the script Madeline had read the previous day. It would be a departure for him. Something no one expected. He told himself that stretching was good, and if he failed, he could always make Amish Revenge 3.

By noon he couldn’t stand his own company. He drove into town and parked by Paper Moon. He walked toward the store, reached the door, then turned away. Madeline was working. They had nothing to say to each other that couldn’t wait. He wasn’t some sixteen-year-old kid after his first date.

All of which sounded logical, but didn’t take away the need to see her. Finally he turned in the other direction and began walking.

Snow was piled up high everywhere. The streets and sidewalks were cleared and the temperature had climbed high enough that the sound of music, car engines and conversation was accompanied by the steady drip-drip of melting snow. Figured a blizzard would be followed by a warm-up.

He headed for the lake, then walked by Morgan’s Books before stopping at Plants for the Planet. Knowing he was fifteen kinds of an idiot, he walked inside.

Ten minutes later he was going back the way he came, but this time with two dozen red roses. Talk about a cliché. Worse, he knew he was grinning like a fool and he couldn’t stop. Nor did he seem to care.

He pulled open the door to Paper Moon. Madeline was with a client and the first thing he heard was the sound of her laughter. She and a bride were trying on different shoes with a fitted dress that flared out at the bottom. The bride, a pretty brunette, teetered in four-inch heels while Madeline offered her arm for support.

“I want to be taller,” the bride said with a laugh.

Madeline grinned. “I get that, but how much do you want to be able to walk?”

“You’re saying I have to pick?”

“It’s that or move the wedding to Happily, Inc., and have the Cleopatra wedding where you’re carried in on a palanquin.”

“A what?”

“The seat with the four guys carrying it on poles.” Madeline dimpled. “Sometimes it’s a crossword clue.”

The bride wobbled and started to go down. Jonny rushed for her and caught her just as she slipped. He was careful to keep hold of the roses with his other arm.

Both Madeline and the bride stared at him.

“Wow,” the bride said. “You look a lot like some actor... I can’t think of his name.”

Jonny winked. “I get that all the time.” He helped the other woman back on her feet. “Mind if I steal Madeline for a second?”

“Go ahead. I’m going to stand here and will myself to grow two inches taller.”

Madeline hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time. I’m going to try on all the shoes again and pick my favorites.”