What business could Max have with them?
I can hear Max’s low murmurs coming from the bedroom. When I slip the papers from the envelope, I don’t even feel guilty for snooping—not much, at least—because I already know what I’m going to see. Max’s name and the name of my bakery all on the same letter with the lawyer’s letterhead.
I don’t get to do more than skim the letter before I hear him end the call. I have to shove the papers back into the envelope and drop them to the table.
“Sorry,” he says as he emerges from the bedroom. “That was my mom. Her air conditioner is on the fritz again, and I was troubleshooting with her.”
“No, not at all. It’s fine. No problem. I hope you can fix it.” I’m rambling.
He cocks his head to the side. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine.” I nod once, twice…six times like I’m a freaking bobblehead. I was so wrong about Max, and everywhere this summer took me, every decision I made, branched from my disbelief that he ever wanted me for anything more than my money.
But there it is, right on his kitchen table: evidence that he wasn’t ever after my money. He was sacrificing his own to make my dreams come true. Evidence that I let my insecurities ruin my future with an amazing man.
“Hanna?”
My eyes fill, and I step forward, wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him as I’d hug any friend who I learned had given me such an amazing gift.
Max wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to my hair. “What’s this for?”
“I’m sorry I took you for granted.”
He slides his hand along my jaw and tilts my face up to his. “Ditto,” he whispers.
Then he skims his lips over mine in a movement that’s so gentle and so tender I nearly disintegrate under it. I kiss him back, unsure whether I’m saying goodbye or welcoming something new into my life.
When he pulls back, his eyes are full of questions, but he only asks one. “Stay with me tonight? We don’t have to do anything. I just need you in my arms again.”
I don’t know what I want, but he takes my silence as my answer and his expression changes and becomes guarded. “I’m sorry,” I say, and turn to leave.
“I love you,” he calls to my back, and I can only nod. I walk out the door, his grandmother’s ring still in my pocket.
Present Day
“SO FREAKING good,” I moan. I let the pure, unadulterated pleasure of fine chocolate ripple through my body.
After I left Max’s house, I called Liz, who promised she was on her way, but she brought the whole crew, and now Liz, Maggie, Cally, and Nix are all gathered around my kitchen island with drinks—martinis for the three who aren’t knocked up and herbal tea for the rest of us—and pounds of those gourmet chocolates Asher buys Maggie when he’s in New York.
Liz raided the bakery and brought up an assortment of cookies and pastries, and Nix brought a silly card game that we haven’t bothered playing.
Without my having to explain, they all understand how hard it was for me to give Max his ring back.
“So what happens between you and Nate now?” Nix asks.
Liz is shaking up a new batch of chocolate martinis, and Nix raises her glass to signal she wants another.
“Nothing,” I say. I cut a piece of the cheese Danish and hand it to Nix. “This is my new recipe. Tell me if it’s too sweet.”
“What do you mean, nothing?” Nix asks before taking a bite. Then, with her mouth half full, she says, “Oh my God. This isn’t food. It’s an orgasm in your mouth.”
When Liz reaches for the rest of the Danish, Cally smacks her hand away and takes it from the plate. “Pregnant ladies get first dibs.”
“Nothing?” Maggie asks. “Are you sure?”
“I didn’t break it off with Max so I could be with Nate.” Though I’m sure Max believes I did. I’m sure everyone in town will think I did, once word gets out.
“What did he say when you told him you were pregnant?” Nix asks.
“He wants me to move to LA.”
“What?” Liz squeaks. “Like you’re going to totally throw away your business—your life—for him?”
“You can’t blame him for trying,” Maggie says.
“He’s only interested because of the babies. When I went to LA and told him I wasn’t going to marry Max, Nate still said goodbye. He doesn’t want to be with me—not enough to fight for me when it counts.” And not enough to figure out a way to make it work that doesn’t involve my moving across the country.
“I’m not sure you’re being fair, Hanna,” Nix says. “When you went to LA, he thought you’d chosen Max before the accident.”
Maggie nods. “I think he was trying to let you go since you wanted to be with Max.”
“I didn’t walk away. I let you go.”
Is that what Nate meant? He let me go so I could be with Max?
“I still don’t understand why I chose Max,” I say quietly, and the admission fills me with guilt. “Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know how I could have chosen Nate either. It’s an impossible choice. My missing memories are leaving me with a lot of unanswered questions. I still have four days of my life that are missing. I wish I knew what happened in those days.”
“Have you thought any more about how the accident may have happened?” Nix asks.
I can hear Max’s low murmurs coming from the bedroom. When I slip the papers from the envelope, I don’t even feel guilty for snooping—not much, at least—because I already know what I’m going to see. Max’s name and the name of my bakery all on the same letter with the lawyer’s letterhead.
I don’t get to do more than skim the letter before I hear him end the call. I have to shove the papers back into the envelope and drop them to the table.
“Sorry,” he says as he emerges from the bedroom. “That was my mom. Her air conditioner is on the fritz again, and I was troubleshooting with her.”
“No, not at all. It’s fine. No problem. I hope you can fix it.” I’m rambling.
He cocks his head to the side. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine.” I nod once, twice…six times like I’m a freaking bobblehead. I was so wrong about Max, and everywhere this summer took me, every decision I made, branched from my disbelief that he ever wanted me for anything more than my money.
But there it is, right on his kitchen table: evidence that he wasn’t ever after my money. He was sacrificing his own to make my dreams come true. Evidence that I let my insecurities ruin my future with an amazing man.
“Hanna?”
My eyes fill, and I step forward, wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him as I’d hug any friend who I learned had given me such an amazing gift.
Max wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to my hair. “What’s this for?”
“I’m sorry I took you for granted.”
He slides his hand along my jaw and tilts my face up to his. “Ditto,” he whispers.
Then he skims his lips over mine in a movement that’s so gentle and so tender I nearly disintegrate under it. I kiss him back, unsure whether I’m saying goodbye or welcoming something new into my life.
When he pulls back, his eyes are full of questions, but he only asks one. “Stay with me tonight? We don’t have to do anything. I just need you in my arms again.”
I don’t know what I want, but he takes my silence as my answer and his expression changes and becomes guarded. “I’m sorry,” I say, and turn to leave.
“I love you,” he calls to my back, and I can only nod. I walk out the door, his grandmother’s ring still in my pocket.
Present Day
“SO FREAKING good,” I moan. I let the pure, unadulterated pleasure of fine chocolate ripple through my body.
After I left Max’s house, I called Liz, who promised she was on her way, but she brought the whole crew, and now Liz, Maggie, Cally, and Nix are all gathered around my kitchen island with drinks—martinis for the three who aren’t knocked up and herbal tea for the rest of us—and pounds of those gourmet chocolates Asher buys Maggie when he’s in New York.
Liz raided the bakery and brought up an assortment of cookies and pastries, and Nix brought a silly card game that we haven’t bothered playing.
Without my having to explain, they all understand how hard it was for me to give Max his ring back.
“So what happens between you and Nate now?” Nix asks.
Liz is shaking up a new batch of chocolate martinis, and Nix raises her glass to signal she wants another.
“Nothing,” I say. I cut a piece of the cheese Danish and hand it to Nix. “This is my new recipe. Tell me if it’s too sweet.”
“What do you mean, nothing?” Nix asks before taking a bite. Then, with her mouth half full, she says, “Oh my God. This isn’t food. It’s an orgasm in your mouth.”
When Liz reaches for the rest of the Danish, Cally smacks her hand away and takes it from the plate. “Pregnant ladies get first dibs.”
“Nothing?” Maggie asks. “Are you sure?”
“I didn’t break it off with Max so I could be with Nate.” Though I’m sure Max believes I did. I’m sure everyone in town will think I did, once word gets out.
“What did he say when you told him you were pregnant?” Nix asks.
“He wants me to move to LA.”
“What?” Liz squeaks. “Like you’re going to totally throw away your business—your life—for him?”
“You can’t blame him for trying,” Maggie says.
“He’s only interested because of the babies. When I went to LA and told him I wasn’t going to marry Max, Nate still said goodbye. He doesn’t want to be with me—not enough to fight for me when it counts.” And not enough to figure out a way to make it work that doesn’t involve my moving across the country.
“I’m not sure you’re being fair, Hanna,” Nix says. “When you went to LA, he thought you’d chosen Max before the accident.”
Maggie nods. “I think he was trying to let you go since you wanted to be with Max.”
“I didn’t walk away. I let you go.”
Is that what Nate meant? He let me go so I could be with Max?
“I still don’t understand why I chose Max,” I say quietly, and the admission fills me with guilt. “Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know how I could have chosen Nate either. It’s an impossible choice. My missing memories are leaving me with a lot of unanswered questions. I still have four days of my life that are missing. I wish I knew what happened in those days.”
“Have you thought any more about how the accident may have happened?” Nix asks.
