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“Unless there’s another bakery owner named Mira in this town.”
“Mira?” he repeated, wide-eyed. “Mira kissed you? Mira Harlow? Who you just met today?”
“Yes.” Reaching out, Cole righted the mug dangling from Madigan’s fingers before he spilled his cocoa. “Are you okay?”
“What? How? When?” He blinked. “How?”
“You asked that already.”
“Well, it bears repeating. How in the hell did Mira Harlow wind up kissing you?”
“You know what I think it was?” Cole said, glancing wistfully up at the ceiling. “I think it was one of those serendipitous right-place-right-time situations. She was trying to not appear single in front of her ex-boyfriend, and I showed up to…help her with that.”
“By kissing a total stranger?”
“No,” Cole replied calmly. “By letting a total stranger kiss me. I was merely an innocent bystander.”
“Oh, I see,” Madigan said, entirely unconvinced. “So you walked into her bakery, and Mira Harlow just…kissed you. That’s what you’re trying to get me to believe?”
Raising his right hand, Cole declared, “It’s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me god.”
“Shiiit.” Madigan tugged on his beard. “And now she’s your date to our wedding?”
“She is. I have a phone appointment with her later today.”
“I’m sorry,” Madigan said, not appearing sorry at all. “Did you say you have a phone appointment with her? Are you planning on going over your taxes? Discussing your credit score? Comparing and contrasting each other’s love languages?”
“Maybe that last one. Never underestimate the power of knowing your partner’s love language. Do you know Ashley’s?”
“I was joking, Cole.”
“I’m serious, Mad. Why didn’t you tell me you had a gorgeous bakery goddess in your town?”
“Ashley’s love language is Acts of Service. And when would that have come up? It’s not like I send out a monthly newsletter listing all the eligible single people in Red Falls.”
Cole snapped his fingers. “Now there’s an idea. It’s rough out there for single fifty-three-year-olds. Help us out.”
“It’s just so hard to believe,” Mad said, and when Cole scoffed, he explained, “Look, I realize you’re very handsome and charming, and you’ve always had the best game out of any of us—”
Cole waved him off. “Your game was flawless. I just had twice as many options.”
“But I’ve known Mira for years. She’s wonderful. But she isnotthe kiss-a-perfect-stranger type.”
“Mira kissed a stranger?” Ashley asked, wandering into the dining hall before stalling out to glare at her phone, her thumbs moving furiously across the screen.
“Hey, Ashley,” Cole said.
She lowered her phone, and a smile lit her face. “Cole! When did you get in?”
“Just now.” He stood to give her a hug. “Haven’t even gotten my bags out of the car yet.”
“He picked up the tarts for us,” Madigan said, adding, “and that’s not all,” under his breath.
Taking Cole by his shoulders, Ashley fixed him with a profoundly grateful yet somehow also frantically exhausted look, and said, “Thank you.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” Cole replied as she rounded the bar to collapse against Madigan’s side. While Mad wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her head, Cole’s swagger fizzled. It wasn’t jealousy weighing him down, not entirely. It dug deeper than jealousy. This was envy.
Cole was envious of Madigan and Ashley. Nobody would ever doubt they were in love. It was obvious. Ashley didn’t constantly force Madigan to fight for her affection. She didn’t only love him when she was lonely or bored or push him away when he tried to get close. She didn’t leave him behind the second something or someone more interesting came along.
