“I won’t let you down.”Hiseyes stared straight into her soul, implying much more than softball games was at stake.
She watched him get back into his truck and melt away into the night.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
The next morning,Rosewalked intoSouthernSipsprepared to take the day in stride.Butfirst, a cinnamon roll and some sanity.
A full breakfast atTheMimosaTreewould only raise her stress level because the gossip mill was surely in full swing, every forkful of biscuits and gravy punctuated with someone whispering aboutAcenWheeler’sreappearance,Briana’sstrut across the ball field, andRoseMcAllistercaught dead center of it all.
SouthernSipswas safer ground.
The coffee shop already hummed with the kind of low-level chaos that made it feel alive.Mismatchedchairs scraping across hardwood, weekenders in golf polos, locals leaning heavy on the counter like they owned the place.Thescent of cinnamon and strong coffee clung to the air, tangling with laughter and clinking mugs.Thechalkboard menu listed quirky lattes with names like “PickwickPerk” and “LakeLifeCaramel.”
Cindy, her hair piled high in a messy knot and apron dusted with flour, waved her over from behind the counter.“Youlook like someone who’s about to ruin a man’s life.”
“Just his sense of security,”Rosemuttered, setting her sunglasses on top of her head.
“Oh good.”Cindygrinned as she slid muffins onto a tray.“You’refinally embracing your villain era.”
Rose cracked a reluctant smile.
“Acen come by again?”Cindyasked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp, the way only a friend could pull off.
Rose nodded.“Wetalked.Hedidn’t run.”
“Progress,”Cindydeclared, stacking muffins high.
“I told him he had to show up.Provehe meant it.”
Cindy arched a brow.“AndBriana?”
Just as she’d feared, the ball field debacle had already made the rounds.Wordtraveled faster inPickwickBendthan kudzu climbing a fencepost.
“She’s sniffing around,”Roseadmitted.“Stillpolished.Stillpoisonous.”
“Want me to dump sugar in her gas tank?”
“No,”Rosesaid, though her lips twitched.“Butmaybe don’t serve her the good coffee if she comes in.”
Cindy winked.“Considerit done.”
Rose slid her cinnamon roll onto a plate, grabbed her coffee, and made her way to the corner booth.Theone with the cushion that sagged just enough to feel familiar.
She let her shoulders drop.Shefelt… lighter.
Not fixed.Nothealed.
But maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t walking through the wreckage alone anymore.
She tore into the cinnamon roll, the icing still warm, letting the sweetness steady her nerves.Thechatter around her floated like background music.Mr.Landrygriping about gas prices, two teenagers arguing over who’d pitched better inLittleLeaguelast season, the sound of the espresso machine hissing like a sigh.
It almost felt normal.
Until the bell over the door jingled, andRoseglanced up to seeDeclanstroll in.
Her fork froze midair.
Declan looked like trouble packaged in charm that morning.Sun-browned skin, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and that easy, confident smile that seemed to land right on her like he’d been saving it just for her.Hespotted her instantly and cut through the crowd, a fresh energy rolling in with him like a gust of lake wind.
