At some point, the conversation shifted. I set my fork down, steadying myself. “I should tell you something. About your house.”
Madison stilled. “What about it?”
“I spoke to the adjuster again yesterday,” I said. “They’re moving forward with the repairs, but he warned me it’s going to take longer than we hoped. Another month, maybe two. Between materials and scheduling, there’s no way around it.”
Her lips parted, her eyes searching mine. “Another month or two.”
I nodded, bracing myself for frustration, for disappointment. “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear. But the good news is, it’s all covered. It’s just… time.”
She let out a slow breath, her shoulders slumping before she gave me a faint smile. “I guess Olive and I are stuck with you a little longer, then.”
The words were meant lightly, but something in her voice made my chest tighten. I leaned closer, my tone steady. “You’re not stuck, Madison. You’re welcome. As long as you need.”
Her eyes softened, and for a moment, it felt like the whole world narrowed to just the two of us.
When dessert came, we split a slice of peach pie. Her laughter bubbling up when I tried to steal the last bite and she caught my fork midair. It was simple, easy, something I hadn’t realized I’d been missing until tonight.
Driving home later, the silence between us was comfortable. I reached over and took her hand into mine. She looked up and smiled at me, her brown eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t quite figure out. The road stretched ahead, the moon hanging low, and I couldn’t stop the thought from sinking deeper and deeper into me.
This wasn’t temporary. Not for me.
And if I were lucky, it wouldn’t be for her either.
Chapter 41
Madison
The gravel crunched under our feet as we stepped out of Seth’s truck, the night air still warm but softened by a faint breeze. The moon hung low, casting silver across the yard, and fireflies blinked lazily in the tall grass.
Seth walked beside me, his hand brushing mine once, then again, until finally he let his fingers tangle with mine. It was a small thing, but the weight of it made my chest ache.
We reached the porch of the guesthouse, the light above the door glowing golden against the night. I turned to face him, my heart pounding. “Thank you. For tonight.”
His eyes searched mine, steady and unflinching. “Thank you. For saying yes.”
Silence wrapped around us, not heavy but charged, thick with everything we were both holding back. I could still taste the sweetness of peach pie, still feel the warmth of his hand on the small of my back as he guided me through the restaurant door. More than that, I could feel the shift in my chest, the slow unfurling of something I had been afraid to let grow for so long.
I should have told him goodnight. I should have walked inside and left it at that. But instead, I heard myself say, “Do you… want to come in?”
His jaw tightened, like he was fighting himself, but then he nodded once. “Yeah.”
I opened the door, stepping back to let him in. The living room was dim, with only the soft glow of a lamp in the corner lighting the space. The air smelled faintly of lavender from the candle I had burned earlier, and suddenly the quiet of the guesthouse felt entirely different with him standing inside it.
I set my purse on the table, my nerves buzzing. He stood near the door for a moment, like he was giving me one last chance to change my mind. I didn’t. I couldn’t.
I moved closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating from him. My voice was barely above a whisper. “Seth.”
He reached for me then, his hand cupped the side of my neck, his thumb brushing the hollow of my jaw. His lips found mine, slower than they had the night before, but deeper. There was no hesitation this time, no half-measure. Just him, steady and warm, kissing me like he had been waiting for this longer than he wanted to admit.
I melted into him, my hands sliding up his chest, feeling the hard plane of muscle beneath his shirt. He tasted faintly of coffee and sugar, and the way he angled his mouth against mine made my knees weaken.
He pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against mine, his breath ragged. “Tell me if this is too much.”
“It’s not,” I whispered, my hands fisting in his shirt. “It’s exactly what I want.”
His answer was another kiss, deeper this time, his arm sliding around my waist to pull me flush against him. I gasped softly, and he swallowed the sound, his hand skimming down my back in a way that made my entire body shiver.
The world outside slipped away. There was only this moment, only the heat of his mouth on mine and the steady strength of his body pressed close. Every wall I had built, every fear I had carried, cracked a little more with each kiss.
