Page 337 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

I blink. "What do you mean?"

"You’ve always had one foot out the door."

I frown thoughtfully. "I did?"

"Oh, absolutely."

She laughs. "You never bought real furniture. You never unpacked completely. You never let yourself belong anywhere."

Her words settle gently over me.

Because she isn't wrong. Every apartment had been temporary. Every assignment had an ending. Every goodbye came with another map folded inside my suitcase.

I stare into my coffee. "I guess I got used to leaving."

"And now?"

A smile slowly finds its way across my face.

"I think I'm finally ready to stay."

***

Just then a familiar voice calls from behind us.

"Well...if it isn't my favorite troublemaker."

I turn, smiling. It’s Coach’s wife.

"Becca!"

She balances two bakery boxes against one hip while making her way toward our table.

"I’m delivering cinnamon rolls to the bookstore."

She sets the boxes down on the empty chair.

"Then someone at the bakery told me your friend Keisha was in town."

Keisha stands to hug her.

"It's so good to meet you."

"You too. Annette has talked about you so much I feel like I know you, at least a little bit."

Becca settles into the third chair without the slightest hesitation.

"I hope you don't mind me crashing girls' coffee."

"We were just saying how much we wished you were here," I lie shamelessly.

She laughs. "Good answer."

For a while the conversation wanders everywhere: the summer festival, the bookstore's new reading corner, Coach's latest attempt to fix their squeaky porch swing and the bakery's endless experiments with blueberry muffins.

Nothing important. Everything important.

It's amazing how quickly ordinary conversation begins to feel extraordinary when you're sitting with people who make you feel known.