Page 113 of Pumpkin Spice Promises

I ignored him.

Meme eventually returned with apple pie and what looked like homemade vanilla ice cream. Jax nearly proposed marriage as we ate another round.

Somewhere between the second slice of pie and Meme asking whether Jones Automotive would survive without us for one afternoon, the conversation turned toward houses.

I wasn’t sure how.

With Meme, conversations seemed to wander wherever she wanted without anyone realizing she’d steered them there.

“Are you still living near Maple?” she asked me.

“Yeah.”

“Bought that little blue house?”

“Almost four years ago.”

Carson looked over. “You own a house?”

I frowned. “Why do you sound surprised?”

“I don’t know… You don’t seem like someone who owns curtains.”

Jax laughed so hard he had to put his fork down.

I stared at her in disbelief, thinking so little of me. “I have curtains.”

“Did you buy them?”

“No.”

“Mhm.”

“Mom did.”

Carson smiled into her pie.

“My house is furnished,” I clarified. I didn’t know why I felt the need to defend myself.

“Congratulations.”

“I’m an adult.”

“Debatable.”

Meme looked between us with far too much interest, so I changed the subject

“I probably won’t stay there forever.”

That caught Carson’s attention. “Planning to leave Willow Creek?”

“No.” The answer came without thought.

“Never?”

I shook my head. “My family’s here. But I would like to get farther out of town eventually.”

“How far?” Meme rested her chin against one hand.