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They may or may not have bought several loaves.

“Ooh, look!” Claire pointed. “They’re handing out apple cider.”

“Do you want one?” Noah asked.

She nodded. They turned in the direction of the apple cider and came across an older couple, walking hand in hand with the biggest smiles. Claire smiled to herself.

Without even thinking about it, she reached for Noah’s hand. He smiled, probably realizing what just happened.

Claire wondered if they would be like that when they were that couple’s age.

Then she almost stopped in her tracks.

They hadn’t even said “I love you” and she was thinking about forever.

But she was starting to realize she thought she could spend forever with Noah. That both scared and excited her.

She had never felt so strongly about another person.

Not until him.

They approached the apple cider cart, still holding hands, and Noah grabbed one with his free hand and handed it to Claire, then grabbed himself one.

“Noah, look.” Claire came to a halt. “Pumpkins.”

He followed her gaze, eyes landing on the miniature pumpkin patch. “We’re buying a pumpkin, aren’t we?”

“Of course.” She led him to the pumpkins. Instantly, she spotted a very tiny one. She held it up proudly. “Look how cute.”

“It’s so small.”

“That’s the point. We’ll put it by the coffee pot,” she announced.

Noah didn’t protest.

He bought her the pumpkin.

They left the next few stands with local honey, homemade jam, both regular and cinnamon butter, and unnecessarily expensive chocolate chips among other ingredients for their cookies.

They browsed slowly, sipping cider as they went.

Then Claire came across a flower stand. Instantly, her eye was drawn to a bouquet of wildflowers.

She didn’t mean to stop. But she did. She didn’t even think about it.

She stood there, looking at the flowers. Smelling.

After a few minutes, she continued walking. She assumed Noah had stopped somewhere with Biscuit.

She saw a cart of pastries and started heading in that direction when Noah came up behind her.

He tapped her shoulder. “Hey.” He held out a bouquet to her. It was a beautiful arrangement of assorted, colorful wildflowers with a sunflower in the center.

“Noah, these are beautiful. Thank you. You got me flowers?”

He looked like it was no big deal.

That was the thing about Noah.