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A question he’d never considered. Stay here? He liked the town and he certainly needed to settle somewhere. He was tired of avoiding the house in Malibu. It was time to do something about that.

“I don’t know.”

“See, that’s the thing. You need to know. I wasn’t kidding about having a plan. Dena likes them. They make her feel safe. She’s always had a plan—even about getting pregnant. Don’t play her.”

“I wouldn’t do that. I care about her.”

Reggie looked doubtful. “Sure. For now, but then what? I’m afraid you’ll get bored and walk away. I’m afraid she’ll be crushed.”

He didn’t want that, either. How could he get bored with Dena? She was always so easy to be with. Energetic and fun and sweet and funny and sexy. But that wasn’t Reggie’s point. She was telling him that he needed to get his act together and figure out what he wanted. That hearts could be on the line.

“You’re right about all of it. Thank you for talking to me. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

Reggie stared at him. “What does that mean? Are you being sarcastic?”

“No. Not at all. You’re right. I can’t just let things happen. I need a plan.”

“So you like her?”

“Very much.”

She shook her head. “This did not go the way I thought it would. I appreciate you not getting mad.”

“You’re looking out for Dena. Why would that make me mad?”

Reggie pressed her lips together. “Don’t take this wrong, but you’re way weirder than I’d expected.”

“Don’t take this wrong, either.” He leaned over and lightly kissed her cheek. “No matter what, never stop protecting her.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “I won’t.”

Reggie finished tying the last of the bows around the ceramic pots. She’d worked her way through her entire to-do list. The video slideshow was finished, she’d emailed her report on the vacuum to Gizmo, she’d confronted Micah about her sister, she’d completed all her wedding planning items and her mother had found the perfect dress to wear to her wedding. Life was good. Great, even. Well, except for the giant knot in her stomach.

Why had she told Toby he would regret letting her go? At the time, it had seemed so logical and obvious, but with the passage of time, she was starting to find the moment cringe-worthy. Wasn’t she assuming a lot? Maybe Toby had figured out she was interested in him, and his whole song and dance about protecting Harrison was just an easy way to let her down. Maybe her trip down memory lane wasn’t happening for both of them, and now she was stuck with feelings that weren’t reciprocated.

She’d always been willing to say what she felt. Even in high school, she’d walked right up to him and told him he should ask her out. Something she hadn’t thought about in forever, but she’d done it. She’d been brave. Of course, back then, she’d known how he felt about her. She’d caught him watching her, seen him hanging out where she hung out. Back then she’d known he wanted to date her. But today she was a lot less sure.

Yes, they had a good time together and yes, their kisses had been even hotter than they had been before, but that didn’t mean he was secretly wishing he could take her out. Maybe she should—

“Stop,” she said out loud, startling Belle, who was sleeping comfortably next to Burt. Her dog raised her head and gave her a hurt look, as if to ask what she could have possibly done wrong.

Reggie petted her. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I wasn’t talking to you.”

Belle’s whip of a tail wagged a couple of times, a sign of forgiveness. Then Belle put her head down next to Burt and closed her eyes. Reggie slumped back on the family room sofa.

She was done questioning herself. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She couldn’t take back what had happened, and deep down, she wasn’t sure she would if she could. She did think Toby was an idiot to avoid what was happening between them. Whatever they’d had before was still alive, and as far as she was concerned, that was pretty special. But maybe he didn’t see it that way.

She picked up the folded paper hand pie holder she’d designed. It was compact yet sturdy, with a simple, economical design for pushing broken pieces of pie toward the top. She’d found three manufacturers who could make them, and she’d gotten bids from each of them. Dropping the holder and the bids in the mail was certainly one way to get Toby the information, but that felt too cowardly. Running and hiding had never been in her nature. She was the kind of person who put it all out there and let the consequences be damned. Sort of.

She went upstairs and put on makeup, then replaced her University of Washington sweatshirt with a cute sweater. On her way out, she grabbed the hand pie holders she’d been playing with, along with the folder containing the bids, and stepped into the cold.

But as she approached Judy’s Hand Pies, her courage faded until she started doubting herself. She nearly turned back twice, but told herself she had to be brave. Later, when she looked back on this moment, she would be glad of that.

She found Shaye behind the counter, helping a couple of customers. While they tried to decide between beef with mushrooms and beef burgundy pies, Reggie waved at her.

“I need to talk to Toby. All right if I go up to his office?”

Shaye smiled at her. “Absolutely. The stairs are through the back.”