Page 13 of Make Her Mine

“Yeah. I can’t wait to see everyone. It’s going to be fun.”

He nods, his expression softening. “I have high hopes.”

“Well, I’d better go. I’m on my way to the bakery.” I know my mom and Adrianne are elbows deep, if not shoulders deep, in baking for the wedding and the festival, but they’ll still definitely have muffins and scones ready for breakfast.

I love my job, of course, but being only on call this week is a break I’ve been looking forward to. It’s a beautiful summer morning and the walk from my house over to the bakery for breakfast and coffee is perfect.

I love sitting in my mom’s bakery and chatting with her and Adrianne. Who happens to be Jefferson’s mom. I forgive her for that, since she’s also Graham, Carver, and Ginny’s mom. Three out of four ain’t bad.

“Can we talk for just a minute?” Zach asked. “I was looking for you. I could buy you breakfast.” He gestures to his left, my right.

We’re standing on the sidewalk along Main Street, right in front of Dottie's Diner. Which not only means it’s the second best place for breakfast, but also means there are several people sitting inside, looking out the huge window, watching the two of us talking on the sidewalk.

I don’t think the majority of the town knows what went on between Zach and me. Our “romance” was short and secretive, thanks to him, and ten years ago. I very much doubt that anyone inside is looking at us and thinking, ‘oh, look at the exes’.

However, they might be looking at us and thinking, ‘oh Harlow and Golden-Boy-Turned-Doctor-Zach are talking, isn’t that interesting’.

My mom will know about this before I get to the bakery.

I just turned twenty-five for fuck’s sake, but everyone’s acting as if my single status is a huge concern. And interest.

It’s absolutely not. I love my life, and if and when I find a guy to settle down with, it will be at the right time, the right guy, and they’ll all love him.

But it will not be fucking Zach Nelson.

“I don’t really think there’s anything for us to talk about, Zach,” I tell him honestly.

“That’s because you don’t know what I have to say,” Zach says earnestly. “I need to apologize. And just tell you about myself. I’ve changed.”

I don’t care.

I realize looking at him now that all the reasons I had a crush on him were legit.

I was young. Things like good looks and being great at football and being beloved by our entire town, were perfectly fine reasons for a fourteen-turning-fifteen year-old girl to develop heart-eyes for him.

Fourteen- and fifteen-year-old girls are a little gullible, and easily won over by things like flirtatious charm and good looks, which I have to admit Zach still have.

Plus, give me a break, our town is small. There weren’t a lot of choices.

But looking at him now, I really don’t care. He could have won a Pulitzer Prize for science. He could have saved four thousand rescue dogs. He could be running for President. Of anything, really. I wouldn’t care.

“Zach, I really am?—”

“Please.”

I sigh. He’s going to keep doing this. He’s here for a week. Apparently he thinks I’m one of the reasons he’s here. I should probably just get this over with. Yes, I really want one of my mom’s orange scones. But I can have one of those almost anytime. The sooner I get this conversation with Zach over, the more peaceful my week is going to be.

“Okay, fine,” I say, gesturing at Dottie's.

“I was thinking maybe we could get some food to go and find somewhere a little more private.”

Yeah, that is not going to happen. I am not talking to Zach by myself. I need other people around. Not for my safety, but to keep me from screaming at him. Or stabbing him with my fork.

“I think it would be better in public.” I turn and open the door to Dottie's without waiting for him.

I hear him sigh but he follows me inside. Like he had a choice.

“Hey, Harlow. Hi Zach,” Deanna, Dottie’s daughter, who is now running the restaurant, greets us. She’s obviously surprised to see Zach but pleased.

---