Page 47 of Espresso Your Love

Mitchell laughs. “Heading inside the maze?”

“I’m going to test his directional skills.”

“Want Max to hang out with me while you go inside?”

I nod and command Max to stay with Mitchell.

Cassie spins around at the entrance, her blonde curls bouncing. “Shall we?” She walks backward and pulls me into the maze.

Despite having no sense of direction, she takes the lead. One thing is for certain, it’ll always be an adventure when she’s around.

She starts turning left and right at random. Hand in hand, we make our way through the maze. We come to a fork, and she pauses and looks both ways then starts toward the right. We turn the corner and hit a dead end, for the second time.

“Another one?” I shake my head and click my tongue.

“I thought this was the right away!”

I chuckle. “I’m starting to think you’re doing this on purpose so you can spend more time with me.”

“Would that be so terrible?” Her eyes twinkle with mischief, and my heart flips inside my chest.

“Not at all. I like spending time with you.” I pull her closer to me, our bodies inches apart. Her eyes meet mine, and everything else disappears.

In this quiet cove of hay, where it's just the two of us, I can't help but think about kissing her. It's not the first time the thought has crossed my mind. I wanted to kiss her when we were in the truck, looking out over town. And as we stood on her front porch after our first date. And I've been thinking about it constantly since then.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Officer Hayes.” She winks as she spins around tugging me in the direction we came.

We go back the way we came until we reach another crossroad. She pauses to look both ways before turning right. As we’re walking, she suddenly yanks my arm to stop.

“Oh, look!” She points to a small opening between two towering stacks of hay bales. “Think it’s a shortcut?”

Without waiting for a response, she eagerly pulls me through the narrow passage. The only sound is the crunching of straw beneath our feet in this serene space. I follow closely behind her, engulfed in the sweet scent of jasmine. The sunlight gleams through the cracks of hay shining on her golden hair.

“I see an opening up ahead,” she whispers excitedly, picking up the pace.

As we emerge through the opening, we’re on the outside of the maze.

“We made it!” she shouts and jumps in the air. “I guess I have better instincts than I thought.”

“You should trust them more often. Where to next?”

“Hmm…funnel cakes?”

She loops her arm through mine, and we start walking toward the maze entrance to get Max.

My radio chirps. “Hayes, we have a possible situation.”

“Copy that.” I look regretfully at Cassie. “Duty calls.”

“Go, save the world.”

“I’ll see you later?” I ask.

“I’m counting on it,” she responds.

I lift her hand to place a kiss and reluctantly let go of it. I start to jog to the maze entrance, but Mitchell isn’t there. He must already be on his way over there.

“Mitchell, do you copy?”

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