Page 88 of Lovewell Lane

“The grandad calls himselfSlick?”

“I think it’s best to just not ask,” I said with a laugh.

We both glanced out the window as a person walked past. I recognized Lila and stood to open the door for her. “Lila, come in.”

“I thought I’d come and perform a mental health check before tomorrow,” Lila joked.

“Thanks, it’s much appreciated.” I turned to gesture to Scarlet. “This is my best friend, Scarlet. She’s the one staying with you for the Festival.”

“Ah, I was hoping to meet you,” Lila said.

Scarlet stood up and awkwardly smiled at Lila. This was like watching a crossover episode of two of your favorite TV shows. My eyes bounced back and forth between the two.

“It’s nice to meet you,” said Scarlet. “I heard you’re a Dreamer, too. It’s nice that you both have each other to bounce ideas off of.”

“Yeah, Margo has been great to have around.”

I watched the two introverts interact like a nature documentary. Their polite conversation amazed me as they managed to talk about nothing for minutes. The sun lowering in the sky reminded me that I was on a tight schedule.

“Well, I adore you both, but unless you want to help me make hundreds of baked goods, I need to get to work.”

Scarlet rolled her eyes at me. “I’ve been in the kitchen with you. You wouldn’t let me help even if I begged to.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“I can walk you to the Inn if you want, Scarlet? We have a nice walking trail around the lake if you want a nice view of town before dark.”

Scarlet shot me a look. Her eyes said,Where did you find this angel?Nothing pleased Scarlet more than a good walking trail. She was raised in Washington, after all.

They left for the Inn with a few more waves goodbye. She and Lila got on just as well as I hoped they would. My best friend seemed to love small-town life, she was bright-eyed, full of curiosity, and asked at least a thousand questions throughout the day.

I loved Honeyfield. I did. But I could tell from her smile that Scarlet loved ita lot.

Around lunch, we walked around the park, so I could show her the festival setup. She oohed and aahed at everything. She was amazed that everyone who passed us seemed to know my name and greeted us with a smile.

“You’re like a celebrity,” she teased as a family walked past us.

Now, I was left alone without my best friend as the sun set. The diner felt emptier than it ever had before. Chairs were flipped. The floor was mopped. The only sounds were the low hum of the refrigerator and the gentle clink of my measuring spoons as I prepped the first round of batter for the first batch of pastries.

I was covered in flour from head to toe and every muscle in my body ached a few short hours later.

I heard the back door swing open. No one knocked, so I grabbed a rolling pin and spun around.

“Thought I’d find you here,” Derek said, stepping inside.

He looked like the day had worn him out almost as much as it did me. Hair tousled, boots dirty, and that stupidly warm smile already softening my entire spine.

“Technically, we’re closed.”

“I’m here on unofficial business,” he said.

“Oh yeah?” I smirked. “Are you here to tell me my mother has moved in and you’ve fallen in love with her?”

“Worse,” he said, crossing the floor with a small paper bag in one hand. “I’m here to do your dishes and give you your birthday present.”

I paused, dough still in my hands. “My birthday isn't until tomorrow.”

He shrugged. “It’s past midnight somewhere.”

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