Page 100 of Cinnamon Roll Set Up

My little siblings each hug me on their way to claim two ofthe bookshop’s cozy chairs. Ava’s already heading out the door without even confirming with me that I can babysit. Which, to be clear, I can’t.

“Ava. I’m not working today.”

She barely pauses in the doorway. “Then it’s that much better!”

“No, it’s not.” I pull her outside onto the sidewalk so Finn and Willa don’t overhear. I wait for the door to shut before I go on. “You can’t keep bringing them to me to babysit without warning.”

She rears back, a perfect pout forming on her face. “I thought you liked spending time with them.”

“I do. I love them. But I also love having my own life. I need you to give me some advance warning. Call. Text.”

Amazing how her phone works whenever she’s planning a party or a holiday gathering, but never does when she needs last-minute babysitting. She just appears, like a rabbit in a hat shoving her babies onto the magician.

Ava’s shoulders sag beneath her fashionable wool coat. “I just want you to have a close relationship with them. The way you do with Sam.”

Oh. Well…that’s asking a lot, considering the age gap between us and how young they are. But I guess her springing them on me makes a little more sense in that light.

“We are close. I love them, and they love me. But sometimes I have things to do. Like right now. Except—” I look up and down the sidewalk as if a taxi might be waiting. I don’t think even ride share apps get much use in this town. “I think I’m going to miss him.”

She looks me over and perks up again. “Miss who?”

I sigh, but I might as well tell her. “Miles is one of the bachelors in the Kissing Corn Maze at Mackay Farm, and I totallyforgot about it. I was going to go down there, but I rode here on that.”

I toss a hand at the bookmobile bike. Super cute as a book display. Super impractical as actual transportation.

“You were going to go down there, and…” she prompts.

“Tell Miles I love him, obviously. But now I don’t have a way to get there.”

It’s fine. It’s not like the Kissing Corn Maze ends with a wedding or something. I’ll just tell him how I feel after his date.

With a woman who’ll probably figure out how incredible Miles is a lot quicker than I did.

“Oh, yes, you do have a way to get there.” Ava pushes open Dogeared’s door. “Kids, come along. We’re going for a drive.”

Fifteen minutes later, Ava drops me off outside Mackay Farm’s front entrance.

I open the door and start to get out. “I owe you one.”

“I think I’ve owed you for a while.”

I turn back to her, and she smiles softly. She’s doing her best, in her own way. Mothering her kids and trying to ensure they stay close to me and Sam. That means something. And she totally came through for me today.

I scoot closer to hug her. “Thank you, Ava.”

She hugs me back, but then pushes me toward the door. “You’re welcome. Now go get that man.”

“Go kiss Miles!” Willa screeches.

She had alotof questions for me from the back seat on the drive over. Most of which I deflected, but our next family get together will put me straight in the hot seat.

“Or don’t,” Finn adds.

But preferably do, I say under my breath as I close the car door behind me.

I go straight to the ticket booth to pay my fee. There’s no line, thankfully. Maybe there won’t be as many women out there as I’d feared.

“I’d like a ticket to the corn maze bachelor thing, please.”

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