Page 76 of Fall at Once

The kitchen door flew open, letting out the smell of delicious fresh-baked bread, along with Gigi, who could only have been the midnight baker standing in the shadows behind her.

My blood ran cold when I noticed the boot was gone. I knew she had an appointment with her doctor today. One of her friends had taken her. I also knew her ankle was getting better and that she had been milking her injury for as long as she could, which was another thing I had shoved out of my mind to think about later.

It seemed like all mylaterswere catching up to me.

I had no reason to be in Cozy Creek now unless I made an active choice and decided to stay.

“Drew?” Kenzie’s jaw dropped as she quickly scrubbed her hands down her cheeks to get rid of her tears.

I looked past Gigi as she stepped into the alley. Drew was behind her. They were taking out the trash, each holding a bag.

He didn’t answer. He gritted his teeth, his jaw ticking in dismay. He frowned and handed Gigi the trash bag he was carrying, and then he turned around to go back inside without a word.

But the look of defeat on his face could not be mistaken.

“Let me take that.” I took the bags from her and tossed them into the dumpster.

“Drew is the midnight baker?” Kenzie deduced in a trembling voice. “I’ve been making an ass of myself over him all this time. Imagining who he was is what kept me from thinking about Drew so much; it was a distraction. Why am I like this? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m so sorry.” Gigi’s face radiated sympathy and guilt. “I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. He didn’t want me to. He wanted to give you space. And I think you know why.”

“Because we broke up.” She flattened her lips and looked away. “Damn it. He needs this job, and it’s perfect for him. He deserves to have a place like this to spend his time. He needs to feel safe and secure after all he’s been through. I’d never try to take this away from him. You’re a good person, Gigi. Better than me.”

“You’re hurting right now, Kenzie. I’m not better than you. I was just trying to keep two people I care very much about happy.I’m sorry if I mucked it up by keeping this a secret.”

I looked between the two of them, waiting for an explanation.

“Drew was a Marine,” Kenzie explained. “He’s seen some shit. He said he needed to figure out how to, like—live again, I guess. He needed peace. I mean, what was he doing with me, right?”

I hugged her against my side. “Kenzie, stop it. You could cheer anyone up. Do not sell yourself short. I won’t let you.”

“Madi is right. And I’m not trying to get in the middle of the two of you, Kenzie. But I couldn’t fire him. I just couldn’t. He’s doing so much better now. He’s in therapy, and we talk almost every night?—”

“No, I’m okay. I get it, Gigi. Totally. And I don’t want you to let him go. His job here has nothing to do with me. I’m no petty bitch.”

She waved her hand. “Oh, honey, I know that. Under all that smartassery, you’re just a giant tender heart full of love. But I think the two of you need to talk,” she added gently. “For real, without all the anger and fighting getting in the way. But that’s not up to me to decide.”

“When he can give me a real explanation for what he did, then maybe I’ll listen. Maybe we can, like, be friends or something—someday. When we’re senior citizens, and I don’t want to jump his bones all the damn time.”

“Hey.” Gigi was offended. “Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you don’t still need to get your freak on from time to time.”

I stood there blinking, choosing not to process what she said.

Kenzie stuck her hand out for a high five. “I take that back.Go, Gigi. Get yours. It’s Mr. Nightingale, am I right? I see how he looks at you when he comes in for his green tea and banana bread. And how he always brings you all the zucchini and tomatoes from his garden.”

“Perhaps.” Her lips tilted up in a secretive grin. “But that’s not what we need to discuss right now. What we need to address is why you two girls are crying in my alley in the middle of the night. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Not at the moment. But we will be,” I answered. “We were about to go upstairs to crash. Can we talk tomorrow? Maybe we can all have breakfast together.”

“Yes, my loves. I have to get back inside with Drew. He’s probably so worried about losing his job right now.”

“Wait.” Kenzie put a hand on Gigi’s shoulder to stop her from opening the door. “Does he ever talk about me?” she whispered. I could tell it killed her to ask. “Is he over everything?”

Gigi looked her in the eye. “Yes, he talks about you, and no, he’s not over anything. But if you want to know how he feels, you need to let him tell you about it himself. Listen to him, Kenzie, and if you don’t like what he has to say, what you do about it is up to you. You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Though I can hardly blame you for it.”

She hid her face in her hands. “I’m an entire mess. I know.”

“My darling, you are not a mess. But you have guarded your heart so completely that nothing gets to it anymore. Drew got in there, and it terrified you. And that was before the mystery of the back seat thong happened.”

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