Page 73 of Healing You
E P I L O G U E
R onnie Tripp waited at the top of Mount Washington in the parking lot with the rest of her family. Excitement rattled in her body like a plastic bag in the wind. Her best friend and her brother were about to get engaged. The Tripp clan mingled about, everyone trying to keep their voices low. They could almost make out Steve and Yvonne through the trees at the top of the lookout of the mountain. Cam had already walked Molly, Daisy, and Gatsby down to the edge and let them run toward Steve to make the moment perfect. Knowing Yvonne? The moment that Steve proposed wouldn't be complete without those dogs of hers there with them.
To the right of Ronnie, Mrs. and Mr. Sarzacki stood beside their car, Mrs. Sarzacki's little white fluff of a dog clutched in her arms. The sun caught a glint of fake diamonds on the poodle's collar. Oh, hell. She hoped they were fake at least. Wouldn't that be some shit? A damn dog owning more diamonds than she ever would?
“Mrs Sarzacki,” Ronnie said quietly. “I bet Grace Kelly would have fun running around for a bit if you want to let her down.” She wished she had been kidding when she said the dog was named after the Princess of Monaco. But she wasn't. And don't you even dare try calling the dog by a shortened name like Gracie or GK. That woman would bite your head right off.
“Oh, no,” Mrs. Sarzacki shook her head, clutching the cotton ball closer to her breast. “It's so steep. What if she fell?”
“You could keep the leash on her—”
“Ronnie.” Marty shook her head and Ronnie stopped. What the hell was the point, anyway? Presenting reasonable and rational arguments to a woman who was afraid of everything.
Callie leaned in, grasping Ruckus's leash tightly in her hands. “I mean,” she whispered, “the worst could happen. The dog could chip her nail polish.”
Ronnie snorted a laugh as their mom shot them each another look.
“You may be joking,” Kyra said from the other side of them, “but broken nails hurt like a bitch.”
It was Cam's turn to spin around and give them a dirty look. Only this time, he gestured to Maddie. “You guys. Come on.”
“Maddster,” Callie said. “You know not to regurgitate anything your aunts and uncles say, right?”
Ronnie's niece gave them a sheepish grin, but nodded, her dark hair swinging around at her shoulders.
“Can anyone see what's going on down there?” Lydia asked, pushing onto her toes, balancing her hands on Cam's shoulders.
Noah bent down, waving Maddie over. In a quick swooping move, he had her lifted up and sitting on his shoulders, looking through the bush to where the top of the lookout was. “See anything?”
“He's on one knee!” Maddie squealed, clapping.
That nervous energy that was buzzing around the crowd swarmed louder. Trying to keep the Tripp family quiet while watching Steve get engaged was like trying to keep a swarm of bees quiet in front of a honey pot.
A car sped into the lot, pulling into one of the farthest spots. And suddenly, those bees in Ronnie's belly went into full flight as Lex hopped out of his Fiat and rushed over to them. “Am I late?” he asked, his tone hushed. Sweat gathered along the edge of his brow despite the leftover chill in the air from winter. “I'm so sorry. I underestimated how long it would take me to get up here.” That British accent of his was so damn attractive. Manchester, she'd come to learn. He'd been in Maple Grove for almost two years, and every now and then she'd hear some of their New England colloquialisms seep into his vernacular. Instead of “bloody cold”, he'd now and then say “wicked cold”. She loved hearing “wicked” in his accent. It made a phrase she'd grown up with and come to loathe sound foreign and sexy to her.
She'd tried to stay far away from his bakery, Latte Da. And for the first six months he was in business, she'd been pretty successful. With the exception of the occasional coffee or latte there, she had steered clear, walking the long way around the block just so she wouldn't have to smell the sweet scent of freshly baked goods. Even then, just thinking about Lex's famously known pies in Maple Grove had her stomach aching for just one bite. But it wasn't worth it. One bite always turned into three and four, and next thing Ronnie knew she had finished almost half a pie entirely by herself. She wasn't sure what was worse. The guilt of eating, of not being able to resist, or the guilt of her purge after.
“What are you doing here?” This was only for family. And close friends, she thought, looking at Kyra. She ignored that fluttering jolt in chest at the sight of him—tall and lean, his gray sweater hugging broad shoulders.
Her best friend gave her a knowing grin, her platinum blond hair blowing across her face into her pink lipgloss. “Surprise!” Kyra said. “I ordered cupcakes for everyone so that we have something to nibble as we pop the champagne.”
“Oh, Kyra,” Ronnie's mom rushed over, giving her a hug. “That was so sweet. Thank you.”
That conniving little—
Ronnie looked back over at Lex, feeling her smile plumping her cheeks. A chilly gust of wind blew by frosting the tips of her ears and nose. “Are they gluten free?” she asked. Every time her family ordered a cake from him, they danced this waltz. She asked for something gluten free and he made a point of saying he would never bake anything gluten free. It had become part of their routine. A sparring match she was always ready for and delighted in.
His smile widened, spreading over a beautiful set of teeth. His russet-brown hair had grown out a little, and his jaw, usually clean shaven, had a bit of five o'clock shadow poking through. “You truly couldn't indulge yourself in one cupcake? Just one decadent chocolate caramel with a cookie crunch on top?” He moved in closer to her and even though it was only by two steps, her body surged with the sudden nearness of him. “After all,” he said. “You're not celiac, right?”
Ronnie shook her head, the base of her ponytail sweeping the back of her neck. “No. Just... careful.”
“Maybe it's time to live dangerously.” His eyes studied her face, sweeping down her features. Their turquoise color was alarming; bright and swirling like a Van Gogh painting.
With all the strength she had, Ronnie pushed her gaze away from his. Temptation clawed up her body like a wild animal trapped inside of her desperate to escape. Not for the cupcakes. Screw the cupcakes. But for Lex. It came naturally for her to avoid the things she most wanted. She'd built her adult life around ignoring the urge for carbs and sugar and whenever she felt that desire, she hit the gym. But why? Would one cupcake really be such a problem? Would one date with Lex really cause her resolve to crumble? And if it did… would that be such a bad thing?
Almost two years she had known this guy. Two years they had flirted. And he still hadn't yet asked her out. Then again, she wasn't so great at the whole flirting thing. God knew, she was rusty. Maybe she was doing it wrong. Or maybe he wasn't flirting with her at all, and this whole time she thought they had a connection, he was just being a nice guy. She didn't really date much. She'd known almost all of the guys in town for her whole life. And to date one of them would be like dating a cousin or a brother. But Lex? He was new. Fresh meat. And most of the single women in town knew it. He was the chum in single lady infested waters, and they all circled him like starved sharks.
“They're kissing!” Maddie squealed. Excited chatter of everyone around them broke through their moment. If you could even define what they had just then as a moment.
