Page 144 of Knot Baked Out For This
"Except when it's the secret twin."
"Or the supposedly dead first wife."
"Or the friendly neighbor who's too helpful."
"You read a lot of mysteries."
"I like knowing the bad guy gets caught." She's quiet for a moment. "I like the justice of it. Everything tied up neat, all the wrongs made right."
"Life should be more like mysteries. Clear villains, clever detectives, justice in three hundred pages or less."
"My life is more like one of those series that goes on too long. You know, where they solve the original mystery but then seventeen more things go wrong?"
"But those usually have happy endings, too. Eventually."
"After much drama and at least one fake death."
"No fake deaths," I say firmly. "Real death,s maybe, but only Korrin's."
"Rowan!"
"Kidding."Mostly."Probably."
She laughs, snuggling closer as the sun starts its descent. The October light goes amber, then gold, then that particular shade of pink that only exists for about ten minutes before dark.
"We should head back," she says reluctantly.
"We should."
Neither of us moves.
"The girls will gossip if I'm gone too long."
"Let them."
"The town will talk."
"They're already talking."
"Good point." She sits up, starts carefully packing her books. "Thank you. For all of this. For making me feel..."
"Feel what?"
"Worthy. Seen. Loved."
The word hangs between us, heavy and perfect.
"You are loved," I tell her. "By all of us. Completely."
She kisses me again, soft and sweet this time, tasting like promises.
"I love you too," she whispers. "All of you. Even when Levi sets things on fire."
"Especially then. Fire damage builds character."
We pack up the picnic, load everything into my truck, and the record player is carefully secured in the back. The bookmobile librarian waves as she drives away, probably to spread gossip about the fire captain's romantic afternoon.
"Your reputation's shot," Hazel observes as we drive back.
