Page 32 of The I Do Over

ChapterSix

“Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.”

Unknown

It didn’t seem possible to feel this happy and yet as Maddie looked at her reflection in the mirror two days later, she knew it to be true.

She was happy.

Very happy.

Deliriously happy.

Tomorrow morning she was going to have to pack up her things and head back home, but she wasn’t looking forward to that at all. She and Knox seemed to come to some sort of silent agreement about not bringing it up, but she really wanted to know what the future held for them. Was she simply supposed to drive away tomorrow and never see him again? She didn’t think she could do that.

But she didn’t know how to broach the subject with him either.

Stepping out into his bedroom—because she’d basically moved in there Monday night—she found Knox still lying in bed. He gave her a sexy smile.

“Any chance you’re in the mood to whip up some more pancakes?” he asked.

That wasn’t quite what she was expecting and couldn’t help but laugh. “Haven’t you had enough pancakes? We’ve had them the last two mornings. How about some eggs?”

Rolling onto his side, he shook his head. “But I really want the pancakes. And we still have blueberries left over from yesterday. Please. Please, Maddie.”

That just made her laugh harder. “I think I’ve created a monster.” But before she knew it, Knox reached out and snagged her hand and tugged her down onto the bed with him. “Knox!What in the world?” And if anything, she was on the verge of crying with laughter.

“Come on,” he whined playfully. “They’re super quick to make and you do them so perfectly and they’re delicious and…”

“Good grief…”

“I don’t know if I can get through the day without them…”

“That’s it. You’re bancaked,” she told him and didn’t know how she managed to say it with a straight face.

He instantly froze and pulled back. “Wait…I’m what?”

“Bancaked. As in banned from anymore pancakes.” She nodded before repeating it. “Bancaked.”

“Maddie…”

She lightly elbowed him in the ribs and jumped up from the bed wearing one of his t-shirts that she’d snagged earlier. “If you want pancakes, you’ll have to make them yourself. I’m in the mood for an omelet.” And with that statement, she gave him a sweet smile and left the room—all the while, her heart beating a little wildly in her chest.

Over the last two days they had joked and laughed more than she had in years. She felt lighter and more comfortable with herself than she ever thought possible.

But had no idea how to keep that feeling once she was back in Chesapeake.

Down in the kitchen, she made herself a cup of coffee before rummaging through the refrigerator for breakfast ingredients. As she stared at all the food, it hit her how much they had actually done since she agreed to stay.

After their breakfast on Monday, they went shopping where she bought clothes and Knox bought a couple of fishing poles and some gear. They’d hit up a deli on their way to the lake and completely filled their cooler with sandwiches, drinks, and snacks. Neither had been particularly successful at catching fish—they caught a total of three small ones—so on the way home they went food shopping and bought more food than either of them could possibly eat.

And that was on top of what was still left from their lunch.

But that night they’d fried up their fish filets—after Knox did the honors of cleaning and fileting them—and then grilled up a couple of small steaks to go with them.

Yesterday, Knox took her to a local park where he liked to go hiking and it pained her to admit how out of shape it left her feeling. They’d stopped at an Irish tavern for lunch where he ordered way too much food and they brought home several boxes of leftovers. When they’d gotten home, he gave her a foot massage that was practically orgasmic. Neither felt like cooking for dinner, so they’d ordered Chinese takeout and there were leftovers filling part of the middle shelf of the refrigerator.

Actually, that’s what was making her smile. The refrigerator was pretty much a diary of everything they did.

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