With a swell of deep pleasure, Ken managed to say in a mostly relaxed tone, “Did she?”
Both Jacob and Ria laughed at that.
Before he could change the subject, Ken was distracted when the door to the diner opened. It felt like he might have lit up (just a little) when Madeline came walking in, looking gorgeous and soft and curvy in a sweater and pair of jeans.
Smiling, she came over to join them, scooting into the booth beside Ken.
It took all the control he possessed not to wrap an arm around her. But he’d promised he would take it slow, and he wasn’t going to betray that promise. Just because he was ready for everything with her didn’t mean she was ready too.
He was happier than he’d ever believed he could be, and they were clearly moving forward in the right direction. He didn’t need to have everything right away.
When she edged closer to him, Ken frowned down at her. Murmured, “Uh, baby, if you sit that close to me, then people are going to talk.”
She laughed, her eyes warm and soft. “I think they’re already talking.”
“Sure. Probably. But if you sit that close to me, they’ll know for sure. Are you sure you want that to happen?” There was the slightest edge of hope in his voice, no matter how he tried to contain it.
Four other tables were currently occupied in Anna’s, including the group of old guys who always gathered in the corner every morning and who had nothing to do with their days except chat. More than enough people were presently witnesses for gossip to spread throughout the whole town before the day was over.
As he looked down at Madeline’s face, it felt like something important was about to occur. Ken held his breath as he waited.
Then Madeline whispered, “So let them know.” Then she pulled his head down and kissed him hard. Right there in the booth at Anna’s. In front of the whole town.
Ken was so overwhelmed that he had trouble responding, although he did manage to slide an arm around her so she couldn’t get away. “Are you sure about this, baby?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Yes. I’m sure. I want everyone to know that you’re mine.”
When the kiss broke, everyone in the restaurant was staring. Brenda was standing behind the counter with a coffeepot, her mouth hanging open.
Ken laughed and couldn’t seem to stop. “Well, they all know now.”
IT WAS THE BEST BREAKFAST he could remember, and he was still grinning like a fool as he and Madeline left Anna’s, her hand clasped in his.
They both needed to go to work, and it didn’t seem quite fair since it felt like after such a blissful climax, they deserved to spend the day together. But Madeline had a shift at the library, and Ken had a morning meeting with his deputies. So they came to a stop at the corner of Main and Monroe.
“So you’re really okay with this?” he asked, checking once more just to be sure.
She was flushed and smiling. “I’m more than okay. I feel great about it. I know I was scared before, but I think hanging out with Heather and Jessie this weekend made me feel like moving forward isn’t going to be that scary. I’m not scared anymore. I’m really not.”
He leaned down to kiss her lightly. He wanted to do more, but they were in public, and there had to be limits. “Good.”
“Thank you for being so patient.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I haven’t done anything that any decent person wouldn’t have done.”
“Maybe. But I think you’re better than decent. I think you’re probably the best man I know.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. And I think...” She trailed off, her eyes suddenly dropping.
Ken’s breath hitched, and he raised her chin with his hand. “You think what?”
“I think I might... is it too soon to say... I...”
“You...” Ken was holding his breath again. He wouldn’t have believed this day could offer him anymore, but maybe it could.
“I might love you,” she burst out, her cheeks deeply pink. She’d dropped her eyes again.
He made a choking sound and pulled her into a hug. And it didn’t matter that they were on a downtown corner and their moment was probably being witnessed by half of Azalea. “It’s not too soon. It’s not anything close to too soon. Because, baby, I love you too.”
Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER, IT was spring, and the flowers were blooming in Ken’s neighborhood as Madeline drove over to his house on a Saturday night.
She was basically living with him now, although she hadn’t officially moved in. Her stuff was all still in her apartment, and she’d gone there during the day to get work done. Her work now was writing the poems and messages for Second Chance Flower Shop and doing her own writing. She’d quit her job at the library a couple of months ago, finally convinced that she no longer needed the safety net.
The change had freed up a lot of time and given her the energy to start working more purposefully on her own book. Unlike Josh, who’d always belittled or ignored her desire to write a book, Ken did nothing but encourage her. He hadn’t said a word of complaint when she’d told him she wanted to spend most of the day writing. Instead, he’d told her it was a good idea since she’d had a lot of inspiration lately. The only thing he’d added was to ask if she’d be done by the evening so they could have dinner together.
She’d run out of steam in the middle of the afternoon, so she’d rested a few hours at her place and then taken a shower and dressed up pretty for Ken since he’d said he was going to make dinner for them tonight.
She was smiling as she drove over. She loved the flowers in the spring. She’d loved the chapter
