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“What, really?” She whipped her head over to look at me. “With a purple-haired mind-reading protagonist?”

“Yeah, maybe,” I laughed. “I loved reading… didn’t let myself do it after it happened. Harper didn’t like books in the same way, so… I had to be Harper. But I think now I’d like… I’d like to be Lindsay again.”

She gave me a wild-eyed smile. “Um… hey, H—er. Lindsay.”

I could… kind of… get used to her calling me that. I felt bare, exposed, but not in a bad way… a wall I’d had so long I’d forgotten it was there come down and suddenly I could just be a person again. “Yeah?”

“I know it’s a bit out of left field, but I’ve got a bookstore you could take over.”

I blinked fast.

“I mean, let’s be honest. I’m not the bookstore type. I haven’t read a novel in over a year. And I kind of like the bakery. Gives me an excuse to be nosy in everyone’s lives.”

“You’re… asking me to move back to Bayview.”

“If we’re being direct? Yes. Come home. And be my girlfriend. I love you. And I want to beLindsay and Paisleyeverywhere we go.”

It felt like a lurch, the sheer reality of it—of how badly I wanted nothing in this world like I wanted that—how much everything I ever wanted and never even realized was possible just settled down in front of me, in the form of thisgirlwho just… never made sense in anything she did.

Of course it was her. Who else but the woman who climbed trees to get on my roof instead of using the damn door?

“Is it really okay…?” My voice came out a tiny whisper, trembling. Paisley smiled wider, and she caressed my cheek, her fingers warm, soft against my skin in the chill of the night.

“Have I been subtle at any one point in this process? I love you, Lindsay.”

I choked on the feeling—those three little words andthatname—and somehow it had me so delirious I just laughed. “You have your glasses on again.”

She touched them. “Oh. Yeah. What, are they a dealbreaker? Only into me with the contacts?”

“Nah. I’d forgotten how cute you look in these. I like you dressed up, too, though.”

She grinned. “You’d better. I contain multitudes, and you’re getting all of them if you sign up for me.”

Nothing in this world sounded better. “I love you, too.”

She crinkled her eyes in a smile, and she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine, and everything in this world was perfect.

Everything.

She parted, not far, and rested her forehead on mine. “Let’s go home.”

“I, uh… I mean, I should put in my two weeks’ at work.”

She made a face. “Ugh, I forgot you had that awful, evil job that stole you away to this place.”

“Mm. Well, I wasn’t planning a career change right now.”

“Hey, we’re still young. No better time for a new career than…” She made a face. “Wait a second. Does that mean you’re twenty-four?”

“Oh… I guess so.” I scratched my head. “Got used to faking my age.”

“Oh my god. You’reyoungerthan me?”

“Oh. Yeah. Does that matter?”

She put her hands up. “Does itmatter?Oh my god. You’reyoungerthan me. I’m going to patronize the hell out of you.”

I blinked. “Like that’s new?”