Page 10 of Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7)

Gabe

Sam snapped their gaze in Cooper’s direction. “Coop,” they said, sounding like a warning. “He doesn’t want to stay with me.” A second later, they cleared their throat. “I mean, you are welcome though, if you need a place.”

“That’s okay,” I said, waving away the offer, my heart racing at the idea of sharing close quarters with Sam. “I’m just going to get a room at the inn. It’ll be fine.”

“You sure? The guest bed is really comfy,” Cooper prodded.

I grinned and shook my head, hoping to look casual, even though my chest heated at the thought. “I’m good, really. I appreciate the offer though.”

A few minutes later, we said our goodbyes and I headed toward the inn, trying to shake the off-kilter feeling I’d gotten when Cooper suggested I stay with Sam.

I couldn’t quite figure out the reason my breath had caught in my throat when he’d said it, why my body had heated the way it did, but I shook it off as I walked.

We were just friends, after all. There was no reason I should react to Sam that way. None at all.

Eventually I passed Red’s and turned south, quickly making my way down the block, along the street, until I stood in front of the Red Clover Inn.

“Fingers crossed,” I murmured to myself before walking up the five steps to arrive at the inn’s front door.

I pulled the door open and stepped into the lobby. The room had a warm feeling to it, unrelated to the air conditioning pumping into the space. There were rugs covering the wood floors, with couches and chairs in cream and blue dotted around the space. It felt like home.

Turning to the right, I spotted a woman staffing the guest services desk. She smiled brightly at me. “Welcome. I’m Jo. How can I help you?”

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. “I was hoping you all had a room available.”

“How many nights will you be staying with us?”

I pulled out my phone and glanced at the calendar. “About six weeks.”

Jo’s eyebrows shot up. “Checking in immediately?”

“If possible.”

She frowned and tapped something into her computer before looking back up at me. “I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.”

My stomach sank. “It’s not?”

“We could get you in for a night here and there starting next week, but there are some weeks that we’re already sold out.”

My mind raced, trying to figure out a solution.

“I appreciate your help.” I gave Jo a nod and headed out, a lump forming in my throat.

I didn’t have a lot of options, and I didn’t like most of them anyway.

I could go home, giving up my summer with Ellie.

Just the thought of it made me feel ill.

I could go back to Jennifer’s place. That one didn’t feel like the right choice, either.

Ultimately, that left me with one viable place to stay. Sam’s.

I pressed my fingertips to the space between my eyebrows and took a deep, slow breath.

Everything would be okay. Sam seemed like a great person.

They’d even seemed genuine when they’d agreed with Cooper and invited me to stay.

With a deep sigh, I pulled out my phone and texted Sam, standing on the sidewalk in front of the inn.

Gabe: So…is the offer to crash at your place still open?

Sam responded almost immediately.

Sam: Of course. But what happened to the inn?

Gabe: They’re booked, off and on. I needed something for six weeks and they couldn’t make it work.

Sam: Oh shit. I’m sorry. You’re welcome to stay. Head over here anytime you’re ready. I’m home for the rest of the day.

A few moments later, Sam texted me their address. I thanked them and made my way back to Jennifer’s house to gather my things. As I did, my phone pinged with an incoming email, to my business address. Against my better judgment, I pulled up the email while I walked.

Gabe,

I talked to Nick and he asked me to get in touch. He still wants to make you an offer to come on full time with our firm to head up the new branch we’re opening in Washington DC. I was told not to take “no” for an answer. Name your price. This opportunity is yours.

Thanks,

Adam

My stomach churned as I finished reading the email.

The email had come from Adam, a former coworker, who’d gone to work with Nick around the same time I started consulting independently.

When I’d heard his firm had a director position opening, I’d jumped to apply.

After all, why not? The pay was higher than I was making independently and the role came with benefits and a good number of opportunities to expand into other markets.

It would involve a lot of work travel, but the home base was supposed to be nearby, close enough that I wouldn’t have to give up time with Ellie—I’d be getting more time with her, if things worked out.

The interview had happened the week before I came to Maplewood, and Nick had been very transparent about the move.

I’d originally told myself I’d take the job if they offered it, but that was before I knew they wanted me to move several states away. I barely had a chance to see Ellie as it was. I didn’t want to further jeopardize that. I knew it was a great career move, though.

Instead of responding to the email right away, I stuffed my phone back into my pocket and enjoyed the walk to Jennifer’s house. By the time I made it, I was drained, physically and mentally, by both the email I’d received and the hot summer day.

I pushed open the door, feeling awkward as I did. “Jen? Ellie?” A part of me felt like I was intruding, now that Jennifer was back.

“In here,” Jennifer called, voice wavering. I followed her voice and found her sitting on the couch, eyes red, a book open in her hands. She sniffled as I entered the room and wiped her eyes with the heel of one hand. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, closing the book.

“Hey, no reason to apologize.” I took a seat next to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

With a shaky exhale, she put the book aside.

“It’s just—” She stopped speaking abruptly before taking another deep breath and starting again.

“Things were good, you know? I would have never planned an eight week European tour with him if they weren’t.

He’s always been such a great guy. But…” She looked at her lap.

“You don’t have to tell me if you aren’t ready. Even if you’re never ready.”

She looked at me with the same blue eyes as Ellie and for a moment, I remembered why we’d gotten married. It was a distant feeling, detached from the present moment. I realized I didn’t wish we could go back anymore and hadn’t for a long time. I wanted to move forward.

“Thanks,” she murmured. There was a long, quiet pause. “He cheated on me,” she blurted finally.

“Oh my God, Jen.” Jennifer and I had never had a perfect marriage, but neither of us had ever cheated.

She shrugged, a small lift of her shoulders. “With our tour guide.”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. “Are you serious? What a tool. You’re better off without him.”

Jennifer laughed, a wavering sound, and nodded. “I knew you’d have something reassuring to say.”

“Honestly, you are.”

She reached over and squeezed one of my hands. “I know.”

Ellie bounded into the room at that moment, freezing when she spotted me and narrowing her eyes. “Are you guys holding hands?”

Jennifer and I both pulled away from the other quickly. “No, honey. Daddy was just helping me feel better about something.”

Ellie tilted her head to the side, gaze curious. “Are you sad about coming home, Mommy?”

“No,” Jennifer asserted. “I missed you so much. I’m glad I’m home.”

“Are you…” Ellie looked at the floor.

“What?” I prompted.

“Are you guys going to get married again now that Daddy’s living with us?”

Jennifer seemed to deflate a little, shoulders dipping. “No, baby. Daddy and I aren’t going to get married again. And he’s not living with us. He’s just staying for the summer.”

“About that,” I said. It seemed like a good time to pipe up and explain my plans.

Jennifer frowned, her brow dipping. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong. I just—I made arrangements to stay somewhere else for the rest of the summer. I didn’t want to be in your way.” The last bit was partially true. It didn’t feel like the time to mention that I didn’t want Ellie to think we were getting back together.

“You did?” Jennifer turned on the couch to look at me more directly. When I hesitated, Jen looked at Ellie. “El, why don’t you go play for a little while? We’ll talk about it more later, okay?”

Ellie huffed and crossed her arms. “Fine,” she said before disappearing back down the hallway.

Jennifer looked at me again, eyes narrowed. “What’s going on? Are you—are you seeing someone or something?”

A laugh slipped out of me. “No, definitely not. Look, I appreciate you letting me stay here. I do. It’s been amazing being around Ellie so much again.”

“Are you going back to the city?”

“No, I’m staying. Just not here.” I let out a slow breath.

“I didn’t want to give Ellie any more ideas than I knew she’d already have.

I don’t think it’s a great idea if I stay here.

One big happy family again? I don’t think it would be good for Ellie to get the wrong impression about us getting back together. ”

She hesitated before nodding. “Okay. Fair. Where are you staying?”

“Do you know Sam Thatcher?”

“Ellie’s teacher? You’re staying with Ellie’s teacher?”

I held up my hands, palms to the sky. “Yeah, but that’s not… We met at the ice cream festival on the Fourth and we’re kind of getting to be friends. They invited me to stay at their place if I needed to, and when I couldn’t get a room at the inn, I took them up on their offer.”

Another nod. “Okay. That’s… different. But okay. Is there anything I can do to help you get your things over there?”

I shook my head. “I’ll pack everything up in a few minutes. I have my rental car. I’ll be fine. And this way, I can still spend the summer with Ellie without being too far away. It’s the best-case scenario.”

She took my hand and squeezed again. “I’m glad you’re sticking around. For Ellie’s sake. She misses you when she’s here, you know.”

A lump formed in my throat. If I took the job, she’d miss me a lot more. “I know. The feeling is mutual.”

A few minutes later, I was packing my things up, stuffing clean clothes into a suitcase and a duffel bag. Soon enough, I was packed up and loading the rental car. I went to find Ellie before I left, wanting to explain where I was going.

“Hey, El?”

She looked up from where she’d been playing with her toy trucks. “Yeah?”

I squatted down next to her. “I’m leaving now, okay?”

A deep frown formed on her face. “Are you going back to your house?”

“No, I’m going to go visit a friend. Your teacher, Mix. I’m staying with them for the rest of the summer.”

Her eyes lit up. “You are? Does that mean I can come over and play with Mix whenever I want?”

I laughed a little and ruffled her hair. “Probably not whenever you want, but I’m sure we can arrange something.”

“Are you leaving because Mommy’s home?”

I sighed softly and nodded. “Yeah. But not because I’m mad at Mommy or anything.

It’s just best if I don’t stay here. I don’t want to be in her way.

You know how she is—she likes things a certain way.

” It was true. Jennifer had always been a stickler for having things done her way and her type-A personality and my laid-back one had been part of the reason we’d split. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” she murmured, focus already back on her trucks.

And that was that. I went out to the car and pulled onto the street, heading in the direction of Sam’s house.

They only lived a little ways off of Maple Street.

By the time I’d found a good song to play on my phone, I was there.

I pulled into the driveway and sat there for a long moment, nerves tingling inside of me.

Calm down, I told myself. You’re just crashing with a friend for a few weeks. It’s no big deal.

Eventually, I gathered the courage to get out of the car, and just as I did, Sam stepped out on their porch, waving and smiling brightly.