Page 29 of The Cinnamon Spice Inn (Maple Falls #1)

TWENTY-TWO

ZACH

Zach hadn’t expected to see Madison there. He’d thought she’d be busy at the inn.

One second, he was focused on the tractor, digging his boots into the dirt and using every ounce of strength to push it free. The next, he glanced up and there she was—standing at the edge of the crowd, her green eyes wide, lips parted just slightly.

His stomach did that stupid twisting thing it always did at the sight of her.

She stood there in her oversized sweater, hands on her hips, hair tumbling in messy waves down her back, and he had to remind himself to breathe.

Zach rolled his shoulders, wiped his hands on his jeans, and pretended he didn’t feel her gaze burning into him. He caught Liam’s eye, gave a nod, and planned to get back to work. But as he turned, he caught sight of Madison again, just for a second.

She was standing a few feet away, arms crossed over her chest now, eyebrows raised, a smile playing around her mouth.

He wiped a hand over his jaw then took a few slow steps toward her. He kept his voice low, so only she could hear. “Like the look of farm work, city girl?” His lips turned up in the corner just enough to be teasing.

Madison blinked. “I—” She huffed a breath. “I’m just surprised you didn’t demand a trophy or something. That was quite the show.”

Zach smiled fully. “Didn’t need one. The look on your face was enough.”

Her eyes narrowed and she stepped closer, tilting her chin up at him. “You really think that highly of yourself, huh?”

He shrugged. “I might not know much, but I know when someone’s impressed.”

Madison exhaled a laugh, shaking her head, but he caught the way she glanced at his arms before she could stop herself.

It had stung when she’d turned down his offer of coffee that morning. But that spark between them, the one he’d tried to ignore for years, was still there. Still crackling. Light a match, and they’d go up in flames.

He should walk away, like she had. Be smart. Keep things easy between them.

His brain knew that, but his body had other ideas. Zach knew she still noticed him, still wanted him, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it.

And he liked it. Liked that he still had that effect on her, even though he knew they could never work.

He leaned in just slightly, his voice dipping low. “Careful, Mads. Keep looking at me like that, and I might start thinking you missed me.”

Then, before she could fire back, he winked and turned, strolling off toward Liam like he wasn’t entirely aware of the way she was still staring after him.

“That was some show,” Liam said when Zach walked over to him.

“Shut up, man,” Zach replied with a shake of his head.

“I don’t know, it looked like Madison was into it. What are you gonna do about that?” Liam asked.

“What do you mean, what am I going to do about that? Nothing. She’ll be out of here in a minute, just like every other time she’s dropped into town since our early twenties.” Zach tried to keep the bitterness from his voice but failed.

“Rumor has it she might be staying this time,” Liam said casually.

Zach’s head snapped up. “What? Where’d you hear that?”

“Your mom told my mom. Something about a festival meeting at the café? That’s all I know.” Liam shrugged, tossing a small white pumpkin from hand to hand.

Zach tried to act like that information didn’t change anything. Like the Earth hadn’t just shifted on its axis.

“Look, man, if you’re looking for a green flag, here’s your chance,” continued Liam.

“Every time you look at each other, fireworks go off in your eyes—both of you. Hell, seeing the two of you together, all hot and flustered, makes me wanna have a cigarette, and I haven’t smoked a day in my life. ” Liam laughed.

Zach cracked a smile despite himself, but his gut was a mess.

He bent down and started stacking pumpkins onto a wagon, needing something to do with his hands.

Madison Kelly wasn’t just any girl. She was the only one who had ever wrecked him—and the only one he hadn’t been able to forget.

Zach shoved the last pumpkin into place and stalked off toward the barn.

If Madison was really staying, that could change everything.

But could he risk opening his heart again?