Page 37 of The Cinnamon Spice Inn (Maple Falls #1)

THIRTY

ZACH

Zach’s family farmhouse was on the outskirts of town. It was set back from the road, down a winding dirt driveway. Right now, it was flanked by sugar maples that were dropping their fiery red leaves. Not that Zach could really see that in the dark. Not without electricity.

The house still smelled the same, though—like the cinnamon apples his grandmother used to bake and his grandfather’s pipe smoke. It smelled like Sunday dinners when the whole Whitaker family would still get together and birthday parties with the cousins.

He missed his grandparents every day. They had been there when his father had left and Anita had come back to Maple Falls.

They had welcomed them all, making the town their home, and wrapping them in love.

He felt that in the farmhouse, even though both of his grandparents had since passed on.

The emotions remained, ingrained in the walls.

Zach turned on a flashlight and looked around the kitchen—or what would be the kitchen. He currently had it stripped down to the studs, planning a complete overhaul. The only things he had were the fridge and a stove.

Madison would like the space , he thought. An oversized farmhouse sink in the center island. Marble countertops, gold accents. Zach could see her in the kitchen. They’d spend lazy Sundays cooking together, maybe making apple butter or something fancy she’d picked up in New York.

Zach shook his head. He was a fool. Isn’t that why he was here? To get Madison out of his head?

It was too much—the way the townspeople stared at them. Too much—the way his mom looked at him, as if she couldn’t be happier to see him and Madison together again.

It was too much because Zach wanted all of that. He wanted the impossible. He wanted this farmhouse to be their home. He wanted to tuck Madison into bed next to him every night and wake up to her every morning.

He swore if the universe gave him that, he would never ask for anything ever again.

Zach stared off, eyes unfocused, as that future played out before him. If only that were all possible.

He had to force himself back to the present. To stay grounded. This evening, his goal was simple: rewire the kitchen and maybe the hot water heater. If that was done, he could move back. The idea of staying another night at the inn’s cabin, with Madison so close, drove him insane. He needed space.

Zach plugged in an orange power cord to the old gas-powered generator out in the shed. It barely supplied enough power to keep a single work light glowing, but it was enough. It had to be.

“Listen, I’m more than happy to make a beer run out here,” Liam said when he showed up about an hour later. He twisted the cap off a bottle and tossed it back into the box. “But I thought you were staying at the inn.”

“Had work to do here,” Zach muttered, examining the wiring in the exposed wall. Zach reached for a wire. A sharp zap jolted his fingers, and he hissed in pain, shaking out his hand.

Liam arched a brow. “Man, you might want to take a step back before you end up killing yourself. How many times have you told me you need a clear head when you’re working with electricity?”

Zach gritted his teeth and looked down at his hand. A faint black streak ran beneath his nail, evidence of the electrical current that had bitten him. “It’s fine.”

“Yeah, tell that to the next live wire you grab.”

Zach ignored him and turned back to the breaker box, muttering under his breath as he adjusted the wiring.

He’d already rewired the main line from the box, but something still wasn’t connecting right, and Liam had a point.

It was time to call it a night. He’d just have to go back to the cabin for now and try to deal with his closeness to Madison.

Liam leaned against a half-finished section of wall, taking a slow drink of his beer. “So, you gonna tell me what’s got you all tied up in knots, or do I have to guess?”

Zach just exhaled hard through his nose, jaw tightening.

Liam smirked. “Ah. Got it. Madison.”

Zach scowled.

“Man, I get it,” Liam continued. “I mean, it’s gotta be hard seeing her again after all these years. But you could’ve just, I don’t know, told her how you felt instead of trying to electrocute yourself into an early grave.”

Zach shot him a look. “That’s real helpful. Thanks.”

Liam shrugged. “Hey, just calling it like I see it.”

Zach ran a hand through his hair, already regretting the entire conversation.

But Liam wasn’t wrong. The last few days had wrecked him.

Madison was everything: passionate, determined, headstrong.

He couldn’t get the way she laughed out of his head, the way she fit so effortlessly back into town after all these years.

The way she kissed and touched him like she was making up for all their lost time.

And then, the gut punch.

The damn text message he’d seen.

“She’s got someone in New York,” Zach finally said, still not meeting Liam’s eyes.

Liam, who had just twisted off another beer cap, paused. “What?”

Zach exhaled hard through his nose and took the bottle Liam handed him, knocking back half of it before speaking again.

“She’s seeing someone,” he said flatly. “Guy called Jo.”

Liam’s brow furrowed. “And you know this how?”

“Saw a text message when we were together.” Zach leveled his look.

Liam’s grip tightened around his beer. He knew Zach wasn’t talking about just hanging out, painting a fence.

Silence stretched between them. The only sound was the generator humming outside.

Liam broke the tension. “Look, man. I don’t blame you for needing space. But maybe—just maybe—you should ask her about it before jumping to conclusions?”

“Ha. Not necessary. The dick pic didn’t leave much to the imagination.”

Liam visibly winced.

“And let’s not forget the hearts popping up whenever the guy calls,” Zach added bitterly.

Liam took a slow pull of his beer, watching him. “I’m sorry, man. That does sound bad.”

Zach scoffed. Understatement of the goddamn year.

He let out a sharp breath and ran a hand over his face. “I made an ass out of myself enough already. Can we just drop it?”

Liam nodded. “Yeah, alright. I won’t push. Can’t promise anything about the rest of the town.”

Zach snorted but didn’t respond.

Liam had a point, though. The whole town seemed hell-bent on shoving him and Madison together, like they hadn’t already been a spectacular failure. Like she hadn’t left him behind once before.

He’d been a fool to think—just for a second—that anything had changed.

Because nothing had. She wasn’t his. She never would be.

And yet he knew that tonight, back in the cabin, his dreams would be full of her.