Page 50 of The Cinnamon Spice Inn (Maple Falls #1)

FORTY-THREE

MADISON

The next morning, Madison woke before Zach did. She was curled up beside him in his king-sized bed, the duvet pulled up over her shoulder. The window had been left slightly cracked open to help air out the house. Outside, she could hear birds chirping and the wind whispering through the trees.

It was peaceful. And for a fleeting moment, she realized just how easy it would be to get used to this—to waking up next to Zach like this every morning. The thought both thrilled and terrified her.

Part of her felt like this was exactly where she belonged.

What was she so afraid of? They could make it work, couldn’t they?

Build a life here, right in this very house.

She could manage the inn, stay in Maple Falls, raise a family, grow old beside the man she loved.

They used to talk about it, in the past. Everything they wanted.

Two kids, maybe three. A dog, maybe a black Lab, to run around the yard.

Everything they would one day have. They were young and certain their dreams would all work out.

But how could she walk away from food writing, just as her career was really taking off, with all the contacts she needed in New York? Her stomach twisted. She loved to write. She loved her job.

She forced the pain back, not letting it surface. She would figure out a different way forward for her career.

This time, she was choosing him.

Madison smiled, warmth blooming in her chest. Yes, she could do this—and more than that, she wanted to.

A ripple of excitement moved through her. What would Zach say if she told him she was ready? That she wanted to make it official, to fully commit?

Rolling over carefully, Madison smiled at Zach, still sound asleep beside her.

Her mind buzzed ahead, crafting ways to broach the topic.

Should she do something sweet? Something like the time she asked him to be her boyfriend in fifth grade—when she cut a heart out of construction paper, scrawled, Will you be my boyfriend?

Circle yes or no , and slipped it into his backpack?

Or maybe it needed to be serious this time. Something real and heartfelt, the way this was real. The way her heart felt fuller, steadier, when she was with him.

She was still debating how to bring it up when her phone vibrated on the nightstand. She grabbed it quickly to silence it before it woke him.

Jo’s name flashed on the screen, hearts decorating the contact ID.

Madison sighed in relief and slipped out of bed. Zach deserved to sleep in after all the long hours he’d put into the inn. She figured she’d call Jo back later.

But just as she was about to crawl back under the covers, her phone buzzed again—this time with a text.

Jo: Fancy envelope here, next-day aired. Looks important.

Fancy envelope? Was it another one of the mystery letters?

That thought was enough to have Madison quietly pulling on a sweater and slipping out onto the porch to call.

“What’s this about an envelope?” Madison asked.

“Well, nice to hear from you too,” Jo teased.

“Ha, ha—funny,” Madison said, biting back a grin.

“All good over there?” Jo asked.

“Better than good,” Madison’s voice purred.

“Oh no, I know that sound,” Jo groaned. “That means I’m going to be looking for a new roommate again, aren’t I?”

Madison laughed nervously. “Let’s just focus on the letter for now.”

Jo sighed dramatically but relented. “Alright, alright. Do you want me to open it?”

“Yeah, go for it,” Madison said, shifting on her feet as she listened to Jo tear open the envelope.

There was more rustling on the other end and then silence as Jo read through it.

“Okay, shut up—you are not going to believe this,” Jo said, excitement bubbling in her voice.

“What?” Madison pressed. “What is it?”

“It’s from Plated . They’re offering you a full-time editorial position.”

Madison’s heart stopped. “What?! No way. That can’t be right. Plated ? The biggest food magazine in the country?”

“The one and only,” Jo confirmed. “And hold on, that’s not all—shut the front door—they want to commission you for aMaple Fallsrecipe book to go with it.”

Madison’s breath caught. “A what?”

“A recipe book,” Jo repeated, her words spilling out. “Apparently you must have talked about Maple Falls when you interviewed last year?”

“Did I talk about Maple Falls?” Madison thought back to the interview. She’d been so nervous, she’d practically told the panel her entire life story.

Jo continued, “They said your ideas about the cozy seasonal recipes, community gatherings—all of it—gave them the vision for a cozy cookbook series, and they want you to write the first one. They’re offering a huge advance to lock you in.”

Madison pressed a hand to her chest, trying to catch her breath. “You’re serious?” she shouted before remembering Zach was still asleep.

“Dead serious,” Jo said, and Madison could hear the grin in her voice. “Hold on, I’m texting you a picture of it.”

The photo came through, and Madison stared at the number of zeros at the bottom of the contract. With that advance she could fully staff the inn, hire a manager, finish the renovations, and still have enough to ensure the Cinnamon Spice Inn would never close its doors again.

Her head swam.

“That’s one hell of an offer,” Madison whispered, staring at the screen.

This would mean red carpet events. Food festivals. Book deals. Travel.

But most importantly, she could ensure the inn’s future, her mother’s legacy. She could make sure her dad and Gram were happy and cared for in their old age. There would never be a question again about whether the Cinnamon Spice Inn would need to be closed.

But it also meant:

No Zach.

No Madison at the inn.

No cozy farmhouse mornings.

No orchard orgasms.

God, she would really miss those orgasms.

But it wasn’t just about the sex. It was about the way Zach looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered.

The way he remembered things, like how she took her morning coffee, or that she was always cold.

It would mean losing the man who kissed her forehead when she was half-asleep and tucked her close to him at night.

“Pretty amazing, huh?” Jo said, misreading Madison’s silence.

“Yeah,” Madison replied faintly, the weight of it crashing over her. “It’s… it’s unbelievable. Holy crap.”

“Super proud of you. You deserve it!” Jo added.

“Yeah. Thanks. Listen, I’ve got a lot to think about. Call you back in a bit?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. But don’t think too long—I wouldn’t leave them waiting to hear back from you.”

“No, trust me, I know.”

“Alright. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Madison ended the call and stared out at the apple orchard beyond the farmhouse. She had some serious thinking to do.