Page 14 of The Summer I Stayed (Midlife Meet Cute #5)

Maggie

After the unforgettable Summer Festival, Jake and I dive headfirst into finishing the lake house (with many kissing breaks).

It’s surreal how far this house has come since the day I first arrived here.

Every inch of this place is touched by our hands, turning it into the cozy, beautiful lake house it is today.

Finally, one afternoon, we step back to admire our work.

“You did it,” Jake says into my ear, his arms wrapped around me.

I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart against my ear—a rhythm that’s become as comforting and familiar as the lapping waves on the lake shore.

“We did it,” I correct him. “I couldn’t have done this without you. And not just because you fixed my house, but because you helped heal me, too.”

He pulls me closer, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “You helped me too, Maggie,” he admits softly. “You helped me feel again…to want to share my life with someone. I gave up on love until you came along.”

My heart swells at his words. It wasn’t just a renovation project or a fresh start for me—it was for Jake too.

The night of the festival was dreamy. Him confessing his feelings and that first kiss sent me to the moon.

And we’ve been inseparable since. Every morning, he brings me coffee and we have breakfast on the porch overlooking the lake, and every night, he steals a few moments (and kisses) under the stars by the water.

“You know,” I say dreamily, turning in his arms to face him. “Life here is beginning to feel like a dream come true.”

“Just beginning?” he teases with a smirk, the one reserved just for me.

I laugh, swatting his shoulder playfully. “Oh, hush, you know what I mean.”

He chuckles, one that I seem to hear more every day. His eyes hold a softness that sends a warmth flooding through me. “I do. And for what it’s worth, I feel it too.”