Page 4 of Perfect Guy
“It’s not a cinnamon roll, but this does the trick,” I tease her.
Joy rolls her eyes. “Had I known you were coming, I would’ve saved you one.”
“Just teasing you.” I reach over and ruffle her hair. She hates when I do that.
“Canaan,” Joy whines.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
I turn toward the door and lift a brow. “I’m visiting my little sister.”
“Hey, babe.” Joy rounds the counter and walks to Brayden, her boyfriend.
I groan when they kiss, looking away. It’s not that I don’t expect my sister to have a relationship. I’ve never been that overprotective. Okay, maybe I have in a sense, especially when it comes to Brayden, but I haven’t had to kick his ass yet since they officially got together.
He chuckles and claps my back. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Came to visit Joy.”
“You came to steal a cinnamon roll,” she purses her lips.
“If me visiting you gets me a cinnamon roll, I won’t turn it down.” I give her my best smile.
“Do you have a slice of Huckleberry pie left?” Brayden asks.
I laugh while Joy mumbles, “They only come in here to steal my food.”
“Nah, I come in here to steal kisses, too,” Brayden responds.
“I’m leaving.” I slide some money toward Joy that she refuses to take.
“Keep it. I don’t need rumors in town to spread that I can’t afford a pastry,” I wink. “I’ll see you this weekend. Lunch on Sunday, right?”
“Yeah, I told Mom I’d take dessert.”
“I’ll take a few beers,” I tell her.
Clapping Brayden’s back, I leave the bakery and look around Town Square. People are walking around, and some children are playing and riding their bikes in the square. I don’t want to go home. I make a left to walk around town a bit when I see Madelyn sitting at a table in Java Jitters. Smiling, I walk in to say hi and make sure everything went okay today.
“Hey,” I look down at her.
“Hi.” She smiles up at me from a book she’s reading.
“How’d it go today?” I grip the seat in front of me.
“You can sit, you know.” She laughs. “It was good. Like you said, Bill praised the changes I made and told me the homeowners loved it.” A bright smile lights up her face.
“I’m glad. You deserve it.”
“Thanks. I honestly can’t thank you enough for this. I thought I was done with architecture, but this has proven how much I still enjoy it.” She sighs, looking down at her mug.
“How come you felt that way? We all thought you’d be out designing amazing things.”
Madelyn shrugs, avoiding my eyes. She takes a drink of her coffee. It shouldn’t be sexy, but damn it if it’s not. Ever since she came back, I can’t help but notice her simple beauty despite what I told Isaac today. It’s understated and natural.
“Sometimes we need to return to our roots,” she smiles, but it doesn’t brighten her face like it did a few minutes ago.
“I get that. I’ve also never left Mason Creek.” I lean back in my chair.