Page 141 of Pinch of Love

“Come on in,” I said, pulling her hands with me.

She stepped into my house as Evie wandered toward me with Chewie.

“My job here is done,” Evie said, chuckling. “You take the dog.”

I held Chewie and watched Evie slide her shoes on and stand in front of Maya.

“You must be Maya,” Evie said.

“That’s me. Unwashed hair and everything.” Maya grimaced, and I shook my head.

She was beautiful.

“It’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard all about you nonstop from my parents.”

I looked at my sister. “You have?”

“Yup, and I can see why. She’s wonderfully normal.”

“She’s more than normal. She’s extraordinary,” I said, nearly barking my words.

Evie chuckled and nodded. “You’re probably right.”

My sister gave me a quick hug and smiled at Maya. “I know my brother tends to grunt his answers, but he means well.”

Maya chuckled, and I soaked it in. I thought I might never hear it again.

Just having her standing in my house made me feel lighter.

It was as if everything I’d been searching for in life had all boiled down to one concept.

Love.

I’d had it taken away before, and maybe I held on to my past too long, but it all brought me here.

Evie walked out of the house, and Maya’s big, beautiful eyes stared at me. I set Chewie down, and she promptly ran off to the family room, probably hoping for some pizza crumbs.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said softly.

“Oh, no.”

She chuckled. “I am the first to admit that I might be an overthinker, but I’m working on it.”

I smiled, brushing a loose lock of hair from her face. She’d pulled it all up into a messy ponytail and looked like my dream girl.

“I wanted to wait a few more days before talking to you, but when I saw your text about going to North Carolina, I knew I had to stop you.”

“Why did you want to wait? To make me crazy?”

She shook her head. “I was trying to work on myself.”

“And you thought it would only take a week or so?”

Maya snorted, and it was like my life was complete.

But I knew there was something I still needed to tell her.

“I was using North Carolina and my company as an excuse. The truth is that everything I care about is here at Buttercup Lake. There’s Chewie, Grandma Millie, Grace, and Izzy.”