Bridesmaid Undercover: An incredibly steamy, hilarious, friends to lovers, love triangle romantic comedy

HARDY

To: Everly Plum

From: Hardy Hopper

Subject: Almond Bay

Professor,

So I’m up in Almond Bay today, talking with the Rowley sisters, Aubree and Hattie, about a partnership. Have you ever been up here? They sell almond extract and these amazing cherry almond cookies…I grabbed a dozen to bring back to San Francisco because, Jesus fuck, they’re good. I’m going to have some sent to your office when I get back.

Also, Aubree and her husband, Wyatt, showed me around the farm…a potato farm. They take the potatoes and make vodka, then they take the vodka and infuse it with almonds to make almond extract. The entire process was fascinating. You probably know all of this through Maggie, but I got to see it firsthand, and it was pretty fucking cool.

And I know you didn’t ask for this trivial update, but I thought it was interesting. Not to mention, I wanted to tell you that I’m available any time this week, pending my return tomorrow, to go over any bach party stuff, since that’s coming up next week.

I can’t comprehend how quickly this wedding is coming together. I got fitted for my suit the other day with Ken and he was practically bouncing off the walls he’s so thrilled—and might I add, very excited for the dips.

Anyway, expect cookies soon and I’d enjoy a full review. Thanks.

Henrietta

To: Hardy Hopper

From: Everly Plum

Subject: RE: Almond Bay

Henrietta,

Almond Bay is so cute. I love it there. And The Almond Store is the sweetest place. I bought some almond extract and I’ve hoarded it, using it for only the best of recipes. And the cookies, I can already tell you, are a fifty out of ten. They are my absolute favorite. If I knew you were going up there, I would have asked you to buy more so I could freeze them and save them for a special night…alone…in my apartment.

But I’ll look forward to the ones that you send to the office. I’ll be sure not to share with Maggie. She visits Hattie enough that I deserve to have some of my own.

By the way, have you heard from Brody? He came into the office the other day announcing he’s made a full recovery. He then joked around about being a disaster when he was delirious before his appendix burst. He’s had a few disasters, and he couldn’t tell which moment was worse. It was a competition between the appendix and passing out in Bora Bora when he thought a snake had bitten him. He told me the story and I voted for the fake snake bite.

He couldn’t control the appendix, but the fake snake bite—that was all on him.

Do you agree?

Eager to hear your response.

The Prof

P.S. Not much to do with the bach party. Everything is pretty much set up, and I’m just waiting on Haisley. I think it’s going to be a go with the house. Working with catering right now on dips and drinks. Also working on that playlist. Wasn’t planning on many decorations, but rather using the rental’s Clueless-inspired theme to lead the way. Let me know if you want anything else.

To: Everly Plum

From: Hardy Hopper

Subject: RE: Almond Bay

Professor,

Back in San Francisco, and if it weren’t for a stack of meetings on my schedule, I would have dropped off the cookies myself, but unfortunately wearing a suit and acting like a grownup has prevented a personal delivery.

For a moment, I considered showing up to the meetings in my pink suit but thought better of it. It didn’t prevent me from teasing Hudson about wearing it, which in turn made him beg me to have some semblance of professionalism. Can you tell who the uptight one is?

As for Brody, yes, we’ve heard from him. I talked to him on the phone and I’m really glad he’s doing better. He said Maggie was getting really clingy because of how scared she was. Said she was more scared about the appendix than the snake bite.

Which brings me to your question…easily the snake bite outweighs the appendix bursting. But there were some other things that happened on that Bora Bora trip that could have been equally embarrassing. I saw him throw up in the sand, and I’ve seen his bare ass on the beach after Maggie pantsed him. I watched him almost get his penis speared, and I’ve also seen him shake his ass in a tiny Speedo on a rocking boat. I would classify that entire trip as a loss for him, a never-ending disaster that will forever live rent free in my mind.

And if there’s nothing else for the bach party, then I’m good. As long as we’re set with the dips. Remember…the dips are important. I will live and die on these dips!

Henrietta

P.S. I drank my coffee from our special mug this morning.

“Thanks so much,”Hudson says as we finish up our last meeting of the day. “Appreciate your time.”

“Of course,” Peggy says. She’s from a marketing firm we might consider hiring. The chances are slim but possible.

She exits the conference room, and when the door clicks shut behind her, Hudson exhales and leans back in his chair.

“What did you think?” he asks.

I lean back too and loosen the knot of my tie. “I think I’m not cut out for this corporate stuff. Why can’t I be like Jude and be more hands-on? Be in the thick of construction or, I don’t know…making sandwiches for people.”

“What?” he asks, dumbfounded. “Hardy, I need someone in these meetings with me. I need someone helping me make decisions, and since you’re my brother and partner, you need to be here.”

“What if I gave you the go-ahead to make any decision you want,” I say…joking.

“Only to have you bitch about it later? Not a fucking chance.”

Damn it, he knows me too well.

“What if I promised not to bitch?” I ask.

“I know you—that promise would not hold.”

I push my hand through my hair. “You’re right.”

I might hate these meetings, but I do have an opinion, and I want to do this right. Maybe I can convince Hudson that instead of suits and stuffy meetings, we can opt for jeans and interviews while playing ping-pong. That way, everyone wins.

Hudson turns his chair. “So…Breaker said something interesting to me while you were in Almond Bay.”

“Oh?” I ask. “Was it about JP crying on the pier over pigeons?”

He shakes his head. “No, it was about you.”

“What about me? That I was charming and charismatic, and he wishes I was the one he was meeting with instead of you?”

Hudson’s expression flattens. “No, that’s not what he said.”

“Shame, I bet that’s what he was thinking while you droned on about numbers and figures.”

Ignoring me, Hudson continues, “Said he saw you by the wharf, with your girlfriend, Everly.”

“Oh shit.” I chuckle. “He thought Everly was my girlfriend?”

“He did.”

“Did you correct him?” I ask.

“I did, told him she was helping with a wedding you’re part of.”

“Okay, good.”

“Is, uh…is anything going on there?” he says, an interested look in his eyes.

“With Everly?” I ask and then shake my head. “No, man, she’s a good friend.” I scratch the side of my face. “More of a friend than I was expecting, actually. She’s been helping me find a way to get back together with Maple. We were actually on a foursome date the night Breaker ran into us. Everly was supposed to be with a guy named Timothy, but he checked out early. His loss, because Everly is pretty chill.” I considered telling Hudson he should go out with her, but I know he’d say no. Also…I think Hudson might be too uptight for Everly. She needs someone fun and exciting.

Not some stodgy stick-in-the-mud like my brother.

And not Timothy, now that I think of it. He said Everly looked “nice” that night. Nice. A comfortable pair of jeans is nice. Everly looked stunningly beautiful, not…nice.

Not to mention he barely spoke to her. Barely interacted with her. She asked him about his beloved rhinos and he literally said two words. Idiot. He’s a fool for not wanting to date Everly. She’s becoming one of my best friends. A person I email about random things. Someone I think about every day, wondering how she’s doing. She’s a real catch, and Timothy is an absolute moron for not recognizing that.

“How did Maple feel about you hanging out with Everly after?”

“She had a headache and left early. Not a great showing for me. I was actually talking to Everly about it, and she said I should just tell Maple how I feel and stop trying to beat around the bush with my feelings. So, that’s where I’m headed after this. I’m going to change quickly and then go to the zoo.”

“Does she know you’re coming?” he asks.

“She does.” I loosen my tie even more. “I’m actually pretty nervous about it.”

“You think she’s going to turn you down?”

“Not sure,” I say. “I’ve been getting mixed signals from her, and I’m unsure where she stands. We had a pretty short conversation about our past when we were at the bridal shower, and that made me think we might have a chance, but the foursome date was weird. She was quiet, Timothy was quiet, and they both left early. I don’t know. I don’t want to sit around and guess anymore. I want to just talk to her about it and see where she stands.”

“And where do you stand?” he asks. “Do you really think she’s the one?” The one…

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “But I would hate if I didn’t at least try. We had a good relationship in college.” Despite what Polly said, I’m sure I wouldn’t be feeling this…desperate to rekindle the relationship if it had just been surface-level. Maple wouldn’t have felt as if she’d meant nothing to me when we broke up if it hadn’t been great in the first place. She’s here. I’m here. And as Everly said, why not try? “Might as well give it a shot, since she’s back in San Francisco.” I nod. Yep, that’s what I want.

“And you want to be in a relationship?” Hudson asks, almost looking confused.

“I do,” I say. “I see what Polly and Ken have. I see what Haisley and Jude have. It would be nice to not be so alone. Don’t you feel lonely?”

“No,” he says just as there’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” he calls out.

The door tentatively opens, and Hudson’s new assistant and Jude’s little sister, Sloane, pops her head into the room. “Um, hi, is this an okay time?”

“Yeah,” Hudson says as he sits taller and adjusts the sleeves of his jacket. Sloane, although nervous most of the time when she has to speak to us, was a solid hire. Well-organized, acts like a bodyguard despite her curvier stature, and keeps us both on track with our schedule. I wasn’t too sure about hiring Jude’s sister, but she is fresh out of college and given the job market, she really needed something reliable. Hudson said he would take a chance on her, and Jude promised she would not let him down.

So far, he was right.

She nervously moves farther into the conference room. “Hudson, you have a phone call from Huxley Cane. Seemed like he wanted to discuss something important.”

“Sure,” Hudson says, standing and buttoning his suit jacket. “Be right there. Thanks, Sloane.”

She offers him a soft smile, her eyes connecting with his for a moment before she curtsies and leaves.

I stand with Hudson. “Uh, when did she start curtsying?”© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

Hudson rolls his eyes. “That wasn’t a curtsy.”

“It looked like it,” I say. “Her body dipped and then she left. Don’t tell me you’re making the poor girl curtsy to you. That’s something our father would do.”

“Oh, fuck off—you know I wouldn’t do that.”

“I don’t know, all this power might be going to your head.” I’m so ready to get the hell out of this suit.

“You calling me Dad?” he asks with a raised brow.

“Not even a little.” I grip his shoulder. “By the way, have you heard anything from him?”

“Not yet,” Hudson says. “But this is typical. He’s trying to make us nervous. He’s all about intimidation in real life and in business. He likes to make people sweat. If there even is a lawsuit, he’s going to take his fucking time sending it over.”

“Yeah.” I run my hand over my beard. “You’re probably right about that.”

“I know I am,” he says and moves toward the door. He nods at me. “Good luck at the zoo. Let me know how it goes.”

“I will,” I say. “And pretty sure after the other night, I’m going to need all the luck I can get.”

Hardy: Testing…testing…Professor, are you there?

Everly:Hold on…are you texting me?

Hardy:I am. Is that not the proper protocol when looking to chat?

Everly: We communicate through emails.

Hardy:Would you prefer I send you an email right now instead?

Everly: I don’t know, you’ve caught me off guard.

Hardy:I can send the email. Just say the word.

Everly:No, no, if anything, I’m flexible. Let me just take a deep breath and prepare myself for instant access to the *wonderful* Hardy Hopper.

Hardy: Man, I should text you more often if you’re going to toss out compliments like candy.

Everly: Sorry, autocorrect, “wonderful” was actually supposed to be “incredibly annoying, slightly needy, and pathetically attached to his undercover bridesmaid.”

Hardy: Jesus, that’s quite the autocorrect.

Everly: Crazy how evolved technology is, huh?

Hardy: Just insanity.

Everly:So…how can I help you?

Hardy: What makes you think I need help? Maybe I was tapping into your phone just to say hi.

Everly: Were you?

Hardy:Technically no, there was a question.

Everly: And that question would be…

Hardy:Uh, by chance, would you have any more of those cherry almond cookies left?

Everly:You’re kidding, right?

Hardy:Wish I was.

Everly: Hardy, even if I did have some cookies left, do you really think I’d share with you?

Hardy:I shared my chocolate cake with you, and technically I’m the one who bought the cookies, plus you’re a nice human so, yeah, I thought you’d share.

Everly: When it comes to the cookies, I’m not nice. I’m greedy, and you don’t want to be around me because I bite.

Hardy:I don’t mind some biting. *wiggles brows*

Everly: Hardy Hopper, don’t you dare wiggle your brows at me.

Hardy:Would you prefer that I *waggle* them?

Everly: I don’t want any eyebrow movement from you. None. Keep your eyebrows to yourself.

Hardy: You know, I’m finding you to be…how do I put this in a nice way? Rude in text messages.

Everly: Rude? You’re calling me rude? When you come into my phone, demand I give you my cookies, tell me you will bite me if I don’t, and then wiggle-waggle your eyebrows as if that’s supposed to make it all better. Oh no, sir, not going to freaking happen.

Hardy: Huh, also you lie a lot.

Everly:It’s called exaggerating for comedic effect, honestly, Hardy. Must I teach you everything?

Hardy:You know, I can’t recall all the things you’ve taught me. Care to regale me with the list?

Everly: Some people have to work. We can’t all flounce around in pink suits while shopping for souvenirs. I’m busy.

Hardy:Oh, pardon me. I wasn’t aware I was cutting into your pom-pom making time.

Everly:Wow, Hardy…just wow.

Hardy: LOL. So I’m going to take that as a no on the cookies?

Everly: How did you ever guess?

Hardy: Wild suspicion. Okay, well, I’m at the zoo and about to go see Maple. Wish me luck.

Everly:Good luck. Don’t trip and spear your nose with a branch.

Hardy: Thanks…that’s helpful.

Everly: Always here for you.

I leanon the rail that overlooks the flamingo exhibit. Bushy trees surround the exhibit while a green pond rests in the middle. And at the center of it all are the Chilean flamingos that Maple loves so dearly. I know exactly why. They’re a very funny species with their long necks, stick-like legs, and thick beaks. Their colors range from salmon, to rose, to light pink, and the honking sounds they make are comical as they strut around the water, pecking with their bills and splashing around while looking for food.

Can’t imagine what it must have been like observing them in Peru. Considering the hustle and bustle around me—the tour groups and families with screaming children—I can see why Maple is having a hard time adjusting.

While I wait, I glance over to the left where I spot the bush Everly and I hid behind when JP found us. Smiling to myself, I think back to the look on Everly’s face when my nose came off, and then her quick thinking with the ketchup packets.

Christ, she’s great.

Smart and funny, quick-witted. She just…gets me.

Who would have thought?

This morning when I drank out of the mug, which we both got, I thought about how after we purchased them, we tried on nearly every pair of sunglasses in the next shop we visited, including the ones that were in the shape of animal faces. I chuckled, remembering the way she quacked like a duck and flapped her imaginary wings.

Not sure I’ve had that much fun with a person in a while.

And despite eating that giant piece of cake, I dragged her all the way down to the wharf where we bought some candied nuts for the road and tried to find a crying JP to at least observe him in his natural pigeon-loving state. Kelsey must have been able to drag him away before we got there. Shame, because I was looking forward to taking a video.

Before I walked into the zoo, I was feeling apprehensive, clammy, and ready to bolt, which was why I texted Everly. I knew just hearing from her would calm me down. And I was right, it did.

She seems to have that effect on me. One of the many reasons why I like her so much.

“Hey,” a voice says, drawing my attention. When I glance over my shoulder, I catch Maple walking up to me. She has a backpack strapped to her back, and she’s removed her nametag from her shirt, probably attempting to show people she’s off duty.

“Hey,” I say as I lean in and press a kiss to her cheek. She looks exhausted. “How was your day?”

“Pretty good,” she says. “One of our flamingos had a baby that just hatched, so I got to hang out with him all day.”

“That sounds like fun,” I say.

“It was.” She looks up at me. “So…why did you want to meet me here?”

Getting right down to business, okay.

“Thought we could hang out. You could show me around, and we could talk.”

“How about we just talk?” she says and then nods to the right. “Let’s go to the Leaping Lemur Café.”

Just talk, that’s never good.

“Sure,” I say, following her.

We enter the café, and being all business, she walks over to the drinks, grabbing a water in an aluminum bottle, and I do the same. When she walks up to the cash register, she starts to pull out her wallet, but I stop her and pay for the drinks myself.

“Thank you,” she says and then finds a table off in the corner. We both take a seat and she uncaps her drink, takes a sip, and then meets my eyes. “Why are you here, Hardy?”

Jesus. Okay, so she’s really getting down to business.

“Do you want the small talk or the ‘get to the point’ conversation?”

“Get to the point,” she says.

Okay. Can’t say I remember Maple being this…direct in college.

Like the night at the bowling alley, she seems detached, disinterested. I had hoped to reminisce for a moment, but it seems she has other plans.

“To the point, that I can do.” I clear my throat. “Well, here goes. When I heard that you were coming back to San Francisco, I wanted to get to know you again, see if there was still a connection between us. I wanted to ask you out on a date. Polly clearly wasn’t happy with that idea because she didn’t want me to scare you away, so I tried to take it slow, ease my way back into your life. Maybe it hasn’t been as smooth as I would have wished, but here I am, trying to ask you out.”

She tilts her head to the side, confusion in her brow. “You want to ask me out?”

“Yes,” I say on a laugh. “Has it not been obvious?”

“Uh, not even a little,” she says. “Especially after the other night.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“The dinner at The Beard.”

Oh, that.

“I mean, I thought maybe Timothy was a touch quiet if that’s what you’re talking about, but I don’t see how⁠—”

“Hardy,” she says, as if I’m not saying something I should be saying.

“What?” I ask.

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Uh…I’m being as serious as I can be.”

“So you’re trying to tell me that you’d rather date me than the person you should obviously be dating?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask.

“Everly,” she says simply.

“What about Everly?” I ask.

“It’s obvious that you two have something.”

“We’re friends,” I say, but she shakes her head.

“You’re more than friends.”

“Uh, no, we’re not,” I say. “We’ve only ever been friends.”

“Maybe physically you’ve only ever been friends, but there’s so much more to your friendship. It was obvious the other night, and I’d already glimpsed little signs here and there.”

I shake my head. “No, you’re wrong. We’re just friends.”

“Timothy said the same thing,” she continues. “That’s why he didn’t stay long—because he saw exactly what I saw.”

I shift uncomfortably. “Sure, maybe we talked a bit more that night and joked around, but it’s because you two weren’t really talking at all,” I say.

“Because you didn’t give us much of a chance,” she replies. “And please don’t think that I’m mad at you or anything like that, because I’m not. I’m actually happy for you.”

“Happy for me, for what?”

“For finding someone you so easily meld with.”

“Maple, listen⁠—”

She places her hand on mine. “Let me ask you this. Why did you want to get to know me again in the first place, in all honesty? Was it because you’ve truly missed me all of these years, or was it because…I don’t know, you saw what Polly and Ken have and you thought you might go for the same thing?”

“I…” I pause because I know what the right answer is—the answer every person would want to hear. They were missed.

But did I miss her?

Did I miss Maple?

After she left for Peru, did I pine for her?

No, Hardy. You got on with your life and focused on work.

Does that mean that I’ve imagined a close, deep relationship that was, in reality, only surface level? Was I that blind?

“If it takes you a second, I think we know the answer,” she says.

“Maple—”

She squeezes my arm. “It’s okay, Hardy. You don’t need to apologize, you don’t need to say anything to appease my feelings. Tell me the truth. Why did you want to start things back up with me?”

I pull on the back of my neck, an uneasiness trickling down my spine. “I was ready for something more in my life and you were back in town.”

“I was convenient.”

“Fuck, Maple, when you say it like that, it makes me sound like an ass. You weren’t convenient. I wanted to see if something was still there between us.”

“Do you think there is?” she asks, looking genuinely curious.

I study her for a moment, those kind eyes, that familiar smile. We had fun together. There’s…familiarity. We have friends and history. But what about lust?

Love?

Do we laugh together about the weirdest and most random things?

Is she the first person I think of when I need some human interaction? And am I the first person she thinks of?

Do we buy each other cookies…matching mugs…matching shirts?

What about the deep-rooted connection Polly was talking about?

I think it could be there, if we were to try hard, if we were to dig it up and bring our lives back to college where we were…

What were we?

Boyfriend and girlfriend?

But that was just a title.

We were together.

We were in love, right?

Three years of dating has to account for something, right?

Anything?

But fuck, why does it feel off? Why do we feel off? And is that why I haven’t sensed any attraction from Maple? I know when a woman is interested in me, but Maple hasn’t shown…any interest.

For a moment, I considered the idea that maybe it would take her time to warm up, but by now she should be warm, warm enough to feel something.

But I don’t…fuck, I’m not sure I feel anything.

Looking away, I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Because you have feelings for someone else,” she says.

“No,” I answer. “I don’t have feelings for Everly.”

“You don’t?” she asks. “That’s really surprising, because in the three years we dated, I don’t think you and I ever had the sort of connection that you have with Everly. It’s different between you two. The inside jokes, the teasing, the laughing. The way you were so comfortable around her, as if you’ve known her forever. How you shared food, how you were intent on listening to every little thing she had to say. You two are more than just friends.”

“But we aren’t,” I say as Everly’s beautiful face comes to the forefront of my mind.

Those green eyes that seem to glisten when she looks up at me.

That cheeky grin when she attempts to put me in my place.

That long, dark hair, curled at the ends, swishing over her back as we walked down Jefferson Street…

“And I’m sorry to say this, but I’m not the only one who thinks this. Timothy backed off, because he didn’t want to get in the way of you two. Also…I saw the way you looked at her, Hardy. You might not realize it, but when your eyes meet, both of you light up.”

I lean back in my chair, my mind whirling.

Her eyes light up when she sees me?

I’ve never fucking noticed.

I look off to the side. “I’ve never thought about her that way.”

“Maybe you should,” Maple says. “Answer me this. Were you disappointed when we left? Sad that your ‘date’ with me had ended? Did you guys stay longer or head straight home?”

Well, fuck. When she asks that question…

“We, uh…we finished the cake and then we took a stroll down toward the wharf.” Her eyes widen, and I know exactly what she’s thinking.

“Hardy, you never go down there.”

“I know,” I say, feeling a wave of stress and anxiety rip through me all at once. “But I wanted to walk off the cake, and then we were talking about souvenirs, and we ended up getting matching shirts, hats, and mugs…” I sit taller in my chair and look Maple in the eyes. Her knowing eyes. Her humored eyes.

“Hardy…” she says. “Come on.”

I grip my hair, distraught, anxiety ridden, heart pumping, mind about to explode.

“Holy shit,” I whisper, causing Maple to laugh. “Fuck, do I…do I like Everly?”

Maple chuckles some more and sips her drink. “You do.”

“But…I wasn’t. I was trying…fuck.” I grip my hair tighter, my mind replaying how she looked the other night with her hair down, how I felt this tingling sensation push through me when I leaned in to kiss her cheek.

How I liked that we sat next to each other in the booth and how she let me drape my arm behind her.

How she laughed endlessly throughout the night, her gaze fixated on mine when we shared a joke together.

Not to mention, when I see that I have an email from her, I genuinely get excited. I love hearing from her, seeing what kind of quick wit she’s going to use, or what kind of bizarre question she might ask. They brighten my day.

I think of the night I went to her office to help with décor for the bridal shower. I was in such a shit mood, pissed at my dad, and not wanting to interact with anyone. But Everly made everything better that night.

She seems to always make things better.

Holy.

Shit.

Do I…fuck, do I like Everly?

“Hardy?” My eyes connect with Maple’s, and I can feel myself start to spiral. She must see it too because she gently places her hand on mine. “I can see that you’re thinking over every interaction you’ve ever had with her.”

“I…I never thought of her that way.”

“And now you are.”

“I’m just…fuck, I feel all sorts of confused.”

“It looks like it.” She softly pats my hand again. “Probably not what you want to hear, but I do think it’s kind of funny that you had no idea when it was so obvious. Even at the bridal shower, I had my suspicions, but I was just playing along with whatever you guys wanted.”

“Yeah,” I reply distantly, my mind still reeling.

I think about Everly a lot.

When I was in Almond Bay and in The Almond Store, I thought about getting her one of the mugs from the store, but opted for cookies instead, knowing she would like them better.

This morning, when I was drinking out of my mug, I thought about how pretty she looked that night, dressed in red, her eyes shining.

On the way to the zoo, I was hoping she emailed me, but when no message from her was to be found in my inbox, I felt the need to text, anything to just hear from her…

“Jesus Christ,” I say, my feelings hitting me harder than I ever could have imagined. I drag my hand over my face and stare down at the table. “Fuck, Maple, do you think it was obvious to her?”

“I’m not sure,” Maple says. “It seemed like you guys were in your own little world. I wouldn’t be able to say. And would that be a bad thing?”

“Yes,” I say. “I don’t…fuck, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.”

“From the way you two interact, I doubt she’s even the slightest bit uncomfortable around you.”

I bite down on the corner of my lip. “Do you think she feels the same way?”

Maple shrugs. “I could see it, then again, Everly is also pretty guarded. I guess there’s only one way to find out, huh?”

“And what way is that?” I ask.

“Uh…ask her out.”

I start shaking my head. “No way.”

“Why not? You can’t say you’re not ready, because you were here to ask me out.”

“You’re different.”

“How am I different?” she asks.

“Come on, Maple. I know you, we’ve done this before⁠—”

“I’m familiar,” she says.

“I mean…for lack of a better word, yes.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she says. “I’m not offended in any way if that’s what you’re thinking. Yes, it was easy between us. We were together for three years and we almost became complacent in our relationship, but when it was tested, there wasn’t much substance to keep us moving forward. And we’ve both changed since then—do you really think we’d be able to build a better foundation, especially since we are so vastly different?”

“I guess not,” I say.

“But with Everly, there’s already a foundation of friendship. You clearly like hanging out with her. You like talking with her. Do you find her attractive?”

“I mean…she’s beautiful,” I say.

Maple smirks. “She’s very beautiful.” She caps her water and adds, “All the things you need for a relationship are there, so what’s the hesitation?”

“I don’t want to lose her as a friend. I’ve sort of become pretty close with her over the last few weeks. Hell, I think I talk to her more than to anyone else.”

“And that doesn’t tell you something?” Maple shakes her head and then stands. “You’re a smart man, Hardy. I know you’re going to figure this out. But you’re the one who has to come to the conclusion of what you want—no one else.”

I stand as well, feeling unsettled.

I tug on my neck. “So I’m guessing me asking you out is a no?” I smile, to let her know I’m joking.

She pats my chest. “That would be a big no, but thank you for thinking of me.”

I sigh. “I’m sorry, Maple.”

“Don’t be sorry⁠—”

“No, I’m sorry for the past, how things ended. I need you to know it wasn’t you, and it had everything to do with my dad…with me.”

“I know,” she says quietly. “It wasn’t meant to be, and I’m seeing that. But I will say this. If we’d stayed together, I doubt I would have gone to Peru, and that was an experience I would have been so disappointed to have missed. So, it all worked out in the long run. Maybe you needed me coming back to San Francisco to make you realize you’re ready to commit. If Everly is that person, then I truly hope it works out. From what I saw the other night, you two could very well be perfect for each other.” She winks and then takes off, leaving me in the Leaping Lemur Café with so many questions.

So many thoughts.

And all of them are focused on one person…Everly.