Again, he swats my hand away as I go to snag a small piece of red pepper. That’s what I get for wanting a vegetable. “I’m making omelets too. I knew you and May would be happy with pancakes, but I figured her grandparents might appreciate something healthier.”

“You figured right.”

“I also realized I didn’t have a change of clothes,” he says, “so I changed at home, and this way it’ll look like I keep clothes here.”

“Can I stop stirring now?” May whines. “I think I’m getting carpal tunnel.”

Travis laughs. “You’re as bad as your dad.”

“Thank you,” she says proudly, and I beam at her.

“Can I do anything?” I ask Travis. Though I’ll admit, I’m relieved when he shakes his head.

Spinning around, he offers me a whole strip of pepper. “Just sit down and look pretty.”

His eyes are playful, and I’m glad I’m getting the chance to see him this way. Less grumpy, more carefree.

I accept the veggie, giving him a shove for good measure, then munch on it while I sit and watch him cook. I watch him teach May how to pour the pancake batter and add the blueberries and when to flip them. He looks comfortable in my kitchen. I don’t know how he knows his way around it so well, but it’s like he’s been cooking meals here for years.

It would be easy for me to start imagining that he really is my boyfriend.

And that is a very dangerous thing.

Walking through town with May and her grandparents, I’m hyper-aware of my phone in my pocket. Every time it jostles against my thigh, I jump, thinking for a second that I’m getting a call. Then I reassure myself that Danny and Addison have everything under control at the inn.

Today is the last day of the retreat, and I desperately want to be there, but I figured Elise and Grant wouldn’t appreciate me working on their first day in town. At least the retreat schedule is pretty light today, as the group will be leaving late afternoon.

Spending the day with Elise and Grant, though, poses another challenge for me, because I have to feed them. Normally, I would’ve just taken them for lunch at the inn, but there’s no way I’m going to distract Addison and add to her workload by making her cook for us today.

When I explained how busy the inn would be, Elise immediately jumped in with the suggestion of having lunch at the diner. And before I could come up with a plausible reason to keep them away from there, May enthusiastically agreed. The little traitor. I think she’s enjoying seeing me and Travis squirm as we navigate this fake relationship.