“It’s getting there. I’m kind of learning how to renovate as I go. I’ve worked on some of my friends’ projects, and a little with my dad, but nothing like this. I kind of bit off more than I could chew, but it’s kind of fun, too. I still have to do the floors, which I should have done first, but that’s okay.”

Maddie walked back to the stove and started plating her food. Ryann crossed the room and grabbed her own plate. There were scrambled eggs and pancakes, a basket of raspberries, slices of kiwi, coffee, and fresh orange juice. Her plate was heaping by the time she joined Maddie in the living room, her stomach rumbling loud enough to hear. The cat watched them eat briefly before once again settling down to sleep. Maddie, seeing her watching it, laughed.

“That’s Jinx,” she said.

“Cute name.”

“Thanks. He’s an old man now—just turned sixteen. He’s basically there or in his little bed by the oven all day.”

She could deal with a cat like that more easily than the more forward and aggressive ones she’d met at Jai’s and his parents’ place. She opened her mouth to say just that but realized in time what that might imply. She smiled instead and turned back to her breakfast.

The food was delicious, and both simply sat there when they were finished, smiling at each other across the loveseat. Her heart began tripping around in her chest again, that rising, funny euphoria back once again. Maddie, as if sensing her feelings, put her mug down and scooted closer, kissing her deeply before standing up. She held out a hand and helped her up.

“We really better get going. You still need to change, and we’re supposed to meet the others in less than an hour.”

She pouted. “Do we have to?”

Maddie laughed and bussed her lips. “Stop that. You’re going to make me take you back to the bedroom, and then we’ll never get out of here.”

That wouldn’t be a bad thing, but she sighed and went to gather her clothes. She’d gone to sleep with them scattered all over the bedroom floor, but at some point, Maddie had folded them neatly for her and put them on top of her dresser next to her cowboy hat. As she struggled into Jos’s ridiculous dress again, she realized she would be doing a walk of shame this morning in front of Ethel. In this dress, it was obvious that she hadn’t come back last night. The idea made her giggle several times on the way to the hotel, and sure enough, Ethel turned pink when she and Maddie entered the lobby, excusing herself so quickly she almost ran away from them.