“Whoa, whoa,” Maddie said, making a dampening gesture with her hands. “The wedding is Valentine’s Day, everyone.”

Another round of oohs and ahhs as well as a flurry of questions followed this announcement. Ryann was watching Maddie closely, wondering if she’d say something to explain, but when Maddie finally met her eyes, she was beaming, seemingly expectant.

Ryann leaned closer to her, whispering through a tight, forced smile. “Are you serious right now? Don’t you actually know some of these people?”

Maddie rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay,” she whispered back. “Do you want to tell them now?”

She recoiled, glancing around at the smiling faces turned their way. Everyone watching them seemed excited, happy. The two women who had been across from them at the table seemed particularly pleased with the situation. One had tears in her eyes.

Ryann sighed. “No. It’s fine.”

Maddie beamed at her and took her hand. “Thanks, everyone! We have to head out now. I’ll be back this weekend.”

A chorus of disappointed groans and good-byes followed them all the way outside.

She let go of Maddie’s hand the moment the doors closed behind them.

“What the hell, Maddie?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t like it.”

“What? Of course I didn’t. Now you’ve got half the town thinking we’re getting married.”

“Hardly,” Maddie said, smirking. Then her brow lowered, and she touched her lip thoughtfully. “Though some of the biggest town gossips were in there, so you’re probably more right than you know.”

Ryann frowned at her, still confused. “So why didn’t you let them know?”

Maddie paused and then shrugged. “A few reasons, chief of which is that they already thought we were a couple. You should have heard some of the things they asked me about you when you were working. Very…personal, let’s say.”

“And you didn’t correct them?”

“No.”

Ryann stared at her, completely confused. “Why on earth not?”

Maddie was quiet for a long pause. “To tell you the truth, I don’t really know. They were so happy. I guess I didn’t want to burst their bubble. Didn’t you feel that way when they heard we were getting married?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“Exactly!”

Ryann took a step closer to her. “No, not exactly. You know these people. I don’t. You live here. I don’t. What will they think if they find out?”

“They’ll think we broke up. Really, it’s no big deal.” She glanced at her watch. “And now we need to get going, or we’ll be late.”