“Okay.” Aiden shrugged.

Ollie frowned. “It doesn’t.”

Aiden and Dax shared a glance. Ollie really didn’t know Piper had a crush on him. It was maybe better they didn’t point it out.

“I think she’s concerned you’ll actually forget to eat for days or you’ll hook up with some woman who will take you for all your money, and you won’t even realize it until you go to pay a parking ticket you got because you parked your car on the street for four days straight while you were in the middle of a project and sleeping at the office.”

“Piper’s like an older sister to me,” Ollie said. But he shifted on the arm of the couch, clearly a little uncomfortable.

Maybe he was starting to catch on that there was more there.

“Piper is five years younger than you,” Aiden pointed out.

“Well, she’s… my assistant. And sweet. That’s why she takes care of me.”

Dax actually snorted. “Piper is not sweet.” She was kind. She was empathetic. She was seemingly all seeing and all knowing. But she was no nonsense and a bit cynical and impossible to bullshit.

“I don’t understand why she puts up with you,” Aiden told Ollie in a way only a really true friend could.

“Well, Grant loves you,” Dax said, pushing up from the couch. “And I pretty much do too.”

“Grant never said that, and you’re drunk,” Ollie told him, also getting up.

“I could see it in his eyes,” Dax assured him with a grin. “And I’m not that drunk.”

“Yeah, well, I love you too,” Ollie said. “And I’m sorry your girlfriend can find the same comfort in pie and cake that she can with you.”

Dax sighed and slung an arm around Ollie’s neck. “Thanks, Mr. Compassion.” They started for the door.

“And Piper is not going out to that farm to flirt,” Ollie said again.

“Right. Just like you’re only worried about her going out there because of her shoes,” Dax told him.

“That’s it. I’m putting my foot down.”

“Try to take this pie away from me, and lose a finger,” Jane told Max as she shoved another bite of strawberry pie into her mouth.

“I’m serious. I’ve had it up to here,” Max said, pulling out the chair opposite her at the table she’d claimed three days ago at Buttered Up.

“Leave me alone, Max. If I want to eat my feelings, I can. I’m a grown woman and immune to guilt and bullying.”

“Oh, I don’t care if you eat your feelings, honey,” Max said. “I’m just sick of not being able to buy anything strawberry from this bakery. There hasn’t been any strawberry pie, muffins, scones, or even a tart for three days.”

“That’s because we ran out of strawberries, and our supplier doesn’t come until later today,” Josie said. “Those are the last ones, and Jane made us swear to hide everything in the back when we said we were running low.” She pointed at the two empty mason jars that had held strawberry pie and the one Jane now had her fork buried inside.

“You’re a mess,” Max told Jane.

“No shit.” She took another bite.

Josie climbed up onto the ladder she’d pushed in front of the tall shelves that displayed old photos and memorabilia from the bakery’s history. She held a feather duster.

Zoe remained behind the front counter waiting on the few customers still trickling in and out, but the morning rush was over. And now her friends could concentrate on Jane. Much to Jane’s chagrin.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Max,” Josie said as she reached to whisk the duster over the picture frames and vintage cookie jars on the highest shelf.

Jane frowned at her. “I haven’t been that bad.”

“I don’t like seeing you this sad,” Josie said. “Especially when you could go fix it right now.”

“I’m working through some things,” Jane said grumpily.

She’d been doing everything grumpily since she’d watched Dax walk back into Sunny Orchard three days ago. And eating strawberry pie grumpily was difficult because it really was heaven on earth.

“What things?” Max asked, sitting back in the chair and looking at her as if she was pathetic.

Which, of course, she was.

“That Dax loves me,” Jane said.

Max just sat, clearly waiting for more. “And?” he finally asked.

“I think he really meant it.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Max said. “Of course he meant it. He bought a nursing home because of you.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “Right? I know. That’s what I’ve been thinking about.”

Max shook his head.

“Well, seriously,” Jane went on. She even put her fork down. “When he told me he loved me, I asked if he was sure.”

Max chuckled.

Jane frowned. She’d been serious when she’d asked. “And he said ‘why else would I buy a nursing home?’ and that is what I’ve been thinking about for two days. I mean, honestly, why else would he? For fun? I don’t know if owning a nursing home is really fun. At least not on the scale with going to Comic-Con and the other stuff he’s done. And then there’s the farm thing. I mean, he could go out and hang out with Dallas and Justin and those guys any time if he suddenly thinks goats and llamas are fun. He doesn’t need to own a nursing home so he has an excuse or something. And then there’s my dad. I mean, I know Dax likes him and wants to make him happier, but he could go over there and visit him. Or take him on outings like we did the other day. He would not have to buy the nursing home just to make my dad happier. So I think maybe he really did buy it because he loves me, and somehow loving me made him think about how he could do something bigger and more meaningful and something more… permanent.”

She dragged in a deep breath, very aware that she’d been ranting, but that had all been swirling around in her mind for two days now amid the sugar and caffeine and now just came tumbling out. She’d been desperately trying to figure out another reason for Dax’s seemingly impulsive purchase, but she couldn’t come up with anything else.

She watched Max. He seemed to just be waiting to be sure she was done.

Josie’s sigh was audible. “I promise you I’ve told her he meant it when he said he loves her,” she said to Max.

“I believe you.” Max gave Jane a sympathetic look. “But she’s never been in love before. She doesn’t know what to do now that she believes it.”

“Do you think she believes it?” Josie asked. She turned on the rung of the ladder partially so she could look down at them.

“I do. I think it’s sunk in.”

“But it shouldn’t be this hard,” Josie insisted. “She’s in love with him too. He’s been texting her almost nonstop. She needs to just go be with him already.”

“Hello!” Jane said. “I’m still here.”

“Josie’s right,” Max told her.

Josie gave her a smug look and turned back to dusting the shelves.

“You need to just go be with him,” Max said.