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The Annoyingly Attractive Neighbor

Page 88

by Chloe Maxey

“What do you want to do today?” he asked, emerging from his room again.

She handed him a mug. “We could go to the farmers’ market. Walk. And take Biscuit,” she suggested.

“Let’s do it.” He paused briefly, taking a sip of coffee. “And maybe we could binge Gilmore Girls again tonight?”

“Of course.” She smiled. “Can we make cookies first? We’ve never made cookies together. That feels like an important relationship milestone.”

She was always looking for a reason to make cookies.

“Ah yes, the cookie milestone.” Noah had a playful look in his eye. “I think we should.”

Claire smiled into her coffee. There had been a time when weekends meant catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, and answering emails she’d ignored all week.

Now they meant farmers markets, cookies, Gilmore Girls, and Noah.

She liked this version better.

After finishing their coffee, Claire went back to her apartment and got ready for the day. Except she couldn’t find her Uggs.

She went back to Noah’s apartment. “Noah! Have you seen my Uggs?”

He pointed right beside her. “Yeah, right there by the door.”

“When did they get there?”

“I don’t know.”

“I just searched my entire apartment for these shoes, and they were right here the whole time?”

“Apparently.”

As soon as Claire and Noah arrived at the farmers market, Biscuit became the main character. Every little kid in Manhattan asked to pet him.

He loved it.

Claire couldn’t help but laugh.

Noah got suckered into buying a bag of dog treats that probably weren’t anything special. “Not a word,” he told Claire. “I know we aren’t making it out of here without you buying some gimmick thing too.”

“You are correct,” she replied.

She knew herself. She knew she would.

The market looked different than it had a few weeks ago. Pumpkins were stacked near the entrance, baskets of apples crowded one display, and a chalkboard sign advertised apple cider.

They came across a bread booth with fresh sourdough. Claire sampled three different loaves.

Noah caught her with another slice. “Didn’t you just eat one?”

“That was regular sourdough.”

“And this?”

“Cinnamon breakfast bread.”

Noah laughed before grabbing himself a slice. “Now I understand why you had so many of these.”

“See! It’s so good.”