Fireside Flavors felt different in the winter.
Not in a bad way — the place had always been cozy — but now, the new fireplace Maggie had put in blazed high and strong against the cold outside, shadows curling along the stone hearth. Cinnamon, baked apples, and Maggie’s signature hazelnut coffee mingled in the air, blending with the faint hum of conversation from the few lingering evening customers. Snowmelt dripped from the boots of people coming in from the street, leaving dark patches on the scuffed hardwood floor.
The corner booth by the fire was theirs. It had been theirs for a year now.
Madeline sat with her legs crossed, draped in a pale blush cashmere wrap that matched the gloss on her lips. Her hair had grown longer in the past year, falling in polished waves over one shoulder.
