Love, Utley (Love Letters #1)

I circle around to stand beside him. “Pancakes?”

He bumps my hip with his own. “Don’t get too excited. It’s just a mix.”

I bump his hip back. “Nothing wrong with that.”

Maddox continues to flip and stack pancakes as I pour myself coffee, noticing the half-and-half already on the counter.

It’s already been opened, but when I peek inside, it looks completely full. Like maybe he bought it just for me.

Unlike last night, Maddox lets me help with the food. So I warm the maple syrup in the microwave and, at his request, get the peanut butter out of the pantry.

Also unlike last night, we don’t go to the amazing library room to eat but rather sit with our plates at the counter.

Maddox makes a stack six high, with layers of peanut butter between each pancake, then he smothers the whole thing with syrup.

He sees me eyeing it and gives me a bite. And that’s enough to convince me to add a spoonful of peanut butter to my much shorter pile.

“Speaking of The Count of Monte Cristo,” Maddox says, even though we weren’t.

I arch a brow. “Yes?”

“I saw that book in your room.” He tips his head and looks at me. “Do you have any idea how many late fees I have?”

I laugh as I admit, “I’ve felt so bad about taking library property. I was this close to mailing it back so many times.”

“We can return it after we finish reading it.”

I can’t help but wonder about his assignment. “Did you get another copy? Or did you pick something else to read?”

“I checked out something else.” Maddox shrugs. I hate his answer. “But it ended up sucking, so after I paid the fee for a lost book, I checked out another copy of The Count.”

Too much relief comes with his words. “I read my copy too. A couple times.” I glance over at him. “Sorry about the fee. I’d offer to pay you back, but I have a feeling you wouldn’t let me.”

“You don’t have to pay me, but the first chance we have, I’m marching you into that library, and we’re changing the records so it shows you’re the one who lost it, not me.”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

Maddox takes a bite of pancake. “Do you still have my hoodie too?”

My fork pauses halfway to my mouth.

I forgot about the hoodie.

“What?” he asks, probably seeing the guilt on my features. “You better not have given it to another guy.”

I choke on a laugh. “I did not give it to another guy.”

“Then what happened to it?” Maddox leans his elbow on the counter.

“I burned it.” I pop the piece of pancake into my mouth.

Maddox blinks at me. “You… burned it.”

I nod.

“Any particular reason why?” He lifts his brows with the question.

“If you must know…”