Heartbreak

Heartbreak
Although he tried not to feel rejected, her reaction, or lack thereof, stung. Paul was ready to tell Serena for the second time that despite everything he experienced in Apple Bay, he would be willing to return to his hometown on a permanent basis for her.

And for the second time, things didn't go his way.

Hell, even telling her he was in love with her didn't seem to matter anyway.

He was silent on the drive back to her cottage, whereas Serena couldn't stop talking about how much she had missed his sister and about a recipe she had found online for a caramel apple upside-down cake. She then asked him if they could go to the tea house instead of the cottage to try out the new recipes.

He originally thought of baking in the cottage because he liked the small size of her kitchen. It felt very personal and cozy when they last baked together in there, but she reasoned the tea house was better equipped to handle experimental recipes.

Not only that, but Theresa also recently returned from Louisiana after suffering a familial loss and enthusiastically agreed to meet the two of them at the tea shop to help create new recipes and give her input on winning apple desserts, which pretty much put a pin on the conversation the two began at the gazebo.

In the end, Theresa's three-bite apple rosettes were declared the winner. Paul gave them the idea to sell caramel apples in October and to have promotional apple pie sales during the family holidays.

By four o'clock, the kitchen was clean, Theresa went home, and Paul and Serena packed the apple desserts they made and headed to the Worthington home.

"Are you nervous?" Serena asked Paul as they sat in his car and he began the drive.

Truth be told, all he had been thinking about since they left the apple orchard was Serena. He hadn't given a single thought about how he was going to broach the subject with his mother. That was something he regretted since his mom was a short drive from the tea shop.

Paul scowled. "Honesty is the best policy, right?" He looked at her briefly.

The look in his eyes must have given him away because Serena reached over to the gearshift and covered her hand with his. "For little Paul MacKenzie," she whispered. "You need to do this for him because he was always worthy."

With those words, Serena managed to plant herself in his heart forever.

The two continued in silence for the rest of the short distance.

Paul stationed the vehicle in front of the Worthington home and stared at the house he hated coming home to for so many years. He felt as his heart began beating rapidly and a cold sweat broke along his hairline.

He felt as Paul from long ago came to the surface. His lips began to quiver.

"I'll be with you every step, Paul. You can do this." He heard Serena's sweet voice say. When he turned to look at her, she was closing the car door.

Paul took a fortifying breath and alighted the vehicle.

Serena began walking toward the kitchen door but he stopped her.

"We're setting him free today," Paul said as he reached for her hand and pulled her to the front entrance.

Serena followed Paul as she held the bag of desserts in the other hand. Together they walked up the steps and Paul knocked.

George Worthington answered the door with unmistakable shock to see Paul standing on the other side.

"Paul," the old man uttered. He must have been deep in a sense of stupor at the sight because he didn't acknowledge Serena at all. "Your mom is in the sitting room, it'll do her good to see you," he said as he held the door open for them.

Serena leaned over and kissed George on the cheek. "Nice to see you again," she said.

George returned the sentiment before pointing to his wife who stood up the moment she saw her son. "Paul," she said happy to see him.

"I'll leave you to visit," George spoke from behind them.

"Actually," Paul spoke immediately before George got away. "I'm here to speak to the both of you."