The-Lucky-List-Rachael-Lippincott

wanted,” I say. “All the years she had nudged me in his direction when she suspected he was crushing on
me. And then telling me right at the end that I should give him a chance. But it’s always felt wrong. It’s
always felt o.” I pull the list out of my pocket, unfolding it and giving it a long look before laying it
on the counter. “Doing the list changed me so much, I just thought that, well… that things would
finally fall into place the way they did for her that summer. With Matt. With all of it.”
Nina smiles and picks up the list. “Em, I still tell your mom stu,” she says as her eyes scan the
paper. “When I’m walking around the grocery store, or baking a cake, or brushing my teeth. Even
though she’s not here, she’s still here.” She points to her heart, the place where my mom will always
have a space. “Your mom was my best friend, and I know for a fact she’d only want you to be happy.
Whether that’s with Matt, or whether that’s with Blake,” she says, folding the list down to look at me.
“Besides, you’ve still got some summer left.”
A small smile creeps onto her lips. “Who said your mom got it right the first time?”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
All she does is shake her head, reaching into her apron to reveal a tiny jar of maple syrup.
“at’s not my story to tell. You’ve gotta ask your dad,” she says as she pours some into the mixing
bowl.
“Maple syrup?” I ask, my eyes wide, my lifelong quest to find the Secret Ingredient finally coming to
a close. “Really?”
“Your mom spilled some in a batch we made when we were kids,” she says as she screws the lid back
on, holding the jar up to the light. “Haven’t changed the recipe since then.”