Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

The neighbor, Mrs. Carter, dropped by again, this time carrying two steaming bowls of noodle soup. She set them on the table with a warm smile.

Maja looked at the food, her heart giving a little squeeze. Dean still remembered her, always thinking ahead.

She smiled softly, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating. “Thank you, Mrs. Carter."

"Oh, don't mention it. We're neighbors, after all. Dean's always helping us out," Mrs. Carter replied, sitting down to chat while Maja ate.

That evening, Dean came home with several shopping bags in his arms.

"Maja, look what I brought for you!" he called out as he came inside.

He saw her waiting, and noticed their patient had had another bad spell that afternoon, so Maja had to give him more medicine. As the man slept, Maja quietly explained his condition and the medicines to Dean. Dean checked on the patient, then grinned at her. "You know, you could probably run your own clinic by now."

He handed her another three days' worth of medicine, passed instructions to Mrs. Carter, and saw the neighbors out.

Once the house was quiet, Dean turned to Maja with an eager smile. "Come here, I want to show you something."

out new clothes and a pair of shoes. Maja

this for you last time, but my ankle

wore anything new, let alone a dress. She stared at the dress, her eyes bright. "I'm not really a dress

on. Try it on. Dresses

used to have a bunch

offered the shoes instead. "Well, at least try these. You've been wearing the same shoes forever. Didn't you say you had to wear them damp this

her shoulders and nudged her to sit. "Let's see if these fit. If not, I'll swap them

box, and reached for

shoe on anyway. "Hey, when you twisted your ankle, I put ointment on for you. You didn't

will talk," she said, a

"People already

woman sharing a house for

hardly knew anyone in this town. She'd leave soon enough,

to live here. She

to ruin his reputation.