“Thank you,” she says quietly.
“For what?”
“For this. For letting me be part of your mornings. Your life. Everything.” She looks up at me. “I know I kind of forced my way in that first day, but?—”
“You didn’t force anything. You walked in and made everything better.” I dry my hands, turning to face her fully. “I was barely surviving, honestly, I was struggling, before you. Now I’m actually living.”
Her eyes are suspiciously shiny. “Stop making me cry at six in the morning.” She bats me with a flour covered hand and a magical cloud floats between us.
“Never.” I pull her close, and she fits perfectly against me. Like she was made to be here.
My phone buzzes with a reminder— time to open the bakery, start the day, get back to being responsible.
But I hold her for another minute, breathing in the scent of her shampoo mixed with cinnamon, vanilla, and orange, and think about how three months ago I was convinced I’d never feel this way again.
Never trust someone enough to let them in.
Never love someone enough to risk getting hurt.
Never believe that happy endings were real.
But Chloe’s here, in my arms, in my bakery, in my life.
And I believe now.
I believe in all of it.
Chapter 12
Chloe
“Wait,you’restilldoing the nanny thing?”
I look up from my latte to find Jessica —my old high school lab partner— staring at me with something between confusion and pity. We’re at Cupid’s Brew, catching up after running into each other at the grocery store, and I’m already regretting accepting this coffee invitation.
“Yes, but,” I say carefully. “It’s actually going really well.” I don’t want to let all of the details out. Jessica was never known for having discretion.
“But what about teaching? I thought that was your dream.” Jessica leans forward, lowering her voice like she’s about to share a secret. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up on that.”
“I’m not giving up. I’m substituting at Valentine Elementary, and there’s a permanent position opening up in the fall?—”
“So you’re just...waiting? Playing house with someone else’s kids until somethingbettercomes along?” Every emphasis is harsh and sounds like judgement.
Hell, it is judgement. Why I thought she maybe changed?
And unfortunately, the words hit harder than they should. “It’s not like that.”
Definitely not.
I spent the night rolling around a bed with the man I live with.
She definitely doesn’t need to know that.
“Isn’t it though?” Jessica sits back, sipping her coffee. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s nice that you’re helping out this guy or whatever. But it’snotyour family, Chloe. You’re putting your entire life on hold for someone else’s situation.”
“I’m not putting my life on hold.” But even as I say it, something uncomfortable twists in my chest. “I’m living my life. This is my life.”
We love each other.
