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“Yeah, that’s right, I saw you.” Sam winked to soften his accusatory tone.
Her face warmed. “He had frosting on his chin—big deal. At least I wasn’t staring at my ex all evening.” She shoved a curl behind her ear and crossed her arms. “It’s obvious you still have feelings for her.”
“She was in the bridal party—”
“Are you still in love with her?” Honor made sure her voice trembled with just the right amount of heartbreak. It wasn’t hard. She’d heard the emotion in her mother’s voice many times.
Sam’s cheeks flushed, and he shoved his hands in his pockets as his injured gaze locked with hers. Oops…too much? They hadn’t scripted this part, and he obviously hadn’t expected her to go that far. But the whole public breakup had been his idea, and it seemed to fit in the scene.
“Are you?” she pressed, despite a prick of guilt.
Sam’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his expression rigid as his jaw clenched. “I refuse to have this conversation here.”
He brushed past her, and for the second time in ten minutes, a man walked away from her.
CHAPTER 4
Honor donned a black tank top, zip-up sweatshirt, and cut-off jean shorts before heading straight for the coffee pot in her brand new kitchen. With a steaming cup of crème brûlée roast in hand, she wove through the pile of boxes the movers had deposited in the living room yesterday afternoon before the wedding.
Mae was coming to help unpack tomorrow after her son’s tee-ball game, but as soon as Honor had her coffee, she planned to get as much done today as possible. Between being a single parent to six-year-old, Ian, and operating her own construction and remodeling business, her best friend worked even more than Honor did, and it had been ages since they’d been able to sit down and visit.
Out on the sunlit porch, she curled one bare foot underneath her on the swing, pushed with the other, and sipped her coffee pensively. Sam still refused to answer her calls or texts. Yes, it was early, but she wanted to apologize as soon as possible. They were only supposed to make his ex jealous, not shout out to everyone and her sister that he was still in love with the woman.
Honor ran a hand through her damp hair, hoping he’d forgive her. The question had slipped out because she wasn’t sure Penny was worth all the heartache Sam had gone through. Then again, after watching her mother’s fourth divorce and her father’s third, the whole concept of soul mate love seemed absurd. But, she now realized, that was for Sam to decide, not her.
She dated for fun, occasionally enjoyed the opposite sex for obvious reasons, and then she moved on before anything got too serious. The only life-long commitment she planned to make was to her business and her mortgage.
Tracing her gaze up along one of the massive, rustic wood porch columns, she rejoiced in the fact this house was all hers. She’d fallen in love the moment she saw the internet listing a month ago. Wraparound porch—with a swing. Two stories, three bedrooms, two baths, lush, green lawn with mature trees in the backyard—all in a quiet, suburban neighborhood.
One drive down Hopewell Lane, and the place had called to her soul like a man never had. She’d felt it in her bones—for the first time in her life she could have a real home.
Her brother Joshua had gone over the financials, all the while pointing out the impracticality of such a large house for just her, but she’d weighed it from all sides and was confident in her plan. The gourmet kitchen with double ovens meant she would no longer have to pay a percentage of her profits to use the kitchen in the bistro across from her old city apartment. Better yet, no more third shift baking because that was the only time the ovens were available.
With more time available, she could bake more cakes, which would easily offset the couple hundred more per month between her house payment and what she’d been paying for rent. Not to mention, padding her calendar with bookings wouldn’t be a problem if she landed the Diamond wedding.
No, when she landed Celia Diamond’s wedding.
She took a sip of her cooling coffee and sent a quick prayer heavenward. Rumors were circulating that Governor Mark Diamond was planning a run for the United States Senate. Crafting the cake for his daughter’s big day would showcase her work to the upper echelons of Colorado’s social and political elite.
One cake could boost her up to the next level and get her another step closer to her ultimate goal of opening a shop with an actual storefront.
The bride had loved two of the three custom designs she’d emailed, but the real test would be Saturday night, when she provided four cakes for the governor’s thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was the equivalent of a paid taste test, with the added bonus of Mrs. Diamond inviting her to attend the party as a guest.
Her stomach flipped with a combination of excitement and anxiety as she thought about the opportunity to mingle and network, even though it was a whole week away.
Taking a deep, calming breath, she leaned her head back to let the peaceful morning soothe
her nerves as a cool breeze skimmed over her skin.
Hmm…heaven.
After another moment, she forced herself to move her butt. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t sit out here all morning. Not if she wanted Mae to actually relax and eat pizza with her and Ian instead of the two of them one-handing their lunch while unpacking all her stuff.
She started inside with her empty cup when her gaze caught on the For Sale/Sold sign still in her yard. The realty company was supposed to have come by to remove it yesterday.
Leaving her cup on the railing, she headed down the front porch steps. Cold dew slicked her bare feet, making her shiver as she skimmed across the grass to the edge of the lawn. Grasping the wood post with both hands, she tried to pull it from the ground. It didn’t budge. The sign was set deep into the earth; no cheap posters and wire here.
Honor pushed one way, pulled another, and succeeded in gaining about a quarter inch wiggle room. Unfortunately, when she tried to pull the post out, it still wasn’t enough.
