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A frown line creased his forehead. “And I thought we established that that was going to change.”
“If you changed your mind, I understand.”
“About what?”
“Me. Us.” I looked down at my feet. I had so much baggage. It wasn’t fair to ask him to carry any of it for me.
How would I feel if he were still married, even under the most terrible of circumstances?
His knuckles slipped under my chin and gently lifted so that I was forced to meet his steely eyes. “I’m not changing my mind. Not ever.”
How could he be so sure? Yet he was. It was easy to see, to feel.
“Are we clear?” he asked when I didn’t respond.
“Yes.”
He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath since I’d left. “You’ve got some icing here.” His thumb swiped my cheek, and he popped it into his mouth.
Butterflies. They were so much better than the anxious kind of nerves, and I had them in droves right now.
“How did you end up cooking?”
“I came to see you and found those guys.” He pointed over his shoulder without looking back. “I wanted to help you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Where’s your phone?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’m not leaving here without a way to reach you,” he said determinedly. His eyes swept over me. “Bright Side, you’re wearing the same thing you had on last night.”
“Yeah.”
I searched for a way to explain what had happened and came up empty.
“I need cake.” Sonya saved me from having to try too hard. She stormed over to me, her clothes wrinkled and her hair a wreck. “Why isn’t that finished?” And then she noticed Andrew. “Never mind. I see you’ve been distracted.”
Daniel had Vivian tucked into his side. Drew and Sonya were glued together. And Muriella and Stone . . . I craved what they all had. There was so much love in this room, it overflowed. Yet it was hard to watch these people I cared for. They had what I didn’t. What I wasn’t sure I ever could.
Baker nuzzled Ella’s head, but our eyes met. This was a difficult scene for her too. She flicked her gaze to Andrew. I couldn’t decipher what was going on her head. If she was telling me to go for it or to be careful. Maybe both.
“Is this what I always smell like?” I returned my attention to Andrew.
“If you mean delicious, then yes.” He winked.
What is it about when he does that turns me inside out?
With an unsteady hand, I resumed icing the cake. Andrew leaned on the counter. His face clouded when he glanced past me.
“So you helped out with Delores?” Baker’s tone had an edge to it that made me tense. She made no secret of her feelings toward Andrew, but it bordered on making me uncomfortable.
“I did. If I’d have known Trish couldn’t make it, I would have been there sooner.” I flicked my eyes to him to find him watching me carefully.
Baker drummed her fingers on the countertop. “What were you doing outside of Paths?”
I winced. We were back to this. And the question was downright hostile. I stilled, and waited for the answer.
