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“Yes.” I laugh. “I told you I would.”
“Good.”
“I’m starving,” Ash says, opening a menu. “We need to order straight away.”
“Same,” I add, and look for the most fat-filled thing. I could eat the whole kitchen I’m so hungry.
A few drinks in, and I’m laughing so hard I snort, my hands immediately flying to my mouth. “Oh my god,” I mumble behind them.
“That’s the cutest sound I’ve ever heard,” a familiar voice says beside me, and my eyes flash up to meet the prettiest blue ones I’m quickly becoming addicted to.
“Tyler. Hi. Uh, what’re you doing here?” I ask, embarrassed.
“Ryan wanted me to meet him after work for a beer.”
“Did he now?” I ask through my teeth, my eyes swinging over to Ashley. She just smirks and shrugs, sipping her drink.
“We’re celebrating Ellie’s first day of work at the café,” Courtney tells him.
“When can I come in for my promised treat?” he asks me, smiling cheekily.
“I’m staying after tomorrow to make Ally her favorite double chocolate cupcakes. You can come in on Thursday for one.”
“Looking forward to it. I love chocolate.”
“Me too.” We smile at each other, and after a long few seconds, a throat clears next to me, and I look away quickly.
There’s something about him that pulls me in, and I can’t help but smile when he does, and feel a little pull in my chest with the way he looks at me. But I can’t go there. I can’t let myself feel anything but friendship towards him.
“So, I’ll see you then,” he says, and I look back up to watch him walk towards the bar where Ryan is already sitting and waiting.
“What the hell, Ash?” I ask when he’s out of earshot.
“What?” she says innocently.
“You told Ryan to bring him here.”
“And if I did?”
I let out a lungful of air and take a long drink of wine. “You guys need to not meddle, okay?” I plead, looking at each of them, trying to convey my seriousness.
“We understand,” Mel says first.
“Fine, we’ll stay out of it,” Ally sighs.
“Fine,” Courtney and Ashley say together.
“Thank you,” I tell them sincerely. “Just please try and keep your word.”
“We will. But no promises.” Ash smirks.
Chapter 6
I put a little extra care into getting ready this morning. Is it because I’m going to see Tyler today? Yes. But I’m choosing to tell myself that it’s also because I’ll be serving my cupcakes to the residents of Pine Cove, and it’ll be the first time I’m putting myself out there for people other than my family and friends to judge me.
Kyle never took my dream seriously. He liked being the chef in the relationship, and needed to be the best in the kitchen. That, right there, should have been reason enough for me to leave him, but I didn’t. I thought he’d grow, change, accept me as an equal somehow. But that was just a pipe dream.
I know I’m good though, really good, and I know this is what I’m meant to do with my life. He has no say in that anymore.
