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She just laughs. “Kidding. I know whatever you make will be delicious.”
“Agreed,” Kara says. She gestures to the kitchen. “It’s all yours. Thanks for volunteering. I’m a little exhausted after a long day.”
Brayden hugs her. “Your mom’s working hard on a story about Edenbury’s history.” He kisses her temple. “We all know it’ll be an amazing article.”
She rakes her fingers through his hair. “Always my number one supporter.”
He grins, moving his lips toward hers. “You know it.” And they start making out. They’re exactly like my parents, but I feel a little weird watching them.
I turn to Chloe. “Can we, uh…?
“Yeah. Sure. Sorry.”
We dump our school things on a nearby chair and enter the kitchen. The smell of baked goods lingers in the air, probably from Kara and Chloe’s baking.
Chloe opens the pantry. “Should we start on dinner or the cake?”
“Dinner. If your family is anything like mine, they’ll be like a pack of hungry elephants and that’s never a good thing.”
She laughs. “Okay. Lead the way, chef.” She gestures around. “Kitchen is yours for the evening. And I’m your sous.”
“How about we both are executive chefs tonight?”
She furrows her brows. “I’m okay with following your orders. Besides, you’re the mastermind.”
“Okay. We should probably write it down, since it’s all in my head.”
“Good idea.”
We get started and it’s a lot of fun. Chloe and I have been in the kitchen together many times, but it feels different today for some reason. Maybe because we’re closer now, even though I kind of also feel distant? It’s so strange. We’re hanging out more than usual because the others, except for Willow, are paired up. But at the same time, this whole secret admirer thing is kind of separating us. I wish it didn’t, but…
As I watch Chloe, I can’t help but notice she seems distracted. She doesn’t crack the eggs properly, or chop the vegetables correctly, and she accidentally drops the knife in the garbage bin along with all the peels. I don’t need to be a genius to know she’s thinking about her potential boyfriend.
Will he send more notes? Probably. I’m probably a jerk for saying this, but I kind of dread the day he’ll reveal himself to her.
I just…I can’t deal with her and another guy. I mean, she has the right to date whoever she wants. It’s not like she and I would ever…that’s crazy!
“Are you okay?” Chloe breaks me from my thoughts. “You’re staring at a boiling pot of water.”
I blink at it like I’ve never seen a pot before. “Oh. Yeah. We should probably add the vegetables…you didn’t finish peeling them.”
She stares down at the counter where only half the veggies are peeled. “Oh. Um...” She tucks some hair behind her ear. “Sorry. I was distracted.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. What’s happening to us? One of my greatest fears is coming true: we’re growing distant. The guy isn’t even real and I’m already losing her.
I shake my head. No. It’s selfish of me. Chloe should have someone who will love her and cherish her the way she deserves.
“Distracted by…him?” I can’t help but ask.
She resumes chopping and slowly turns to me. “Uh, yeah. Sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry. I told you that you can tell me anything.”
She sighs. “I know, but you don’t like him and I don’t want to upset you.”
The fact that she cares so much about my feelings makes me want to hug her and never let go. But that’s not something a friend does.
“No, I’m not upset. Please don’t take my feelings into consideration. I mean, I know I’m not Lily or Ava or Willow, but you can confide in me.”
