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I nod, returning to the dishes I’d been stacking to put through our industrial dishwasher. “Yeah. They want two flavors, so I’m trying to find a frosting that will work for both.”
“Jen.” Amanda sounds exasperated, so I glance at her again.
“Yeah?”
“You never once mentioned you were making a wedding cake. You made the chocolate layer cake, but you didn’t mention this.”
Frowning, I stop what I’m doing. “Okay…” I tilt my head. “Was I supposed to?”
She laughs. “Yes! Yes, you were supposed to. Cakes are a chapter in your book, remember? A tiered cake recipe would be a great inclusion. See? This is what I mean about promoting yourself. You need to talk about these things. Normal people don’t just whip up practice cakes for their friends’ weddings!”
Amanda beams at me and starts talking about photo styling for a wedding cake. She starts telling me we could do a whole series of social media posts, that I could teach people basic cake decorating and refer back to my book. She’s brimming with excitement…for me.
And that’s when I know I was right to push Fallon away. We kissed once. So what?
So what if Amanda is Fallon’s ex-girlfriend?
So what if she seems to bat her eyelashes a bit more when he’s around?
So what if he invited her to town before he ever showed any interest in me?
Isn’t this book more important than some guy who kissed me a single time in a moment of weakness? Shouldn’t I be finally, finally pursuing something I want?
But just as the thought enters my mind, the back door opens and Fallon enters. He’d stepped out when Amanda arrived ten minutes ago, saying something about needing a break. Now he glances at the two of us, eyes lingering on mine for a moment, and gives us a silent nod.
Then he’s back at the stove, glancing at the screen as an order for breakfast comes through, and he gets to work prepping some eggs Benedict with the ease of someone who’s done it a thousand times.
And even though I only just told myself that I don’t care about him, that he isn’t what’s important to me…damn it, but my heart does skip a beat whenever he’s close.
His presence shouldn’t affect me the way it does. That ship has sailed. I made my choice.
Since then, things have changed. We’ve barely talked, but not in the comfortable, silent way that we used to not talk. Our silence is charged, heavy. He’s angry with me. Angry at my cowardice, at my decision not to pursue whatever fleeting thing existed between us.
I steal a glance at Amanda to see her cheeks flushed. She straightens her top and lets her gaze stay on Fallon, and my heart sinks. She walks over to him and leans a hip against the counter, saying soft words I can’t hear over the sounds of the kitchen. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hand brushes the top of her shirt in a flirty, sensual movement. Then Fallon says something and she laughs too long and too hard, touching his arm with her hand.
I’m not imagining it. She’s still hung up on him.
And that means I need to stay out of their way. No matter how much Fallon swears up and down he doesn’t want to be with her, it doesn’t matter—because she’s the one who can make this book a reality. And if I give in to this attraction to Fallon, I risk losing it all.
I’ve spent many years on my own. I’ve lived without a man my entire life, barring three brief years with a boyfriend during college. I’ve always thought I was better off that way. Haven’t I always been independent?
But this feels like I’m giving something up that I didn’t even know I wanted.
Needing to leave the kitchen, if only for a moment, I make my way to the front of house to check the display cabinet stock once again. I arrive in time to see Trina entering with a man I don’t recognize, who holds the door open for her with a hopeful, flirty smile.
Jesus. Another one. That woman has men trailing after her like lost puppies in need of a good feed. I wonder if she even knows the effect she has on them? From the way she’s walking to the counter without paying the man any mind, it doesn’t seem like she realizes he even exists.
CHAPTER 24
Trina
I need to get out of here. This dad—what was his name again?—is flirting with me nonstop. He drove ahead of me and made sure to wait by the door so he could hold it open. It’s sweet, obviously, but I’m just not interested in him. I’m still reeling from seeing Mac dressed like a second grade teacher and not a badass biker babe.
I scan the coffee shop when we enter, looking for my sister, slightly relieved when I don’t see her. That means I’ll have an excuse to escape. When I get to the counter, I smile at Fiona. “Hey. Have you seen Candice?”
“She’s upstairs with Simone,” Fiona answers. “The usual?” She nods to the coffee machine.
I nod. “Thanks.”
