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“Is it too late to call a cease-fire?” I pull her white lacy underwear from my pocket and wave it.
She laughs as she snatches it back. “Nothing will save youafter the stunt you pulled in the attic.”
I drop my head back with a sigh. “It was worth asking.”
She shrugs. “You’ll forgive me eventually.”
“You’re that confident, huh?”
“Oh yeah. Because you’re falling in love with me.”
“I’m going to regret admitting that, aren’t I?”
“Never. Your precious little heart is safe with me.” She taps the spot over my chest.
Rather than focus on the cold thread of fear slithering through my chest, I choose to believe her.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Dahlia
Julian goes on his annual Thanksgiving weekend trip with Rafa and Nico to his Lake Aurora cabin, leaving me alone to process how it feels to be without him. After seeing Julian almost every day, I feel his absence already during the first day—a shocking development to say the least.
My mom, Lily, and I binge the latest season of our favorite telenovela together, which keeps my mind occupied for a day or two, but it never fixes the empty feeling plaguing me since Julian left for the cabin.
Because he fills a void that nothing else can.
A terrifying realization after everything I’ve been through over the last year.
You knew something like this could happen.
Yeah, well, knowing and experiencing are two very different things.
Despite my fear of getting hurt, my feelings are becoming difficult to ignore, especially now that I know how he feels.
I’m falling in love with you.
I’ve replayed the memory a hundred different times this weekend, expecting the buzz to go away, yet it remains throughout the weekend and well into Monday.
My heart slams against my rib cage when Julian walks into the Founder’s house kitchen with a paper bag I instantly recognize.
I ditch the tile samples and run up to him to confirm the name stamped on the side of the bag.
“No freaking way!” I squeal as he passes me a takeout bag from Aomi. “I thought they didn’t offer takeout?”
“They don’t.”
“Then, how?”
“They make exceptions.”
“For a price?”
He nods, and I laugh at the insanity of it all.
I place the bag on the counter and rip it open.
“I ordered a few different rolls since I didn’t know which one you liked most.”
