za
hodically wiping down the marble countertops, the scent of lemon and bleac
r at before I downshifted my career to support his. I had spent hours baking his favorite red velvet cake from scratc
ck drink with the team to celebrate the merg
ousel of photos from a chic downtown bar: Drake with his arm around Kandace as she blew out a single candle on a cupc
loosening his tie, a picture of
He walked over to the cake, still perfect under its glass
cream across my cheek. It was a gesture that was meant
I just st
lvet," I said
made
Ye
owned. "It' s a little lumpy. And the color' s
t, that it was the thought that counted. The new Eliza simply picked up a napkin, wiped the frosting from her f
brows. He was expecting a reaction, a spark to ignite
g. The love-bombing phase was about
s briefcase. "Your favorite spicy
said, my voice devoid of accusatio
a second. "Right. Well, I saved you
ings like a tourist in his own kitchen. A moment later, he dis
er was still running. With a sigh, I walked over and pulled the door open. A cloud of acr
ance, his phone, left on the counter, li
t wait to make all your futu
fresh shirt slung over his shoulder. He saw me standing by the
ing through my phone?" he
still heavy with the day' s exhaustion. He snatched t
the one I' d burned on the oven rack while pulling out his
ot ti
arm. A searing, white-hot pain shot from my wrist t
, splashing soup across the pr
t look at my arm, which was alrea
ne, his thumb furiously d