by Eliza Ellis
Taking a chance, she opened her eyes.
“Tell me not to marry her, and I won’t.”
Oh, no. He was ready to jump, and she wasn’t. When they were kids, it was the other way around.
She wanted to take control, and Drew handed her the controls. Could she do that to Parker? Tell the man Parker loved not to marry her? They were already not on the same page. Parker seemed determined to do what she wanted, go where she wanted to go, and live where she wanted to live. Drew was stubborn, but he’d met his match in Parker.
A voice inside told her Parker wasn’t right for Drew. Now was the time to face that fact. What kind of friend would she be if she agreed? Colluded behind Parker’s back to break off her engagement? This wasn’t her responsibility. It was Drew and Parker’s.
“I can’t,” Kat whispered. “You and Parker have to work this out for yourselves.”
He nodded. “I know. And that’s why this is all wrong.”
“I don’t understand.”
He leaned down. “I’m beginning to…”
The words kissed her lips. Kat’s heavy lids drifted shut. She couldn’t deny that she hadn’t thought about kissing her once-childhood friend. From the moment he had walked back into her shop, it had plagued her mind. His image had invaded her dreams. She didn’t fight his arms circling her waist and drawing her into his warm embrace. Even told the angel inside of her to pipe down so she could hear the metaphorical symphony that’s supposed to play whenever you kiss the right man.
“What is this?”
Not the symphony.
Parker’s screeching voice.
Kat wrenched free from Drew’s embrace. Shame flooded her insides, and embarrassment heated her face. “Parker—”
“Don’t!” She held up a hand, halting Kat’s steps forward.
Drew dragged a hand down over his eyes. Why didn’t he look embarrassed? “Parker. You finally show up,” Drew said testily.
Kat’s head snapped in his direction. He wasn’t even the least bit sorry?
“Not late enough, it seems.” Her angry gaze vaulted from Drew to Kat. “Some friend you are, trying to steal my man.”
Drew sighed, signs of weariness marring his handsome face. “Parker, we need to talk.”
“No? Looks like you’re more in the mood to make out with my best friend!” she yelled.
Kat wanted to die. Her heart constricted painfully in her chest, and her eyes flooded with tears. “Parker, please. This…this isn’t what it looks like.”
Parker laughed harshly. “You’re seriously using that line, Kat? Out of all the people, I never would’ve expected this from you. The sweetest girl I know is a conniving backstabber.”
“Don’t blame her,” Drew said firmly. He put a hand to his chest. “It was all me. She didn’t want any of it.”
“Oh?” Parker crossed her arms over her chest, a look of feigned disbelief. “Is that why her head was so dramatically angled back, her lips open. I could swear I heard her sigh your name.”
Kat put a hand over her eyes. She didn’t remember that at all. Parker had a flare for the dramatic, but she wasn’t wrong about Kat not backing away. If Parker hadn’t come through the door when she did, Kat would still be in Drew’s arms—that Kat was sure of.
“Parker, that’s enough,” Drew said. He took her arm. “Let’s go somewhere and talk.”
“I think we’ve done enough talking,” she hissed.
Her sharp gaze refocused on Kat. “We will no longer be needing your services. You’re fired. No cake, no wedding planning, no friendship. I don’t ever want to see your face again. If I do, I’m going to let everyone know how you go around stealing other women’s fiancés. And to think I felt sorry for you and your ex. He had the right idea leaving you.”
“Parker!” Drew escorted Parker out of the kitchen.
Kat stood in the middle of her kitchen, shaking. What had happened? How did this happen?
Chapter 10
Kat looked at the tray of different cake flavors for the cake testing. Neither Parker nor Drew would be tasting them now. With a shaky breath, Kat inhaled and exhaled slowly. She put back on her apron and hairnet and took the tray out to the front. At least the patrons would eat them.
Susie rushed forward. Eyes of the patrons were on them. Had they heard the argument? Parker was incredibly loud.
“Kat, what happened?”
Kat cleared her throat and moved past Susie. She methodically set the cupcakes into the display window. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t give me that. We all heard Parker’s scream. It was like a banshee. And then she and Drew came rushing out. Drew looked angry, and he didn’t pick up the order he’d placed before going back there.”
“Really? Parker was screaming?” Kat’s lower lip trembled, but she maintained composure.
“Parker was yelling about him cheating, and then she said your cakes were trash just like you. I’m glad he got her out of the shop as quickly as possible. That’s not good for business to have someone loudly complain about how terrible your product is.” She shook her head in disappointment.
Although none of that was remotely true and Kat felt their goods spoke for themselves, she couldn’t help feeling even more guilty that Susie had to experience that embarrassment.
“Is anything she said true?” Susie whispered her question. “Katrina?”
Kat sighed. Reluctantly, she met her boss’s bugged-out eyes. “Yes, it’s true.”
Susie’s mouth hung open.
“Well, not exactly.” She finished placing the cupcakes out. “I hope you don’t mind, but they aren’t going to be coming back for a taste testing.”
“I should say not.”
Kat’s shoulders slumped. She’d lost a major order. A wedding cake was good business for them, especially Parker, since she would undoubtedly order the most expensive one. Parker didn’t do cheap. “Parker walked in on Drew and me almost kissing.”
“Almost?”
Kat nodded. “I know it’s wrong—”
“So, nothing happened.”
Kat groaned. “That’s not the point, Susie!”
A wicked gleam flashed in Susie’s eyes, and she smiled. “So you stealing Drew away, huh?” Susie punched Kat in the shoulder. “Katrina Kaye, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“You think this is a joke?”
“I think it’s progress.”
Kat didn’t have any words.
Susie smirked. “I think we can both agree that Parker’s a bit…much. The way she practically berated Drew when they first came in here? I’m surprised he’s still with her. He wants to marry her? He must be a sucker for punishment.”
“Apparently they have some heavy history together.”
“Is that a reason to stay when you’re unhappy?”
Kat bit her lip and considered what Drew had said earlier. He and Parker weren’t on the same page. They were both stressed out for different reasons, and Parker seemed hell-bent on pursuing her career at the cost of the wedding. From what little Kat knew of Drew, he wasn’t going to give in to Parker’s demands easily.
If he gave in at all.
Which was exactly the stubborn Drew she remembered.
“You think Drew’s unhappy?”
“Unhappy enough to kiss you at his own wedding cake tasting?” Susie quirked her eyebrows and chuckled. “Oh, yeah. He’s real unhappy.”
“I’m so embarrassed.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not the end of the world.”
“But I lost a client for you. I have three new flavors—I put the cupcakes out—and I was really looking forward to some feedback.”
“I told you they were amazing.”
“Feedback from clients,” Kat said dryly.
“Well, they’re on sale now, so you’ll get compliments soon enough, don’t worry.”
Kat wanted some good news now more than anything. She had potentially ruined two friendships, and a wedding cake was big money for Sus
ie’s shop. Susie had talked about expanding the shop to the empty unit next door, but she couldn’t do that without more funds. They were already limited on the number of wedding cake orders they could fill due to the small size of the kitchen, and Susie had already raised Kat’s salary to help her out with her bank loan.
If Kat were to apologize to Parker—which she had to do anyway—then maybe she could convince her friend to reconsider canceling the order. Susie could bake the cake; Kat didn’t have to be involved.
And any other devious thing Parker had in mind for Kat to do to make up for everything. Kat didn’t put it past her friend to follow through on her threat and let everyone in town know what a homewrecker Kat was.
“I’m going to apologize. Get her back in here and order that cake.”
“Like I said, Drew did put in an order for a few dozen cupcakes earlier before you met him for your tête-à-tête. Not exactly wedding cake money.”
“Susie! It was not…wait, what did he order?”
“A few dozen cupcakes and…” Susie picked up the laptop and scrolled to the order page. “Yup, a few dozen cupcakes and some specialty bread. Then another order of your famous donuts—have you entered them into the statewide contest yet? You need to get more eyes and tongues on them.”
Kat cringed. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Susie rolled her eyes. “We’re talking major publicity, Kat. Your creations are incredible. You have a real talent for creating unique flavors. Get your entry in, STAT. If you want feedback, you need to get yourself out there.”
Get herself out there. Kat nodded. She had to do it again. Even if she failed over and over. Kat groaned. Being in Susie’s kitchen was safer, but her boss gave an order, and she’d do it. “Okay, I’ll do that today. What else?”
“Yep, the donuts were the last thing. Drew told me he has several working crews he wants to feed for the next several months, so it looks like a standing order. That’s going to be a lot of money.”
Kat snatched the tablet out of Susie’s hands, and her eyes widened at the dollar amount.
Susie grinned. “Oh, yeah. See that? With the profits we’ll be making the next few months, I think we’ll have enough money to expand the shop. Now you can’t go and start your own business because we’ll be competing. That wouldn’t be fair, would it?”
Kat curled in on herself at Susie’s pointed look. “No?”
Susie laughed and wrapped an arm around Kat’s shoulders. “I’m just messing with you. Of course you have to start your own place! This city can support the two of us, especially on this side of town. And with all the recipes I see you making, there’s enough variety to go around.”
Kat gave Susie a sly look. “Have you been peeking into my recipe journal?”
“Guilty as charged. I’ve been curious about what you’ve been cooking up.”
“Well…Drew did mention helping me get the empty unit I saw over on Twenty-Second Street.”
“Ooh! Fancy part of town. You’ll have clientele lining up around the block.”
“I hope so. I don’t know though.”
“Why not? Other than cheating on his girlfriend, what’s not to like?”
Kat smarted. “Susie!”
“Well, it was with you. With the two of you in business together, it seems natural.”
“The last time it seemed natural, I got taken for a ride. Remember Marcus?”
“Yeah, I remember that loser. And that was a different case. He’s different than Drew, I can sense it.”
Kat’s phone buzzed inside her back pocket. She’d gotten an alert. When her face fell, Susie leaned over her shoulder.
“You get text messages from the city?”
Kat shook her head. “No. The real estate agent who’s representing the property on Twenty-Second Street. I called him last night on a whim. Something Drew had said. It’s under contract.”
Susie hugged Kat. “Oh, Katrina, I’m so sorry. But chin up! That won’t be the only place available. A better one will open up soon. Just have faith.”
Kat needed hope before she could have faith. And hope had died with the text message.
“I wonder who bought it?” Susie asked.
Kat shot a quick message to the real estate agent who texted back the name of an investment firm. Kat’s grip on her phone tightened.
“What?” Susie asked.
She shook from anger. “Marcus bought it.”
“Marcus? I thought he left town with his tail between his legs.”
Kat shook her head. “Drew and I saw him the other day at the men’s suit store. Guess he decided to stick around.”
Another brick wall.
Chapter 11
“You think you can make me look like a fool!” Parker yelled, throwing one of the hotel-supplied slippers at Drew’s face. “How dare you!”
She’d been silent the whole drive back to the hotel. Now that they were inside her room, she unleashed her fury.
She had a right to be angry. They were still engaged, and Drew had almost cheated on her. He just couldn’t see anyone else when he looked at Kat. Things seemed easier with her.
“Have you forgotten what I’ve sacrificed to be with you?” Parker yelled.
“No, because you remind me every day!” Drew shot back.
“I was there for you!”
“I know!”
“And you can’t even be there for me! You want your ring back?” She snatched the engagement ring off her finger. “Here!” She launched it at him, hitting him square in the chest.
Drew didn’t bother picking it up or seeing where it landed. He just stared at Parker as sobs racked her body. He’d never seen her this unhinged, and he was the cause of it. His stomach tightened uncomfortably, and fissures stripped across his heart. “Parker…” He went to her and gathered her in his arms as she sobbed.
“I’m so tired,” she wailed.
The job. It was stressing her out. He didn’t help by momentarily allowing himself to be distracted by Katrina. How had he let that happen? He hadn’t seen her in so many years. Kat was right: they didn’t know each other.
Except, she hadn’t been much different than what he’d remembered. A little less adventurous, and maybe less talkative, but he figured that’s because she didn’t know him either.
But she still wore his necklace. And there was no mistaking the attraction in her eyes moments before he almost kissed her. He’d felt it too: the instantaneous shock. The jolt of need when he had first laid eyes on her for the second time. The night before he moved away, he had promised to always be hers. No matter what happened in their lives, he would only love and marry her. When he was older, he’d come back and find her.
He wanted to laugh at the words he’d spoken as an eight-year-old. He’d been so passionate back then. So naive. Yet, he did return home. He was drawn to this place, and it probably had a lot to do with Kat.
He had found a new friend in Zache. They’d grown up together in Guam, and then their families moved to Germany about the same time. It was there they entered the military right out of high school.
They had joined the Marines with ideas of being the best and toughest of soldiers. Several tours in Afghanistan later, Zache had gone out on a mission in place of Drew, and their truck hit an IED. Zache came home in pieces.
Drew could barely forgive himself. He’d been honorably discharged, and then his life went downhill. Only one other time in his life did he have a friend he would’ve died for, and that was Kat. But a childhood love was foolish, his father had once said. You can’t possibly know you’re meant for someone at that age. Brains were still being developed. Maturity hadn’t been reached.
But Drew disagreed. Kat had meant as much to him back then as Zache had been the brother he’d never had. When he met Parker, he thought he had a second chance at finding a friend, someone he could trust and depend on. And then he fell in love with her. Marrying his best friend sounded amazing.
He couldn’t just marry his
best friend. Not with another friend between them. First it was Zache and the depression Drew had experienced from his death. And now it was Kat and the strange feelings she stirred in him whenever they were together. He couldn’t ignore them. If he and Parker were ever going to make a home here in Springfield, they would probably see Kat all the time. If he didn’t squash these feelings now, they would overtake him, and he’d do something even worse to Parker.
“Parker, I’m so sorry…” He sat them on the bed and rocked her, smoothing her hair away from her face as she cried into his shirt.
“I’m never going to be enough, am I?” She looked up at him with a tearstained face. “You need more than I can give.”
“No. No, that’s not true.”
She wiped her red nose on the back of her arm. “What does she have that I don’t? What can she give you that I can’t?”
Questions he had to ask his soul.
Parker smirked and leaned back. She gently pushed his arms away. “She cried a lot after you had left. When she thought I wasn’t looking, she would be clutching that half-heart necklace. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that she still wears it.” Parker sighed and wiped her cheeks with her hands. “I knew she was in love with you then. And trust me”—Parker met his gaze—“if I’d known you were her Drew, I never would’ve gotten involved with you.”
“I’m…I’m not her Drew.”
“Aren’t you, though? And…and maybe I should’ve been more clear about what I wanted from this relationship. I didn’t…I thought that maybe…”
Her phone rang. She quickly moved to her purse sitting on the dresser. “It’s the company!” She answered the phone. “Parker,” she said in a business-like tone.
Her eyes got big, and the most exuberant expression Drew had ever seen lit up her face. She looked happier now than when he had proposed. Drew pushed down the uncomfortable churn in his gut.
Eyes clear and nose way less red, Parker’s back straightened and she showcased her warrior smile. “Thank you. Thank you, sir. I understand. Yes. Yes, I will see you in a couple of weeks. Absolutely. Okay, goodbye,” she said in the same tone, despite looking like she was ready to shout from the roof. She calmly ended the call and then squealed.
