“You’re going back?” he asks.
“Of course.” I scoff. “I need to finish my degree. Giving up isn’t an option.”
Paying for tuition is another story. Financial aid only covers part of my expenses, and years of working at bakeries have given me great experience, but… well, it has led me to where I am now.No matter how much I loved working there, it would never take care of me like I needed it to.
“Well, this room is all yours.” He gestures. “I know it’s not much, but you can stay here as long as you like. Decorate it. Get comfortable.”
“There’s no need for all that. It’s just for the summer.” I squint at the suspiciously dust-free shelves. “Are yousureyou’re not seeing anyone?”
“What do you mean?” He laughs. “I’ve been single since Sarah and I broke up. Scout’s honor.”
Everett and Sarah broke up eight years ago. That’s a long time to be alone—poor guy.
“Just checking,” I mutter. “It really is a housekeeper. Iknewyou couldn’t clean this well.”
He groans and leans off the wall. “You’re a brat.”
“I know.” My dirty shoes hover over his pretty carpet as I sit on the edge of the bed. I should have taken these off at the door. “But thanks for letting me stay anyway.”
It’s a serious change in conversation and the energy shifts—just slightly—even as his smile remains intact.
“Don’t mention it.” He steps back, his hand landing on the knob. “Take your time, settle in. I’ll figure out dinner. Sound good?”
“Sounds good.” I bounce on the edge of the bed and turn to look out the window. It’s not the best view in the house, but I can make out the sandy shores.
“Everything will be fine, Evie. I have your back.”
Letting someone have my back is the hard part, but for a moment… it feels better to know I’m not alone.
How amI supposed to live like this?
I wasn’t thinking straight when I called Everett. He was always the partying type, the first on the dance floor at family weddings and the last to leave. I’m not—definitely not. It would have been too easy for me to be the party animal of the family, considering my parents’ low expectations, but I never had that drive in me.
Maybe I’m being dramatic. The party isn’t like one of his ragers from his younger years—which I obviously wasn’t invited to. This is a barbecue with his friends, but I’ve only been here for two days! I need more time to settle in. My brain is still in another time zone, for crying out loud.
“I assumed you grew out of this.” I spread frosting across a heart-shaped cake.
“Grew out ofwhat?” He snorts. “Having fun? I’ve been waiting for you to growintoit.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time.”
“Uh-huh.”
It’s not like I’ve ever had time to party. Unlike my brothers, my parents kept me on a loose leash most of my life, but that didn’t make me want to run away. The freedom made me dig my heels in and work harder. My parents couldn’t help me build the future I wanted, so I always knew I would build it myself.
I started college after most of my peers. When you’re a twenty-five-year-old freshman going to school with a bunch of eighteen-year-olds, going out with them feelsweird. So, I stayedin, focused on my craft all day, slept all night, and woke up at four in the morning to make the bread.
It may not be a typical path, but I have no regrets.
Baking in Everett’s kitchen isn’t all bad. He has plenty of space, and my beloved stand mixer is the one thing I brought with me. I had it shipped out a few days before I arrived.
This isn’t any old stand mixer, though. It’s a symbol, and a reminder I won’t be stuck here forever. I can go back to school, save up for my future, and keep baking.
“This is how I have fun.” I stand upright and admire the perfect white frosting.
“I can see that—and it looks great, even if making it doesn’tlooklike much fun.”
“It’s not even done yet.” I swat at Everett, pushing him away. “Get out of my kitchen.”
