He smiled without humor. “She freaked out. She couldn’t say yes. She wasn’t ready. She said marriage would be a mistake. So I drove her home and we haven’t really spoken since.”
I stayed quiet, which was rare for me. What could I possibly say?Sorry your first attempt at love crashed and burnedspectacularly? Sorry she gutted you in public and left you with emotional Teflon?
Suddenly, so many things made sense—his allergic reaction to commitment, the casual hookups, the way he seemed to hover at the edges of emotional intimacy like someone who’d once gotten burned just by standing too close to the flame.
God, I could’ve strangled that woman. Lara. She’d taken what was probably a kind, bright-eyed young Sebastian and turned him into a man who didn’t believe in anything lasting.
But I couldn’t say any of that out loud. I couldn’t express the rage, the pity… The pity disguised as rage.
Instead, I reached for the truth he could actually hear.
“I’m sorry that happened to you, Sebastian. But I’m glad you didn’t marry her.”
“So am I.”
His eyes met mine, and the air was suddenly charged with everything we weren’t yet able to say. I looked at him—not just the way his shirt hugged his round, strong shoulders or the precise way he sliced vegetables, but the whole of him. The version of him most people never saw.
I enjoyed this Sebastian more than I’d thought I would. Getting to know him, layer by layer, was more interesting than all of his books.
He turned to the stove, grabbed a frying pan, and drizzled oil into it before switching on the burner.
“What about you?” he asked casually. “Ever come close to getting married?”
The oil sizzled as he laid the chicken breast in the pan, filling the air with the heavenly scent of frying meat.
I shook my head with a soft laugh. “Hell no. I doubt I’ll ever try that, even if I find a guy who appreciates my... unique skill set.”
His teeth flashed white. “Only an idiot wouldn’t appreciate your skills. Why so opposed to marriage?”
I could see the moment it dawned on him. He closed his mouth and glanced down at his bare feet.
I spared him the embarrassment by keeping my tone breezy. “Let’s just say neither of my parents was what you’d call ‘marriage material.’ I’ve never really seen a version of marriage I’d want to replicate. I mean, I know happy couples exist—just like exoplanets. Fascinating to study from a distance, but not exactly on my itinerary.”
He chuckled, appreciation glinting in his eyes. “I get that. After Lara, I stopped chasing the fairytale too. Learned that the best things tend to show up when you’re not looking. In the meantime, why not enjoy the hell out of every day?”
I raised my glass. “Cheers to that.”
Fifteen minutes later, we were seated at the table, and Sebastian was refilling my glass. I didn’t need the wine to feel warm and floaty—the food was doing a fine job on its own.
“I wonder if my kitchen could pull this off,” I said around a mouthful, savoring the flavor. The chicken was tender enough to melt on my tongue, with a blend of herbs and pepper that tasted of Heaven.
Sebastian chuckled as he cut into his chicken. “The kitchen can, with the right cook.”
“Then you’ll have to christen mine one day, Mr. Wright.”
“I’d love to.” His eyes sparkled, and the mischievous tilt of his mouth made the words sound like a promise. “By the way, how’d it go with your potential client today?”
“Ben? Fantastic. We struck a deal.” I gave him a quick rundown of the project while spearing a forkful of the salad he’d plated as though he was auditioning for Top Chef. Who knew veggies could taste like actual food?
“I start in two weeks, right after the art exhibit,” I finished. “The only catch is, I need to hire someone for the store ASAP.”
“You posted an ad?”
“Yep. Now I just need a miracle in work boots.”
His face turned thoughtful as he chewed a bite of potato, brows furrowed. “I wish I knew someone. Sorry.”
“No worries.” I waved it off, trying to keep the optimism alive. “Worst case, I close the shop for a while and focus on this commission. I can’t afford to miss out. If this guy refers me to just a few of his friends, I might actually kiss my student debt goodbye soon.”
