“So that was ...amazing,” Lou says.
“I can’t believe I just did that.” And then I burst into tears. “I love him,” I sob. “Oh my gosh, I love him, and I pushed him away like everyone else in his life.”
Lou doesn’t say anything. She just wraps her arms around me and holds me while I cry.
Lou offers to cancel her date with Chris to stay with me, but I refuse to let her do that. Before she walks out the door she says, “He’s not over you, Liv. You can still make this right.”
And then I’m left to myself, my thoughts a whirling mess in my head. I have the day off at the bakery since I’ve workedextra hours all week, but now I wish I would have been assigned a shift—to have something to do. I make myself take a quick shower, then I pull out our flour, sugar, butter, and everything else I need to start baking. I don’t know what I’m baking; all I know is that Ihaveto bake. I have to make something. I have to lose myself in the routine and familiarity of measuring, stirring, kneading—anything to calm my mind.
I need magic.
As I mix the batter for cherry chip cupcakes from scratch, the morning loops through my head on repeat. The conversation with Hunter’s mom plays over and over. What was Ithinking, snapping at her?
But it’s not just that.
It’s the second Lou said it was Hunter’s mom on the phone. The moment my heart dropped, convinced something had happened to him. That’s the part I can’t stop replaying.
I’ve never once felt the type of hollowed-out terror I did in those moments when I grappled with the reality that he might be gone—thinking I didn’t care about him.
IloveHunter.
Just the merethoughtclamps tight around my ribs, painful in its possibility.
I don’t want to push him away. I want to be like Farmor and choose him—chooseus. I want to face the storms of life together, whatever they might be.Ifhe’s able to forgive me.Ifhe even wants me.
So many huge ifs. My hands are trembling as I put the cupcakes in the oven to bake.
Am I too late? Is the damage too irreparable? Lou said I can still fix things ... but she’s also said he hasn’t talked to her about me since I ignored his last text. For all I know, any feelings he had for me have turned into hatred. Especiallynow that I stuck my nose in his business and probably made everything with his family worse.
I start the buttercream frosting for the cupcakes when my phone buzzes with a text. I glance at the screen. It’s from Talia.
I’m bored. Want to go to the gym with me?
I’m currently making frosting for cupcakes.
You’re BAKING on your DAY OFF?? What. Happened. Tell me.
I can’t. It’s bad.
You HAVE to tell me now!
You can come help me eat all this, and I’ll tell you in person. Maybe.
Be there in 20.
Knowing Talia is coming calms me. She will tell me what to do. She’ll help me fix this colossal mess. And if he rejects me, she’ll help me eat all two dozen cupcakes and hold me while I sob for the next eight months.
The cupcakes are finally cool enough that I can start frosting them when Talia knocks at the door. I set the piping bag aside, rinse my hands off, and hurry to answer.
“Sorry it was locked. I was—” My words die in my throat because it’s not Talia at the door.
Hunter stands on the porch, holding a bouquet of peonies and a familiar envelope.
“Hunter.” His name is a strained gasp.
His gaze is searching, traveling over my face. “Can I come in?”
I open the door wider, stunned speechless by his presence here,now.
