by Eliza Ellis
“I want to do one for Kat.”
“Like what? She already has a house, from what I can remember.”
A house her friend didn’t know she was close to losing if she didn’t pay back her bank loan. Irritation rose slightly, but Drew ignored it. “I want to help her establish her own bakery,” he said with resolution.
Parker gave him a side-glance. “Kat doesn’t want a bakery. She wants to travel. I wouldn’t waste your time or any more of our money.”
“It wouldn’t be our money. It would come from the company.”
“Are you going to make her apply just like everyone else? You don’t want anyone accusing you of showing favorites because you two were friends at five years old or something.”
She had a point. He had offered to pay for her bakery because he genuinely wanted to see her succeed. But she would have to go through the same application process as everyone else, and she might not get approved. “Let me handle that.”
Parker shrugged. “It’s not my decision.”
“And how do you know Kat wants to travel? Did she say that? Did she say she didn’t want to open a bakery?” He lengthened his stride to keep up with Parker.
“She said she wanted to travel. How could she do that and run a bakery? I’ll tell you how, she won’t.”
They entered the bank, and Parker sat in the waiting area with her legs and arms crossed and a scowl marring her features. Drew hated to hurry the associate along, but he did and received a couple of concerned looks.
With the money secure, he could go ahead and give the all clear for the projects to begin. In a few short months, projects for a local vet, a senior citizen, and a children’s park would be either in the final stages or finished. He hoped to break ground on his and Parker’s home and have it at least halfway finished.
Speaking of home… “Parker, I’d like to show you the spot I was talking about.”
“What spot?” she asked when they entered Drew’s rental vehicle.
“You know, the place where I’d like to build a home for us.”
She leaned back, looking at him like she hadn’t seen him before today. “We’re not living here, Drew. I thought I’d made that clear.”
“You made that clear?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes! I said we could get married here, but no way we’re staying.”
“Parker, your job has a satellite office here. You could still go to—”
“Drew, I told you that I’m in line to be president soon. I can’t be stationed at a satellite office.” She laughed as though that was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. “I have to be in New York or an international office.”
Drew pinched the bridge of his nose. “Wait a minute. You didn’t say you were in line for president,” he said quietly. “You’re the VP.”
She rolled her eyes and let out a sound of frustration. “And what’s the obvious next step? President!”
“Parker.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “For the next several months, I have to oversee projects here.”
“Sweetie, that’s fine.” She cupped his face. “You can be here and manage them. I don’t have a problem with that. I’ll probably be in London anyway overseeing the international division. When you’re done, you can join me.”
“In London?” he cried.
“Yes!”
“For how long? How long, Parker?”
“Until my company moves me elsewhere. Really, Andrew, you act as though this is the first time you’re hearing this.”
“Because this is the first time, Parker! You told me you were doing an important project, but you never told me we’d be moving overseas.” He struggled to keep his temper in check, but the longer he stared at Parker’s stern and determined face, the more he felt he had been lied to. Was it possible that he had misunderstood? That she’d told him and he wasn’t listening?
“Don’t you dare!” She pointed a finger at him. “I supported you for a long time, Drew. A long time. You were depressed…suicidal! Do you have any idea the emotional toll I went through trying to climb the corporate ladder and keep the guy I was dating from killing himself? All I’ve ever asked is for you to support me in my dreams. It’s my turn now.”
She said those last four words with such authority it shocked Drew’s system. Had he been selfish? Was it wrong of him to expect her to keep giving and not receiving anything in return?
“I have dreams, too,” she continued. “I’ve never been secretive about that. You knew what you signed up for when you met me.” She crossed her arms and kept her gaze forward. “When you proposed to me.”
Drew settled his own gaze on the cars in front of him in the parking garage. He didn’t bother putting the car into gear and driving. He might run off the road, he was so distracted. “We’re not on the same page,” he whispered.
“You’re not on the page we agreed to,” she countered. “I was never going to give up my position to slum it in Springfield. I’m working the largest deal of my career, merging two companies. If I’m successful, I’ll be the president of the international division. That’s one step below president of the whole company. I’m the youngest person ever in my company to be in this position. The youngest! Do you understand how amazing that is? What doors could be opened for me?”
It was an incredible opportunity, he silently agreed. It’s not like he would ever want to hold her back. But he didn’t want to kill his dreams either. “What about kids?”
She sputtered. “Sure, they’ll come. But not in the next few months. I have to stay focused on the merger and then the transition. It’ll be at least a year before everything gets ironed out. Were you expecting me to be barefoot and pregnant as soon as I said ‘I do’?”
Drew smarted. “Of course not.”
“Then there’s no issue there.”
Except that’s not how he felt. It might always be another excuse or reason and they would put off kids again. She was already dictating where they would be for the next year or so. Didn’t he have a say?
“This is a partnership, Drew. I thought we respected each other.”
“I do respect you, Parker. And I’m immensely proud of you. I’m your biggest supporter, you know that.”
She gave him a side-glance. “But?”
He shrugged. “But I’m not so sure this will…work.”
“What won’t work?” she asked with venom lacing her tone. “Our marriage? I’m willing to fight for us. Why aren’t you?”
“Fight for us, not fight.”
“When did you start having cold feet?”
Exasperated, he shouted, “I don’t have cold feet, but I don’t want to live in London!”
“You can do your job from anywhere! You can’t sacrifice for me? I haven’t asked anything from you except to consider the bright future you could have if you stayed alive. Now you want to demand I do everything your way?”
Drew yanked the gear and slammed on the accelerator. He whipped and weaved around the garage. “I’m not demanding anything,” he seethed.
“Well, I demand you stop driving like a lunatic. You trying to get us killed or just me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
“You’re the one being ridiculous!”
“Parker! We have to come to an agreement or the wedding is off.”
She didn’t respond. Drew cast a glance at her and saw her arms crossed and her gaze out the window. He collapsed in on himself. He slowed his speed and silently contemplated the ultimatum he had just handed down.
He hated to do it, but it was the only recourse. If they couldn’t agree on this, it would follow them into their marriage and, like a virus, infect it until it tore them apart. It might not be long. She would’ve moved to London, and he would’ve stayed here to finish the home. Once done, he probably wouldn’t leave. Then she’d demand a divorce.
He couldn’t stand another being the reason for destroying another person’s life. First Zache and now Parker. He’d come so far in battlin
g his situational depression. He wasn’t about to backslide now.
They came to a stoplight. Drew rubbed his forehead. “How did we get here?” he asked quietly.
“Not paying attention?” she said with equal softness.
He didn’t ask if she meant him. She probably did. She had been upfront about her corporate ambitions, and he had always supported them. However, she was always gone and busy, and he wanted his wife present. He’d want the mother of his children to see their kids grow up. He wanted to build a life together, not apart. He wanted a partner.
A tear slipped down Parker’s cheek, and guilt tore through Drew’s gut. He didn’t want to make her cry. He loved her—or so he thought. She had been there for him at his lowest point. An ultimatum was a low blow.
“Parker—”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore,” she said stiffly. She whipped her hand across her cheek. “I’ve spent a lot of money already, so we’ll go ahead with the wedding and figure things out. Maybe I won’t be president of the international division and I’ll remain here in the States. We could have two bases of operation. Actors do it all the time. Homes in New York and L.A. If you want a home here, fine.”
He frowned. It wasn’t a concession he felt good about, but at least she was willing to compromise. He loved that about her. When there was a problem, she wouldn’t back down; she’d think of a solution.
However, this time, the solution might not be enough.
Chapter 9
Kat iced the last cupcake for the tasting samples. She carefully placed it on a decorative plate beside the other three pieces of the same flavor. Taking a step back, she admired her work. This time she added two new cake flavors to their bestselling five. One of them came to her the day Drew walked back into her shop and said he was marrying Parker. A deep rich vanilla flavor with a touch of caramel and chocolate. A crazy combination that she perfected in three tries.
Kat smiled. Creating flavors was truly her passion. If any of these new flavors took off, they’d have more orders on their hands. She had already iced the day’s cupcakes and set them out front for patrons. Now with the samples complete, she’d face the ultimate test: the bride and groom.
Kat was washing remnants of icing off her hands when Drew poked his head inside the kitchen.
“Hey, Kat.”
“Drew! What are you doing back here?” She yanked off her hairnet and fumbled with her apron tie. Did she have icing on her face? She was in flour earlier. Some of it was probably stuck in her hair.
“Sorry. Is it okay?”
Kat smiled. “Sure. As long as you don’t touch anything.”
“You mean I can’t steal one of these cupcakes?” He was eyeing the tray of cupcakes she had prepared for their tasting.
“Not yet! Where’s Parker?”
His face darkened. “Not sure. She’s late, as always.”
Kat looked up at the clock above the door. “Well, the tasting isn’t for another five minutes. Maybe she’ll be right on time.”
Drew held up his cell phone with the text app showing. “Nope. She’s going to be at least thirty minutes late.”
“Oh. Well…”
“I don’t want to wait for her,” he said stiffly, lifting one of the cupcakes off the tray.
Kat rushed forward. “Wait! Let me do my presentation.”
Drew groaned and then chuckled when Kat swiped the cupcake from his hand. “Okay, okay. Although it’s not really necessary.”
Kat frowned. “It’s part of my job.”
He lightly pinched her chin. “I get it. I’m sorry. It’s just I’m not entirely convinced any of this is necessary. But don’t worry, I’ll eat all the cupcakes, no problem. I’ll love anything you cook. I’ll just be in the gym for the next week.”
Kat eyed him suspiciously. He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorframe, his gaze roaming around the kitchen. When his gray-green eyes met hers, he winked, and Kat knew. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. Do you want to wait for Parker? I don’t.”
“Andrew,” she gently prodded. “Tell me what happened.” Kat lifted her apron over her head and hung it on a spoke near the door. She took her friend’s arm and guided him to a small table away from the food. They sat down.
He rubbed his hands over his face. “Not sure there’s going to be a wedding.”
Kat couldn’t ignore how her heart lifted at the news. And then she felt sick with guilt. Her friend loved Parker. She had to be supportive. For crying out loud, she was baking their wedding cake. “I’m sorry, Drew. What happened?”
“Not on the same page about life. Where we should live and having a family.”
She bit her lip. She was afraid this was going to happen. She’d wanted to say something sooner, but this wasn’t her business. His pained expression tore fissures in her heart, and she second-guessed her decision to stay out of it. “So she told you about London.”
Drew’s eyes sparked with anger. “She told you? She told you we were moving to London?”
Kat nodded. “She said there was a good chance she’d be president of their international branch or something. That’s based in London.”
Drew scoffed and shook his head. He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “So all of this…” His eyes blinked a few times, his face flushed with anger.
It wasn’t her problem to solve, but she felt compelled to help ease the pain. If that meant bringing them back together, then she’d do it. But she didn’t have to like it. “Drew, do you love her?”
His gaze met Kat’s. His lips parted, but no answer came. His eyeline drifted south.
After too much hesitation, Kat said, “Um, why not think about why you fell in love with her. You know, get back to the basics. Maybe rekindle what you once had.”
“Our priorities are different,” he said softly, still looking down somewhere.
Kat tried not to think that he was still staring at her lips. And she refused to think about what it would feel like if their lips touched. “What about five years from now? Have you two thought about that? Perhaps take some time to dream together. Get on the same page.”
Drew leaned forward. He reached out and hooked Kat’s necklace on a finger. “You still have this?”
Kat smiled. “You gave it to me. It’s the best present I ever got.” Half of his heart. Too bad she wasn’t the woman who owned all of his. Her fingers caressed his as she held the necklace up. “I wear it always.”
“It was my mom’s idea. To give you half a heart. She told me we were two halves of a whole and that maybe we’d find our way back to each other.”
“Your mom is very sweet.”
Drew’s gaze latched to hers. “You’re very sweet,” he whispered.
Kat felt her neck warm. She shouldn’t be feeling this way about her friend. No matter what was happening between him and Parker, he was engaged, and she didn’t know who he was anymore. Was he still the same kind, adventurous boy she’d grown up with? He seemed to be, and talking to him was just as easy as she had remembered. But a lot of life had happened between then and now. He’d mentioned depression and a dark time.
Not to mention he wasn’t free to explore anything with her.
Kat stood. “It’s just the cakes I bake. Want to try a new flavor? Let me get you one.” Anything to stop staring into his intense eyes that seemed to squeeze her with an ever-increasing tether. His hand caught her wrist. She turned around and gasped at how near he was standing to her. His fingertips drew a hot path down her cheek.
“I remember you,” he whispered. “Remember how simple things were when it was just the two of us?”
“Drew…”
“Things are so difficult now,” he continued.
“We’re different people. We don’t know each other.”
“You’re the woman who’s still wearing my necklace.” His hands cupped her elbows, and he gave them a gentle squeeze. “I know you.”
“Drew,
please… You’re engaged.”
“Maybe to the wrong woman.”
Only a tiny piece of Kat wanted to disagree. She’d never expected he would look away from Parker and see her.
“I once promised to hold you in my heart,” he whispered. “At the tree by the lake? When we carved our initials into the tree.”
He did remember. Kat’s heart soared. She had never forgotten how she felt when they made those silly childhood promises. Like they could take on the world together and not lose.
He took a step closer, and Kat lost all ability to breathe. They were so close, how were they not kissing? He smelled like earthly musk, reminding her of the many jaunts they took together in the woods. His warm, sweet breath fanned over her lips.
With strength she didn’t possess, she severed their link by forcing her eyelids closed. “Please, Drew. Don’t do this to me.”
“You feel it too?”
“I…”
“Katrina, look at me.”
Inwardly she fought against his command. If she opened her eyes now, she’d never go back. And what if he did marry Parker? How would she be able to live with that? Her boyfriend dumped her, drowning her under a mountain of debt, and then she was baking the cake for her childhood friend and secret love? And what if Parker expected her to be with her in London to cater? She’d be with her and Drew like a third wheel. That was too much to handle in a year.
It had to stop. She had to move on and create the life she wanted.
But how?
By facing her fears. Facing life and doing something different. Not being the scared little girl her father had always said she was. She’d never been as confident and as assertive as either of her sisters. They had the guts to leave home and pursue their dreams. She was trying to make her dreams a reality, but she was hitting wall after brick wall.
And now she was up against a hard, warm, wonderfully gorgeous wall she could drag herself all over all day long.
No! She couldn’t avoid this. Her father had instilled a terribly healthy phobia of jumping. Like when she and Drew would climb up the trees at the lake and jump off their branches into the water. Where had that fearless girl gone?