a guy can dream.”
Grabbing the closest thing to me, I chuck a couch pillow at him, hitting him in the stomach. “Jake is nothing but a big, fat liar. Why would you even want to associate yourself with someone like him?”
“I didn’t say I wanted a relationship. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t mind lying in his bed of lies.” He winks.
“Whatever, Drew. You’re welcome to lie in that bed of lies all you want. Have at it. And I’m sure you’ll even get a bonus gift of an STD while you’re at it. That’s just one more thing I’ve had to worry about. I had to go get checked for God knows what funk he passed on to me. Now, I’m just waiting for the results.”
Still lying on the chair, Drew stares up at the ceiling. “Hmm … I bet he can use his snake well.”
Vomit is threatening to creep up my throat. “Enough! I’m done talking about him! I don’t want to hear his name.”
Drew has the audacity to laugh at my outburst. “Come on, Misha. Maybe there is an explanation. He’s been blowing up your phone for two weeks. Have you let him tell his side of the story yet?”
“I’m sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. It’s probably, Your sister paid me a shit-ton of your parents’ money to fuck your brains out and make you feel special. He did a pretty good job.”
Drew crosses the living room and snuggles up to me.
I put my head on his shoulder and sigh. “Drew, I’ve never been this heartbroken before. It hurts more than the breakup with Noah.”
He rubs a hand down my back. “I know, girl. I wish I could take the pain from you. I hope this won’t last long. I’m Team Misha, but I really think you need to listen to what he has to say.”
“And if there’s not?” My voice cracks.
“Then, we move on. I pick you up, dust you off, hold your hand, and we walk away together. No matter what happens, I’ll always have your back. You won’t be alone.”
A tear slides down my cheek. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
The wedding I’m baking for this weekend requested a different cake than usual, and it’s such a breath of fresh air. Don’t get me wrong; I love decorating multitiered, white fondant–covered cakes; however, they tend to be very similar to one another.
This bride and groom opted for an assortment of cheesecakes to be displayed in a six-tier floating cake stand. I’m four cheesecakes down when a knock comes to my door. Knowing it’s Drew, I fling the door open without looking through the peephole.
Except it’s not Drew standing in my doorway.
It’s Noah.
“Hey, Misha.” Noah’s hands are shoved in the front pockets of his jeans, and he’s bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“What are you doing here?” I don’t even both with pleasantries.
I’ve been in my apartment for almost a year, and he’s never once come by.
“Can I come in? I’d really like to talk for a few minutes, just the two of us.”
Noah is a peacekeeper by nature, and I’m sure it’s bothering him that Mandy and I are fighting again. This time, there isn’t anyone who can fight her battle for her.
“Save your time, Noah. I’m not interested in hearing about how I should forgive Mandy.”
“I’m not asking you to do that. We broke up a week ago.”
Whoa. My brain automatically switches from cautious to curious, and although it’s probably not a good idea, I open the door further and let Noah into my apartment.
He steps into the living room and looks around, taking in my space for the first time. “You have a nice place.”
“Thanks.”
Having him here is awkward. Where Noah was once my entire life, now, he’s a foreign object that doesn’t belong.
I walk around him and to the kitchen. “Sorry, I just need to check on the oven.”
Noah follows me into the kitchen and sits at the table. He inhales deeply, and a smile of nostalgia graces his face. “You’re baking cheesecake. It smells amazing.”
“It’s for a wedding this weekend. The couple asked for six cheesecakes instead of a traditional cake.”
“You’re kicking ass at this whole baking gig. People in town know your name and love your cakes. I’m proud of you.”
Noah’s compliments used to make me so happy, but now, they feel strange, so I change the subject. “What is it that you want to talk about?”
Noah flinches as if I smacked him. “Wow, straight to the point, aren’t we? Where’s