it on a small plate and setting it in front of Stevie. She quickly noticed what cupcake Clara had made. They were her favourite: blueberry and cream cheese cupcakes.
“Excited about your honeymoon?” Stevie asked, changing the subject.
Clara iced the remaining cupcakes and then set the icing bag down. “Very. But you know we’re not leaving for a bit. Now, how was work?”
Stevie let out another heavy sigh. “Julian’s the company’s new consultant,” she stated as held the cupcake and bit into it.
“Whoa,” Clara breathed as she wiped her hands on her apron. “Are you okay?”
Stevie hung her head and closed her eyes tightly. “I would have been had we not kissed last night.”
“You kissed!”
The heat rose from her chest to her throat, causing Stevie to only nod in reply.
“Baby, I can’t find your passport,” Noel said as he walked back to the kitchen.
Clara picked up a cupcake and handed it to him. “It’s in the first drawer. Did you know anything about Julian getting a job?”
Stevie’s eyes roamed Noel’s naked chest. Unfortunately for women out there, Nolan Parker was now a married man. It was a damn shame.
“No. I haven’t had much time to catch up with him yet,” Noel replied as he bit into the dessert his wife had made.
Clara reached up and wiped the icing off his nose. “Maybe we should catch up with Julian a bit before we go on our honeymoon. I’m sure my dad won’t mind us not staying at his place before we leave for Queensland. We could visit him rather than stay in a house with him, Alex, and Keira.”
“You sure?”
Clara nodded. “Very.”
“I’ll call Julian and your dad now,” he said before he walked back in the bedroom he shared with his wife.
Stevie’s eyes had followed the naked back of Nolan Parker before he disappeared. “I’m going to miss living with Noel.”
“Really?” Clara smiled.
Stevie turned back and grinned at her best friend. “I can see why you jump him and have sex every hour you can. To be honest, I’m not even surprised I walked in on you both almost doing it.”
“What?” Clara blushed.
“The walls are thin, Mrs Parker. I heard this morning when I walked out of the shower,” Stevie revealed.
“Oh, my God.” Her blush deepened.
“That’s what you moaned.” Stevie laughed.
Clara buried her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry.”
Stevie laughed harder. “I’m glad you got a good nailing this morning. A sexually satisfied Clara Parker is better than an emotional one.”
Her phone alerted her to a new email, and Stevie reached into her blazer pocket and took it out.
Clara let out a giggle. “I could always give you his number. Emails are so Fifty Shades.”
Stevie locked her phone and glared at her best friend. “Please, I’d rather Christian Grey fuck me senseless than let anything happen with Julian Moors.”
That is a total lie.
Ugh!
Why can’t it be the truth?
Clara picked up her phone and started to text. “You’ll thank me later,” she said once she set her phone on the counter.
Stevie’s screen lit up and she looked down at it.
Unknown: Stephanie Appleton, is this you? If not, then I’ll tell you now that these aren’t the droids you’re looking for.
“You, Clara Parker, are dead to me,” Stevie mumbled as she replied to Julian’s text.
Stevie: I have the worst best friend ever.
Then she saved his number.
Julian: My best friend has the greatest wife alive. See you at work. P.S. Bob says tomorrow is Taco Tuesday! I’ll see you then, amiga.
Stevie glared at Clara, hating the grin on her face. “You’re the worst.”
She laughed. “I’ll take it as a compliment.”
Julian: Never mind. Bob was joking. The asshole. Never trust accountants, Blondie, especially Noel and Alex.
Staring at PJ’s Irish Pub, Julian smiled to himself and rubbed his hands together. Tonight was going to be the carefree night he needed. A week of working with Stephanie was a lot harder than he’d thought possible. He’d look up to see her smiling at one of the junior marketers and Julian would feel the jealousy boil every part of him, burning him alive. She’d refused to speak to him. He’d be the one who would have to go out of his way. Avoiding him only had Julian wanting to speak