Page 101 of The Cupcake Standard

My stomach rumbled. When’s the last time I ate? “Um, hey.”

All heads swiveled toward me.

“Sorry about the mess, guys, Liam.” I nodded specifically to him. “I owe you.”

Gina shoved a plate into my hands. “Who knows when you ate something of substance, so go ahead, dig in. Then we’re getting to the bottom of this mess.”

Gratefully, I piled up the food, taking a little of everything, unsure what my stomach could handle. To drink, I grabbed a water, a Coke and an apple juice. I plopped down at the table to wait for the others.

Once everyone had sat down, Gina took the lead again. “Okay, Avery, Liam’s given us the rundown, but tell us your side. Start from the party please, what happened with Piper and the Princess thing?”

So I told them everything. I even went back to the beginning like I’d done with Liam and started with the fake dating bit, which Rhonda and Greg could barely wrap their heads around. I opened up about my insecurities about the Princess, how hard it had been to actually meet her, and how Derek had explained everything. How we’d really started dating, how vulnerable I’d become. When I said that, Gina shot Liam a triumphant grin I didn’t understand.

Then I explained about the mail. “I felt betrayed after our commitment to being honest. The timing feels very manipulative, being coerced into moving in with him right after saying yes to the fake dating. It seems awfully convenient and made me question everything again. Why would he do that? Was it all just a game?”

Which is when Rhonda started laughing. “Sorry, Avery, it’s just that…” She took a minute to compose herself. “You and Derek had us all convinced that you two were the real deal, so much so that we barely believe you when you tell us you were fake dating. Yet you practically have yourself sold on this absurd idea that somehow Derek was pretending?” She snorted. “What planet are you living on?”

I gaped at her. “Excuse me?”

Gina raised her hand to Rhonda, palm up for a high-five. “Thank you.”

Rhonda smacked her hand to Gina’s, the two of them exchanging grins.

“I’ve been telling you all along he’s crazy about you.” Gina rolled her eyes. “And you told us yourself he basically said the same thing after the party. So why’d you go running scared at the first sign of trouble? Haven’t you learned anything?”

Greg leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I watched the two of you coming from parties, heard you two talking, listened to his stories about you. I saw you stand up for him like no one ever has. I saw the light in his eyes when you came into view. You can’t tell me it was fake on his end. He may not have said it, but he was really feeling it. I know Derek.”

Liam nodded. “And I’ve got evidence to prove it.”

What? I frowned as he pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, then slid it over to me.

Derek filled the screen, making my heart ache just seeing him in a video queued up and ready to play. Tentatively, I hit the button.

Liam’s voice came from off camera. “I don’t know, man. She was pretty upset about you not telling her.”

When Derek spoke, his words were slurred. A partial bottle of whiskey sat next to him. “She deserves better, Liam. She always has. I love her with every piece of me, every broken bit, man.”

I sucked in a breath at hearing those words.

“But it’ll never be enough.” He paused to take a swig. “That day she kissed me. I knew it right then.” His blue eyes looked over the camera. “I remember loving Piper, the holes she carved into me. But loving Avery is like loving a star. How can I ever be worthy of that?”

Shaking his head, he propped an elbow up on the table, resting a forehead on his palm. “Those stupid apartments. You should have seen them. No one was safe there. There was a hole in the steps someone had already fallen through once, the roof looked like it could cave in any minute, and the floors… I was nervous walking in the place. It was a fucking death trap…”

He let out a breath, wiping his hand over his face. “She deserved so much better than that. They all did. No one should live in those conditions. I got a hold of the landlord immediately, and we worked out a deal. But I made sure everyone had safe, backup housing to tide them over until we could get the place up to code.”

Derek rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “Now Avery thinks I did it to manipulate her into my bed when I just wanted her safe. Anywhere was better than that rickety place. The landlord and I got started right away on plans for rebuilding. He’s breaking ground next month.”

Doubt crept in. Maybe I misjudged Derek?

“Avery is the best thing that ever happened to me, Liam. I love coming home and seeing her curled up on the couch, lighting up just for me. I love her smart mouth, sassing me whenever I tease her too much. She gets me in a way no one ever has, like she sees everything in me, and it doesn’t bother her. It’s not home without her here.” And the screen abruptly went black.

A drop of moisture hit my hand, and I touched my cheek, realizing I was crying. “Well, shit.” I looked to Gina, needing her take on Derek, knowing she wouldn’t hold back.

“Look, Ave. I know you think I pushed you to move in with Derek just so I could be with Josh. But when he showed up on our doorstep just to see how he could make you comfortable when you got home from the hospital, I also saw an opportunity. For you. It was a win-win, and you were never going to take that risk on your own. I could tell that Derek really cared about you. And our apartment was shit, you can’t deny that.”

It’s true, I can’t.

“I’m sorry for the way I pushed you out of the nest. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, because I knew you’d run. Like you always do.” Her dark eyes flicked to mine.

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