Page 102 of The Cupcake Standard

I had to glance away because she was right.

“But I’m not sorry I did it. I stand by my choice.” She paused until I looked back at her, giving me a surprisingly soft smile. “I know he can hurt you now, because you’re in deep with him. But we all think he’s worth it. We’re your friends, but we’re his, too. And we don’t want to see either of you hurt.” She reached over, grabbing my hand hard. “The two of you together are like nothing I’ve ever seen. Both of you are better with each other.”

Rhonda’s chin bobbed in agreement. “I actually broke up with Kevin just before Derek’s party. He didn’t come close to the cupcake standard.”

I frowned in confusion. “The cupcake standard?”

“It’s what I call the bar you two set for the relationship I want. The two of you are so adorable, him calling you Cupcake, you calling him Captain. All the inside jokes, all the teasing, all the feels. You’re perfect for each other, and you seem to be the only one doubting it.”

The cupcake standard. I like that. Her words sank in. “Wait, you broke up with Kevin? Are you okay? Are—?”

Rhonda stopped me, holding up her hand. “I’m fine. We’re focusing on you and Derek right now. But I need my standard to stay together, so I have something to measure against.” She winked.

My feet needed to move as my brain raced. I pushed back from the table, pacing around the room. I pieced together everything they’d told me, the bits from the video, things Derek himself had said. Going over all the little details again, I could finally see it. “The escape room.”

Gina started smiling, while Liam looked confused. He began to speak, but she shushed him. “She’s starting to figure it out.”

“He was the one who saw my panic. He rearranged the whole thing, so I wouldn’t feel embarrassed.” More things came back to me. The way he handled me coming into the gym shower, confessing my problem with numbers and wanting to take care of the problem right away, despite his nakedness. I giggled. Kissing me to shut me up. Never keeping his hands off me when his friends were around. Using them as an excuse because he wanted to touch me. The flowers, breakfast, and note the day of my period. Crashing lunch with my dad, then holding me after. A thousand, perfect little moments.

I froze, letting the realization soak into my skin. The numbers finally aligned for me—one equation finally worked out. Everything added up.

Derek Elgin really loves me.

Gina stood up, beaming, coming over to hug me.

“He loves me.” I mumbled the words into her shoulder.

“I told you so.”

I pulled back, grinning stupidly at her, and I said it again. “He loves me.”

She smirked. “Now the question is, what are you going to do about it?”

Chapter Twenty

Despite the next day being Thanksgiving and the gala being on Friday, we managed to come up with a decent plan. I stayed away from Derek until the gala, going for the dramatic reveal approach. It was the most difficult thing I’d ever done in my life.

Dressed to the nines, with the help of Rhonda’s beauty team, we arrived together. She took her place on stage, both she and her brother in their seats next to obviously empty chairs, filled only by their parents’ disappointment. As we all knew, their parents’ priority was high-class showing off. This year was no different.

Several employees were given awards. Rhonda had managed to finally direct her father’s attention to Derek’s paper and app, which his company had begun using without their father even being aware. Once Mr. Elgin put two and two together, he was thrilled with the impact it was having on the Elgin name, slotting in a part of the ceremony for it as we’d hoped. I waited on the sideline, out of view until that particular time.

When it finally came, I wiped my sweaty hands on the nearest curtain, not wanting to risk staining my gorgeous seafoam-green dress. Making sure my strapless corset bodice was properly adjusted, I strode onto the stage, the floor-length satin skirt swishing as I walked over to where Mr. Elgin was pontificating away about his son’s accomplishment in a way that glorified himself, somehow making Derek invisible yet again. Although I’d counted on that as well.

A spotlight found me, courtesy of Liam slipping the stage crew a few extra bucks to help us out. A crew member handed me a cordless mic as Mr. Elgin’s was cut off.

“Hello, everyone.” Confidence rushed through me. I felt unstoppable, bolstered by my friends and by love.

People glanced around, a murmur moving through the crowd.

“I’m here today as a surprise, to help with the introduction of our honored guest, Derek Elgin.”

Mr. Elgin still stood front and center, tapping his mic, a little slow to understand my hostile takeover.

I leaned over, filling him in. “There’s been a change of plans. You can talk after Derek gets his turn.”

He frowned. “He wasn’t—”

“After Derek gets his turn.” I gave him a firm look wanting no room for argument before I turned back to the audience with a smile. “Let’s give Mr. Elgin a hand, shall we?” I politely led the audience in a round of applause as Mr. Elgin took his seat, then I stood behind the podium.

---