Page 28 of The Cupcake Standard

“I don’t even know what I have for her yet.” I glanced through my purse, making sure I had everything. I hadn’t really looked in it since my hospital trip.

“I know. But if we text now, maybe she’ll throw in lunch.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Why didn’t you lead with that?”

Gina grinned and started texting.

I turned to Derek.

He stared at me, a mixture of intrigue and disappointment on his face. “So I take it you won’t be around much this afternoon?”

Aw, poor baby. “Nope. Think you can hold down the fort?”

He smirked. “I do have some experience. You gonna fill me in later?”

As I stepped closer to him, I shot him a saucy grin. “Filling you in requires talking. Probably a decent amount of talking. And we all know how you feel about me running my mouth—”

His lips crashed down on mine once more. I sank into him, his hands gripping my waist, steadying me. He ended the kiss on a soft note, my head spinning as I came back down to earth.

I hated feeling so off balance. “Dammit, Derek.” I realized I had shoes on, so I kicked him in the shin and gave him a shove for good measure. Then I stomped out of the kitchen, grabbing a laughing Gina as I walked past.

He frowned at my less than playful reaction. “Avery, wait.”

But I pretended not to hear, ignoring my racing heart and my flipping stomach as I ran to the hallway to dash for the elevator. Luckily it was waiting for us, the doors sliding shut just as Derek’s head appeared from his apartment. As soon as I was out of view, I sank to the floor to bury my head in my hands.

Gina tsked. “You are so fucked, girl.”

“I know. You haven’t even heard the worst of it.” We were in the lobby before I finished spilling my guts. “You know how I feel about serious relationships.”

They scared the shit out of me. Look what happened to my parents. How can I ever risk giving my heart to someone and ending up like my dad, forgotten and alone? I shivered, just thinking about it.

Her snort was anything but ladylike, Gina through and through. “And I keep saying most people aren’t like your mom and dad. Shit happens. You’re going to have to get over that. Derek’s perfect for you.” She eyed me. “Why do you think I let him take you home?”

I elbowed her.

When we emerged into the lobby, Greg waited for us. His cheery smile and gray eyes twinkled as he swooped off his hat in a semi-bow.

I stopped, stammering “What are you doing here?”

He grinned at my obvious surprise. “Derek thought you ladies might enjoy some time to chat while you go from point A to point B.”

My eyebrow shot up, evidence of my concern about Derek’s motives. “Did he ask you to tell him about point B? And its location?”

To his credit, Greg looked confused as we all stepped outside.

Gina lost her mind at seeing a limo with our figurative name on it for the day. She hopped in before Greg could open the door for her, refusing to even consider another mode of transportation. “You need to sort your shit out.” She pulled the door shut behind her.

So I pretended to walk away.

Which she countered by popping up through the sunroof. “Please, Avery! I never get to do anything like this. You know that.” She had no qualms about begging at the top of her lungs.

To salvage what little dignity we had left, I turned to Greg. “The errands I have to do today are of a personal nature. I might, at some point in the future, decide to tell Derek about said errands, but that is to be at my discretion. If we go with you today, you are sworn to secrecy.” I stuck out my little finger. “Pinky swear. I’ll even throw in an autographed copy of How to Land a Guy and…Keep Him!”

Greg extended his pinky, mouth twitching. “I swear I shall not discuss the location or the contents of the places we visit today with anyone other than yourself or the woman stubbornly yelling from my limo.”

I cracked a smile at that. “That’s Gina. She’s my best friend.”

Gina waved from the sunroof.

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