Page 29 of Fated Despite the Moon

"The cook doesn't clean the dishes.” His soft eyes connected with hers, and the heat of his hand rushed up her arm making her cheeks flush. Her wolf howled with delight.

"But you worked all day so you shouldn’t have to do them, either."

He carried both their plates to the sink. "Then we can do them together.”

“Fair enough.” Makayla joined him at the sink.

“Do we happen to have any of that cake stuff left that you made today?” he asked.

"You liked it?" Happiness spread through her. She hadn’t baked in a long time. She hadn’t been sure she remembered her own recipe but she was glad she got it right. Stress baking had always been her go-to growing up.

"It was great. My dad even tried to pay me for it."

“Really?” She smiled. She'd done something right. “It's covered on the stove. I'll cut you a piece."

Caleb washed the dishes and set them in the rack to dry. "Have you been baking long?"

"Since I was a teen. I wanted to go to Culinary school and study to become a pastry chef but my mother wouldn't let me. Said it was beneath my status."

She cut a thick piece of the cinnamon bread and set it on a plate for him as he finished the dishes and put the leftover lasagna in the fridge.

He took the plate from her and grabbed a fork. "What about your dad? Did he want you to go?"

Her throat dried and closed at his words. She coughed and sipped her water in an effort to clear the lump threatening to strangle her. “Yes, he did. But he died.”

Makayla's heart thundered, and she swallowed hard several times before chugging the rest of the water. Caleb ate in silence for a minute before looking up. His face fell.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to–"

"It's fine."

He set down the fork and stepped toward her. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No. It's okay," she lied. "I am a little tired, though, so I think I'm gonna just head up to bed."

"Makayla–"

"Sorry again about your clothes. I’ll go shopping and get you some new ones." She tried to make her voice light but it came out so strangled it almost cracked.

She headed to the stairs and hurried to her room. Door shut, she dropped to the floor and finally allowed the tears to flow. She'd failed her dad in so many ways. Getting into the prestigious culinary school had been the one thing she’d done right. The thing she knew had made him proud of her. But after what had happened, she just couldn’t bring herself to go.

* * *

Caleb hatedthe sight of Makayla's slumped shoulders as she had rushed up the stairs and shut herself in her room. Again. He wanted to go to her, to ask her what he had said that had upset her. To let her know that he was sorry for whatever he'd done. Sorry for getting angry and leaving her the night before. Sorry for not being everything she had hoped he would be. But he didn't.

He looked down at the cinnamon strudel bread. She’d made it for him. And it really was amazing.

His gaze traveled to the stove and around the almost finished kitchen, still full of boxes and construction tools. If she was going to start cooking and baking, she deserved a fully functional kitchen to do it in.

Caleb grabbed his keys. He needed supplies.

Chapter Ten

Makayla awoke early and took a frigid shower before leaving her room to make breakfast again. At the top of the stairs she stopped and stared. Caleb lay asleep on the couch and the kitchen looked... complete. How the heck had she slept through it? The cabinets all had their doors on. The molding had been put in around the fridge. A rack hung above the island full of brand new pots and pans. And on the counter sat several cupcake pans and a Bundt pan and a few other decorative pans that made her smile. A fifty pound bag of flour and a fifty pound bag of sugar sat on the counter as well next to measuring cups and bowls and spoons. It was a baker's dream.

Her gut tightened.He did this for me.

The stairs creaked beneath her feet as she descended the stairs.

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