Page 35 of Untruly With You

The bakery, like most of the shops in West River, is a part of one long building with half-a-dozen other businesses. But unlike the others, the front of the bakery is painted baby pink. Lace curtains hang in the windows. It looks like it could be a set fromSteel Magnolias.

Cassidy is already sitting at one of the tables inside. The ruffled floral dress she wears matches the bakery's charming aesthetic, and she has pulled her copper hair back in a loose bun. Somehow, she looks even more beautiful than she did yesterday. Her emerald eyes are on me instantly.

As we take our seats around the table, mine directly across from Cassidy’s, I notice how gracefully she moves, how at ease she seems. If she’s as nervous as I am, she doesn’t show it. I guesssheshouldn’t be nervous. After all, she’s the one that dumped Sutton. She has the high ground.

“Thank you for coming, girls,” Cassidy says, tipping her head to the side.

“We wouldn’t miss it,” Magnolia responds. It’s hard to imagine that Magnolia could actually like the person who dated two of her sons—and broke one of their hearts—but her smile sells it.

“And I’m so sorry about yesterday, Lainey,” Cassidy says. “It was all a big misunderstanding. I think Sutton and I just got…caught up in emotions.”

My stomach lurches, but I force myself to return Cassidy’s grin. Before I can say anything, Magnolia interjects.

“What happened yesterday?” Her eyes dart between Cassidy, Frankie, and me, her mouth downturned. I can see her mind reeling on about the worst-case scenario.

“Nothing!” Frankie and I say simultaneously, just like we did yesterday to Wells. And just like Wells, Magnolia doesn’t buy it.

Frankie’s attempt at a smile looks painful. “Cassidy and Sutton were just hugging, right?” She narrows her eyes at Cassidy.

For all that Frankie and I know, more than “just a hug” could have happened. But I can’t imagine that—Sutton wouldn’t cross that line.

“We were just…embracing each other,” Cassidy says.

Gross.Why couldn’t she have just saidhug?Sure, it wasn’t the kind of hugIwould give an ex. It was weirdly long, weirdly intense. But still, it was a hug.

I notice Cassidy's gaze flickering to me briefly, as if she's trying to gauge my reaction. It's clear that she's aware of the friction in the air between us, but we both refuse to let it show.

Cassidy leans in slightly. “I promise you, Lainey, I have absolutely no intention of coming between you and Sutton. I know things have been a little awkward, but I genuinely want us to be on good terms. After all, you’re a part of Sutton’s life now.”

Cassidy is a little too soap opera right now to feel genuine. I nod anyway.

When an employee brings out our first round of cake slices, she stops directly in front of me. Her round cheeks ball up with a grin.

“Are you the famous Laine?” she asks, hands on her hips.

Clearing my throat, I say. “Famous? Not quite. But Laine? Yes.”

“There’s been quite a lot of chatter around town about you,” she explains. “I was wondering when I’d get to meet Sutton’s new girl.”

I laugh weakly. West River is a tiny town, and it must really be desperate for gossip ifI’mthe preeminent topic. “Well, now that we’ve met, you can tell everyone how charming and funny I am,” I joke with a wink. “And gorgeous too. And don’t forget humble.”

The woman laughs heartily, slapping my shoulder. Cassidy rolls her eyes to nobody in particular. We work our way through ten different combinations of cake and frostings. It’s my dream, trying all flavors without having to personally commit to any of them. If not for Cassidy’s occasional glare, I would be having the time of my life.

As we’re polishing off the final few samples, Cassidy leans her elbows on the table and props her chin in her hands, tilting toward me. “Lainey,” she says, a mischievous look on her face, “I’m sure all of this wedding talk has you thinking.”

Play dumb.“It has me thinking that cake testings should really be a more common occurrence.”

Cassidy smirks. She knows I’m being avoidant. “When do you think you and Sutton will get married?”

Fake relationship or not, her bluntness takes me off guard, and I inhale a mouthful of cake crumbs, coughing loudly into my fist to clear them from my throat. I try to laugh through it. “We’ve only been dating for a couple of months. And with him starting at Imagineer Books soon and me just starting atWonderings, it’s not the best time for another big life change.”

“But when you know, you know, right? And I’m sure you already know if he’s the one.” Cassidy squints at me likeshe’s trying to pry directly into my thoughts. When I don’t respond right away, she gives me an exaggerated look of confusion. “Suttonreallyhasn’t talked about it? That’s so strange. When we were onlyfourteen,he started talking about spending our lives together. I guess every relationship is different. Life is funny that way.”

I give her a single, abrupt laugh. “And now you’re marrying his brother. Life is funny that way.”

Cassidy's gaze pierces through me. I mentally kick myself for letting my words slip out with no filter. Beside us, Frankie tries to hide her laughter with a palm over her mouth.

Magnolia jumps in with an attempt at diffusing the situation. “I think we should show Laine around West River.”

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