Page 41 of Just a Little Prick

Kenzie’s brows furrowed as she thought. She gasped softly. “ChrisChris? Your ex?”

I nodded.

“Okay.” She took a deep breath, then made her voice louder—she wanted people to hear her. “Okay. Just go take a breather in the back. If you’re still feeling sick, go home. Toss the batter you worked with.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. I took the bowl to the back, where people would think I was throwing out the batter.

I turned and pushed through the door to the back kitchen.

Why did he have to show up like this? I’d been drunk when I texted him. It wasn’t worth him driving down here to do whatever he was trying to do.

I needed to leave, but my only path out was through the front.

Dammit.

I put the bowl of batter on the counter, turning and looking out the window in the kitchen door. I nudged the door just slightly with my foot, opening it enough that I could hear what was happening in the front.

Chris had just reached the counter. “Hey, is Lora here?”

Kenzie stood with her back straight, head held up. “She’s busy in the back. What can I do for you?” She was using her asshole-customer-voice on him.

“You can go get her and tell her to come out here.”

Why did he have to be a dick?

“She’s baking. The muffins don’t make themselves.” I could imagine the tight grin on her face, the way she always looked when somebody was being unreasonable. “She’s gonna be back there for a while.”

“Fine. I’ll wait.”

Chris turned away from the counter and walked out of my line of sight, but the door didn’t open.

He really was going to wait.

Shit.

Kenzie turned her head, catching sight of me in the window. She shrugged.

I couldn’t hide forever. I took a deep breath and came out of the back.

“Sorry,” Kenzie whispered as I passed.

It wasn’t her fault.

Chris sat at a table in the corner. He looked up at me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking from his expression.

I eased down into the chair across from him. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He looked at me for a moment, then shook his head. “What the hell were those texts last night, Lora?”

I sighed and lowered my voice. “I was drunk. It was a mistake.”

“Were you trying to make me jealous?”

I shrugged. “Like I said. Drunk. It was a mistake. Can we just drop it? It won’t happen again.”

He snorted, drumming his fingers on the table. “What about the part where you said you missed me?”

I didn’t remember that one.

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