Page 144 of The Sweetest Devotion

With the groceries all put away, and my flowers set in a vase with water and plant food, we washed our hands and settled in the dining room to finally dig into the food.

My first taste of catfish had me sitting back, closing my eyes, and moaning.God. I’d been missing out.

Keith’s husky chuckle sent a blanket of warmth through me. “Glad you like it.”

“Likeis such a small word, Keith William. I am in love,” I declared.

“Oh, we usin’ middle names, KennedyElizabeth?” he taunted.

He’d remembered. A part of me wondered if when the time came and we went our separate ways, if he’d ever forget about me. This was the furthest thing from casual, from anonymous. Like a tattoo, he’d embedded himself within my skin and I hated the idea of letting him go.

“This food is so good. Why learn to cook when I can just eat this?” Realistically, I was only kidding. As delicious as it all was, I was going to hate myself for pigging out two days in a row come my workout routine Monday.

“Because eating out adds up,” Keith remarked. “If you get good enough, you can make your own food that’s better than this.”

I doubted it, but I was hopeful. “When are you off next?”

“Wednesday,” Keith answered as he grabbed his glass of water and took a sip. “Think about what you want to cook and we’ll do it then.”

I wanted to cook, and I wanted to do it with him, but hogging up all his free time? “You sure it won’t be an inconvenience?”

Keith shrugged. “I’ma stop by the community center in the afternoon, but I’ll have time to come and cook with you. I mean, I gotta eat, so it’s whatever. I want to help you.”

He wanted to help me. That was all I needed to hear.

I ate more of my food, and I hated to admit that Keith was right, that I’d been so hungry I’d overordered.

“So, what were you up to while I was on lockdown?” I joked.

Keith frowned in distaste at that statement. “Come on, you had to do more than that.”

“Well, outside of sulking, I went to a cake testing with my parents and Cain. It was almost, kinda, nice? It was the first time my dad’s been in public in a year, and we all just sorta had a decent time eating cake. We both liked the white almond cake with raspberry filling, so I guess that’ll be ‘the cake,’?” I said. “And I also found my dress, which isn’t mydreamdress, but it’ll do. My mom and the girls liked it.”

Keith wasn’t eating as he sat listening to me ramble. Gone was his earlier humor, replaced with a blank mask I couldn’t decipher.

“So, how was your time?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to him.

“I slept with someone else,” he said. There wasn’t a hint of a joke or remorse on his face.

A lump got caught in my throat and I struggled to swallow and concentrate as those ugly words circled my brain.

He’dsleptwith someone else.

A burning stab pierced my heart as tears pooled in my eyes. I shot up from my chair and went for the door.

“Kennedy.” Keith was behind me, but I wasn’t interested in hearing any more that he had to say. He’d said enough.

Only, when I went to open the front door, his hand shot out and shut it.

“Stop.” My voice was weak and I refused to cry over this.

“No,” he said firmly. “How are you even goin’ to get home when your car is at Jadyn’s?”

“I’ll walk,” I said as I held my head up high.

“Kennedy.” It was a plea.

Whirling around, I faced him, unable to look at him long without the fresh hurt surfacing. “What?”

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