Page 76 of Cupcake of the Month
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Josh stood in the Sumners’ kitchen and used his forearm to wipe the thin sheen of sweat from his forehead before prepping the vegetables for the salad. His knife made satisfying thunks on the wooden cutting board as it chopped and sliced. Aside from attempting to act normal with Jordan this afternoon, his entire week had sucked. Zach was still angry. Wendy’s accusations pricked his sense of kitchen contentment, and he wanted to whisk away the smarminess that oozed from Anthon like runny egg yolks.
And Jordan. She deserved so much more than someone like Josh. Letting her go had been the right thing to do.
“Jesus, Josh. Put the knife down,” Mrs. Sumner said. Shetook the utensil away from him and lay it on the small counter. “We may be old, but our teeth still work just fine.”
Salad pieces lay everywhere, most of the vegetables diced too finely to determine what they used to be. At least he hadn’t sliced his fingers in the process.
“Berry’s here!” Vela called from the living room. “With a date!”
Berry’s low grumble carried into the kitchen, followed by a laugh. A feminine laugh as rich as cream that most definitely did not originate from the apartment manager. In fact, it sounded a lot like...
Oh, hell no.
Self preservation had Josh leaping to the far corner of the kitchen. He smushed himself in the tiny pantry where he wouldn’t be visible from the threshold. The shelves dug into his back and he sidestepped the cans on the floor.
“What’s wrong? Did you see a bug?” Mrs. Sumner bent over and examined the countertop.
“Needed to stretch a bit,” he mumbled, raising his arms above his head and brushing the doorframe.
How had she found him? He had been so damn careful, never letting anyone see where he lived. The apartments were crap, and everyone who lived here dreamed of a place with consistent lighting and water that remained hot and banisters that didn’t fall apart. Visitors always doled out self-pitying glances or carefully stoic faces. Seeing that on Jordan would kill him.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jordan.” Josh heard Marty through the door.
And now Jordan, his beautiful Jordan, had been sucked into the living hell that he called home.
When his mind had a chance to calm down, he stepped away from the wall. He’d been hiding in a fucking closet. For God’ssake, he really had fallen.
Soft conversations drifted into the kitchen but Josh couldn’t make them out. He gave his hands a quick wash, then took out his phone and leaned against the wall.
“Hi, Zach.” Jordan’s voice carried into the kitchen, clearer than a glass of spring water.
Son of a bitch.What r u doing here?
A tune rang from the next room. “I should probably take this.” Jordan’s voice became amused.
Five seconds later his phone vibrated.Looking for you. Are you going to skulk in there all night?
Not skulking.
Prove it.
Like he was some kid she could take on a dare.Go home, Jordan.
He had to wait for her next response.
I have your backpack.
He closed his eyes and leaned his head back.
His phone vibrated again.Please talk to me.
“Please, Josh.”
Jordan stood in the kitchen doorway, her eyes shuttered behind the squared frames of her glasses and her arms folded across her chest. Mrs. Sumner had vacated the room, leaving them alone.
“What do you want me to say?” He approached, and her tongue darted out and wet her lips. He doubted she even noticed. He held out his hand. “My backpack.”
