Page 95 of Cupcake of the Month
Josh patted his brother on the shoulder. “Yeah, okay. That’s fine.”
“Good. Come on, Zach, let’s head outside. It’s gorgeous out there.”
Josh swallowed the fear rising up in his chest as they stepped over the threshold. Going outside was normal. It wasn’t like she was going to throw Zach in a car and zoom off with him. There was no place for privacy in the apartment that also keptthe rules of propriety. “See you soon, buddy.”
He let out a slow breath as he closed the door behind them.
The silence in the apartment crept around him and he paced to his makeshift nightstand to pick a book to read. He grazed his fingers down the spine of a few of the classics, stopping when he got to the end of his stack. Nothing he could do would take his mind off Zach.
Restlessness propelled him around the apartment. He stopped at the heavy bag. He could go a few rounds, but then maybe Katrina would think the fight with Clint in the airport terminal wasn’t a one-time thing. He could bake, but Zach’s warning replayed in his mind.
He thumbed the curtain away from the window and searched the lawn, but they weren’t in his line of sight.
Ah, screw it. His mind could conjure up a whole slew of reasons for her to take Zach away. One tin of cupcakes wouldn’t make a difference. He pulled down the flour and sugar from the pantry.
The front door bell sounded, causing him to flinch at the sudden noise. Judgement time. Josh smacked the buzzer, then got some peanut butter while he estimated how long it would take them to climb the three flights of stairs.
He opened the door at the right time and his breathing hitched.
Jordan stood in the hallway, hand raised in a fist, hair in its customary bun with loose strands framing her face, glasses perched on her nose. His heart thumped hard in his chest.
His body cried out to pull her against him and never let her go. For once he listened.
He pulled her close, letting go of the stresses and worries that held him back so many times. Her body melded to his. She knew everything, and still she stood in his doorway.
An unexpected happiness sent a jolt through him. Hereleased her and smiled. “Hi.”
“Hi,” she said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Come in.” He stepped back, his nerves swerving around. If he was going to hold on to the way she made him feel, he had to be willing to share himself. “Zach’s with his caseworker. Can you come in here and act normal for a while?”
“When has that ever been possible with you around?”
“Heh. Good point.”
She glanced around the small apartment. “This is nice.”
“It’s home. My real home.” Years of hiding and pretending made the words difficult to say. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Were you making something?” Jordan pointed to the ingredients on the counter.
“Oh. Yeah.” He picked up the peanut butter.
She ran a hand up and down her opposite arm. “I came by to tell you I’m heading back home tomorrow. For good, this time. Now that the lawsuit is over, it’s time I return to reality.”
The oxygen fled his lungs at the finality of her words. If she had stayed, there’d be a chance he’d see her somewhere, and start over. Start again. Start fresh. “Wendy and Brandi. They don’t need you at the Hall?”
“Not anymore. Hiring Paul freed up Wendy’s time.”
“What about Mrs. McGraw?”
“It was fun and interesting, but it was always temporary.” She moved away and gave the heavy bag a little push. “She needs someone local.”
“Right.” He scooped peanut butter into a bowl, trying not to stare at her from the corner of his eye, then leveled off the flour. “I’ll…miss you, Jay.”
The words hovered in the air between them until she gave him a soft smile. “Yeah. Me, too.”
A light, pleasant laugh came from outside the door and careened his feelings one-eighty degrees. A vice centered on hischest and tightened as he struggled to take deep breath.
