Page 40 of Perfect Pairing
“What are these?”
I grinned. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”
With an exasperated sigh, she said, “I had a massive arrangement of flowers delivered to the bakery today while Bryce and I were working. The note said, ‘for my honey Bee.’ Know anything about that?”
“I would’ve had them delivered to your apartment, but I don’t know your address. I had to make do with the information I did have.”
“You’re insane.”
“You love it. Plus, I had to thank you for coming to my rescue with that cupcake recipe.”
“The kids loved them, I’m assuming?”
I chuckled.Loved themwas an understatement. They ate and left no crumbs…literally. I’d already been asked by several parents if I could share the recipe. Apparently, Hansen’s classmates had gone home and sang my praises, demanding they learn how to make Brie’s cupcakes.
“I actually wanted to ask you if it was okay to pass the recipe along. I’ve had basically all the parents begging for it.”
“And I bet you just love all that attention,” she said, and I could hear the grin in her tone.
“Well, it’s not like I deserve it. That’s all you, honey.”
“You have my blessing to share the recipe with all those moms thirsting after your…cupcakes.”
I snorted at her suggestive inflection. “Someone sounds jealous.”
Brie scoffed. “I’m not jealous. We’re friends, right?”
“Are we?”
She didn’t respond right away, but when she did, it was to say, “I love the flowers, Ez. Thank you. But…this doesn’t feel very friendly.”
I shrugged, though she couldn’t see me. In truth, nothing I felt for herwasfriendly, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make her feel special. “Friends give friends flowers.”
“Not the kind of friends we are.”
“And exactly what kind of friends are we, Ms. Delatou?”
Across the room, my dad perked up. I hadn’t mentioned Brie or our brief dalliance to him before, and I knew I was in trouble if the storm brewing on his face was any indication.
I turned my back on him, not wanting him to draw a cloud over my good mood from hearing Brie’s voice.
Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, when she said, “We’re the kind of friends who maybe want to be more but recognize it’s not a good idea.”
Hope bloomed like a flower in my chest, but I quickly closed an imaginary fist around it, quelling the sensation before it could invade my entire being.
“And that’s why I sent you the flowers.”
Brie sighed. “Maybe it’s best if we don’t talk anymore.”
“No!” I said quickly. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“Then how are we supposed to play this?”
“We keep doing what we’re doing,” I said. “If this is the only way I get you, I’m not giving it up.”
“This would be so much easier if we’d just never met…or never gave into temptation.”
“You’re not wrong, but I don’t regret what happened.” Then, something occurred to me. “Wait, doyouregret it?”
