Page 104 of Cold As Ice

But if that was the case, then why did I feel so hurt by his dismissal?

And why did part of me wish things had gone down differently this morning?

* * *

“All set?” I asked Kayleigh sometime later. She looked a little nervous as we waited for the taste testers to arrive.

But she had nothing to worry about.

She’d spent the afternoon whipping up a storm in the kitchen, and the place smelled so good my stomach had grumbled nonstop for the last thirty minutes. So much so that I may have snagged a couple of tasters off the cooling rack.

“I hope they all show up,” she said, spying out of the blinds.

“They will. You have nothing to— See, here they come.” My smile grew as Harper and a group of girls appeared at the door.

Kayleigh welcomed them inside, flashing me a relieved little smile as she helped them get settled.

“You came,” I said, approaching Harper’s table first.

“Free drinks and snacks? Hell yeah, we came.” She chuckled as I handed around some complimentary drinks. “Madison, these are my friends Rory and El. Girls, this is Madison. She works here and got me hooked on the brookie bars.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rory beamed at me.

She seemed familiar; there was something about her green eyes or maybe it was her smile.

“This place is incredible,” she said. “Coffee and books. Two of my favorite things.”

“Have we met before?” I blurted.

“I… I don’t think so.” She gawked at me. “I’ve never ventured this far across town.

“Odd. I have the strangest feeling we have.”

“Really?” Harper said, glancing between us.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be all weird. I don’t get out much, can you tell?” Strangled laughter bubbled out of me.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Harper was a nice girl, and now she was looking at me like I’d grown two heads.

“Make yourselves comfortable; you’re in for a real treat.”

I hurried away, cheeks burning with embarrassment. But there was something so familiar about Rory. Maybe I’d seen her around Lakeshore the few times I’d hung out with Fawn there.

Kayleigh moved the platters she’d prepared to one of the empty tables set up along the wall, and I began getting them ready to serve while she welcomed everyone and explained the new menu.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Harper and her friends, a pang of jealousy going through me.

I’d missed out on all of that. College. Girlfriends. The parties and hookups.

Imogen was my world, and I couldn’t imagine life without her, but Kayleigh was right; I was only human. And watching Harper and her girlfriends made me wonderwhat-if.

What if my life had turned out differently?

Shaking the pointless thoughts out of my head, I waited for my cue from Kayleigh and began handing out the first tasters.

“Ooh, these look so good,” Harper said, helping herself to a piece of olive and feta bread. “I think it’s so great Kayleigh wants to incorporate more gluten-free options into her menu.”

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