Page 88 of Recipe for Temptation

“Are they engaged?”

“No, but that’s not the point. I don’t want to be that guy?—”

“A guy hopelessly in love with the most incredible woman he’s ever met?”

Michael held Manning’s gaze for a long moment, then looked away and scrubbed a hand over his jaw. He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t, not really.

Manning clasped his hands behind his head, studying Michael across the desk. “I know what you’re going through. Don’t forget Taylor was dating that asshole when she came to town that summer.”

Michael grunted. “I remember.”

“So you remember how messed up I was. How it drove me out of my mind to see them together, knowing she belonged with me.”

Michael frowned. “The difference is, you and Taylor had history. You were childhood sweethearts. She was the love of your life and you were hers. You were soulmates who belonged together.”

Manning gave him a steady look. “Who says you and Reese aren’t soulmates?”

A spike of pure longing speared through Michael’s chest. Clenching his jaw, he cut his eyes away to stare out the window. The familiar view of Peachtree Street suddenly seemed foreign. Like he’d experienced an internal tectonic shift and nothing would ever be the same again.

“I can see you’re feeling conflicted,” Manning observed. “You’re in a tough spot, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. All I know is she’s here with you, not her boyfriend. Without being privy to their relationship, I can almost guarantee it’s on its last leg. How’re you going to feel if you let her get away, then a year or two from now, you find out she’s with someone new? That she broke up with ol’ boy because she didn’t love him, and you gave her up for nothing? How’re you going to feel if you find out she married someone else because the man she really wanted was too proud or too noble or too scared to fight for her?”

Michael met his cousin’s direct gaze and saw deep understanding there. They’d always engaged in games of one-upmanship, but at the end of the day they were family, and they would always have each other’s back.

Manning said quietly, “I’ve never seen you back down from a fight, Mike. Don’t start now.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Istill can’t believe you’re on a tv show. You’re living every woman’s dream. Seriously.”

Reese smiled at her phone screen as she powerwalked down the quiet street on Friday morning. She was FaceTiming with Deidra Thomas’s younger sister Dionne.

“What’s it like being on Michael Wolf’s show?” she asked curiously.

“It’s been an exciting adventure,” Reese admitted. “But I’m not quitting my day job to become a reality tv star.”

“That’s good. Because you’re an amazing obstetrician,” Dionne said quietly. “Your patients would really miss you.”

Reese’s steps slowed, her throat tightening. “Thank you, Dionne. That means a lot coming from you.”

A moment of silent understanding passed between them.

Dionne cleared her throat. “Anyway, I just called to thank you for the beautiful gifts you sent for Faith. Those little outfits are so damn cute. She’s going to look adorable in them. I’ll send you pictures.”

“Yes, please do.”

There was a short, fitful wail in the background.

“Guess who just woke up from her nap?”

Reese stopped walking. “Can…can I see her?”

“Of course. Hold on.” Dionne put the phone down and came back seconds later holding her chubby-cheeked niece.

A lump rose in Reese’s throat. “There’s my sweet little angel. Hi, Faith,” she cooed tenderly.

The baby stared at her face on the screen. Then she flashed a gummy grin that made Reese and Dionne laugh.

“See? She recognizes you.”

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