Page 103 of House of Desire

Parker: If you took a ride share, I want to pay for it.

Anya: That’s not necessary. How did your night go?

Fuck it. I press the video call button and it starts ringing. My heart pounds so hard against my ribs while I wait for her to pick up I’m afraid the bones will be bruised.

“You have flour on your nose,” I tell her with a smile. She’s beautiful. Disheveled hair. Tired eyes.

“It’s been a busy morning.”

“I thought I’d call you and answer your question. Last night was awful because you weren’t there.”

“You know that’s not what I meant, Parker,” she says. The lack of emotion in her voice is almost worse than if she were mad.

“I know, but it’s no less true. It was weird, seeing her for the first time.”

“Did you talk it out?”

Embarrassment. That’s all I feel when I have to admit I wasted my night away from her.

“No. There were a lot of hurt feelings just seeing each other after so long.”

“Hi, Anya!” Liam says in the background and her answering smile is bright and I wish I had received it.

“Hey, Li. Give me a second.” She turns back to me. “Parker, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Sure. Have a great day.”

She hangs up quickly and I feel no better for the conversation. Not wanting to leave it like this, I text her the truth.

Parker: I miss you.

Tucking my phone away, I finish my breakfast as I sort through the various emails from Mitchel, vendors, and customers. Anything to keep my mind off of Anastasia and what she is doing.

My stomach grumbles hours later and I push back from my desk, trying to decide what I want to eat before my client meeting in an hour. Grabbing my keys from the drawer, I lock my computer.

“Knock, knock,” Brittany says, standing in my doorway.

“You really need to stop showing up places,” I tell her, rudely.

“I just thought I’d bring you lunch.” She holds up a paper bag and I’m thrown back to our first month married when we would eat lunch together every day. “It’s Chinese. I still remember your favorite food.”

“I was just leaving to go to a meeting,” I tell her, the smell of the food making my mouth water, but I refuse to give in.

“Oh, okay. I guess I’ll just go then. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. Later,” I say, pushing past her. Leaving her, just like she left me.

Charlie: Are you still coming to dinner tonight? Courtney and her family will be there. They got in this morning and are exhausted from unloading the moving truck.

I was hoping for a text from Anastasia when I felt my phone vibrate in my meeting, but I guess I should have known better. It’s been four days since our date and all of our conversations have been short and to the point. It’s better than silence, but only just.

Every day after work, I’ve found myself sitting outside her bakery but unable to go in for fear of pushing her.

Parker: I’ll be there. Can Courtney make those cookies she mailed you that one time? Next dinner, perhaps?

Charlie: I’m surprised you want to eat anyone’s baking but Anya’s.

Parker: Yeah, I’ve got an update on that.

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