Page 35 of From You to Me

I laughed. That was kind of true.

Gabe painstakingly painted both our nails to perfection. And brought us the best Mexican food ever. We all huddled up watching10 Things I Hate About Youwhile we bitched about boys and cried like sappy fools. Strawberry had the time of her life, taking turns getting cuddles from all of us.

Lily stayed over at mine while Gabe left because he had an early shift.

“Do you still love my brother, Evy?” she asked as I was setting up her blankets on the couch.

My entire body froze at that question, but the answer was easy.

I smiled softly as I looked into her eyes. “Some part of me always will, Lily, but we’re as good as done now.”

She nodded. “I don’t know if it’s ever possible, but I’m rooting for you and my brother to get back together. But, Evy, break his heart again, and I’ll never forgive you.”

I sighed internally.

That night, I lay wide awake, staring at the plain white ceiling as I pulled my pink bunny sheets closer to me. I kept thinking about what Lily said to me, the barest possibility that Jay and I could get back together.

I knew that it was impossible.

She didn’t know that a great deal of damage had been done to our relationship. Like a forest fire, we had burned it to the ground.

There was no coming back from that.

Not after the way he treated me the other day.

I hated him for that. My Jay would’ve never done that.

He was gone.

We were a lost cause.

CHAPTER 8

Today was my last day at work. I didn’t know how the past two weeks flew by. It was like I blinked, and it was gone. Jay and I continued with the same routine—I would cook and clean while he gave me his broody silent treatment. He ignored my presence. It was almost as if I didn’t even exist, like I was a ghost.

A sense of moroseness stuck with me ever since I woke up this morning. Because this would be the last time I would see him, and it took me right back to that day six years ago. A day that I locked up deep inside a cage in my head. It made me wonder why I always ended up knowing the day that I would last see him.

I exhaled a deep breath as I made my way to the kitchen. My eyes met a lady with soft blond hair peppered with a few grays wearing a simple black dress, standing by the stove and cooking what smelled like bacon. Hmm, I thought Jay had his tomato salad on toast on Friday.

“Hi, you must be Helen.”

Aimee had informed me that Helen would be back today. She had been Jay’s cook for a long time and took some time off to visit her daughter and hence they hired me.

She looked up from the bacon sizzling on the pan and gave me a big smile that immediately warmed my heart. “Yes, honey. And you must be Evy! It’s so nice to meet you.”

I nodded as I walked up to her. “Looks like you’ve already started on the breakfast. That’s one less job for me.”

“Yes, honey. I came in early to set everything up and get used to the new place.”

I frowned as I looked around. “But I thought Jay didn’t have any bacon for his breakfast. And are those cookies?” I pointed at a tray of freshly baked cookies cooling on the counter. For the first time, this kitchen actually smelled incredible.

“Jay?” She looked confused.

I flushed, noticing my slip.Of course, she doesn’t know that you called him Jay, Evy. “I mean Mr. Jameson.”

“Oh, wait, isn’t his middle name Jayden or something? I swear that boy has too many names. As for the food, he will eat anything I give him,” she declared, placing the tray on the table and wiping her hands on the dishcloth.

“But doesn’t he have a strict diet that he follows? He gets mad every time I try to cook him something.”

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