Page 53 of The Accidental Honeymoon

I meet her gaze head-on. Cora doesn’t blink. I respect that. She’s the gatekeeper. The enforcer. I get it.

“Well.” I keep a straight face. “I figured marrying your sister was the fastest way to get the secret family baklava recipe.”

Calla snorts, trying to stifle her laughter. The tension around the table cracks like an egg. For a brief moment, we’re all just people sharing a joke.

But Cora isn’t done. “I’m serious here. Calla’s not some... someprojectfor you to take on in order to boost your brand, or whatever it is you do.”

I nod and shift in my seat to face her fully. “I understand where you’re coming from. You’re protective of your sisters. You should be. But I promise you, Cora, this isn’t a game to me. Calla’s important. I’ll do everything I can to take care of her.”

The sincerity in my voice surprises even me. It’s not a line or an act and Cora seems to sense that. Though her eyes remain skeptical, she doesn’t press further.

Iris, ever the peacemaker, claps her hands. “Okay, okay. No more grilling. Let’s just be happy for them.”

The conversation lightens up after that. We share theridiculous details of the “proposal.” Even Cora seems less worried, despite herself.

Outside, Iris gives Calla a big hug, whispering something to her that I can’t hear, but that makes her smile.

Cora approaches, then pauses, looking between us like she’s weighing her next words. “Take care of her.” Her voice softens as she speaks directly to me. “That girl deserves the world. If you aren’t prepared to give it to her, you should let her down easy. And do it sooner rather than later.”

Whoa. How much does Cora know?

Unsure, I nod. “Thanks. I plan to.”

As they walk away, I glance at Calla. She’s watching them. Her expression is unreadable.

“Well.” She exhales a long breath once they round the corner. “That could have been worse.”

“Your sisters are great.” I keep my tone light. “I especially liked the part where Cora basically threatened to murder me.”

Calla laughs. A real one this time. Her shoulders relax for the first time all day. “She knows that our marriage is fake. She’s just protective. Besides, you’ll live.”

“Hope so.” I step closer, letting my tone drop a notch. “Because I’m starting to really enjoy this whole ‘pretend marriage’ thing.”

Her eyes flick to mine. The air between us shifts. Tension. Heat. Whatever you want to call it, it’s there. Undeniable.

“Jay...” she starts. Her voice is uncertain.

But I’m already leaning in. My hand brushes her waist as I close the distance. When our lips meet, it’s soft at first. Tentative, like we’re both testing the waters. Then it deepens. It’s a rush of something neither of us can deny anymore.

When we finally pull back, she looks at me. Her cheeks are flushed. Her breathing is shallow. “This is a bad idea.” Her whisper cuts through the tension. “It’s dangerous.”

I smile. I brush a strand of hair from her face. “Life’s more fun when it’s a little dangerous.”

eighteen

JAY

I pushopen the glass door of You Butter Believe It. The scent of freshly baked bread and sugar hits me like a baseball bat to the face. Calla is behind the counter, decorating a cookie with her lips screwed up in a crooked line of concentration. When she looks up to see me, those lips burst into a smile. "Jay! I thought you were sending your crew."

"I decided to give them the day off." I shrug like it's no big deal. "Figured I could handle it solo. Plus, it's more fun this way."

Calla's eyes sparkle with excitement. "More fun, huh? Well, I'm all for fun. What do you want to film?"

I set my camera bag on the counter and pull out my handheld. "I was thinking a Valentine's Day cupcake-making class. You show me how it's done. I pretend not to ruin everything."

She laughs. The sound is like tinkling glass. "Pretend, huh? This should be good."

We move to the kitchen. Calla starts pulling out ingredients while I set up my camera and do a quick intro. Iexplain that we're at the famous You Butter Believe It with the talented Calla Rustin. She waves and bites her lip, looking adorably nervous.

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