Page 49 of Tangled Vows

“Thank you,” I said, surprise and gratitude thickening my throat. Here was a man who’d never cooked before we met, making sure I had a nutritious breakfast. I believed food was a whole love language in and of itself. Easton may not have loved me, but this showed he cared, and that was all I could ask of him. Maybe when this was over, we could remain friends. I just had to make sure I didn’t lose my heart to him in the process.

“Gotta take care of my girl.” He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to my forehead, lingering for a moment before pulling away. Butterflies erupted in my chest, sending my pulse fluttering with the sweet gesture. I had to remind myself it was all for show. I couldn’t risk falling for the ruse. I certainly couldn’t risk falling for Easton, but I feared there was nothing I could do to stop it.

“What doyou have planned for Easton’s birthday?” Roni asked as we stood next to each other rolling homemade pie dough. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving—the whole reason they were visiting—so we were making all the desserts ahead of time. I paused, my flour-covered rolling pin hanging in mid-air as Itried to think of a believable reply. I had no idea when Easton’s birthday was.

Noticing my hesitation, she let out a low chuckle. “He didn’t tell you, did he?” she asked, and I shook my head. “That figures.” She let out a sigh, and I pressed my rolling pin into the pile of dough before me.

“When is it?” I asked in a low tone as though someone would overhear and expose me as a fraud.

“December first,” she replied, mirroring my volume.

“Shit,” I hissed.

“We always celebrate when we’re together for the holidays,” she informed me casually.

“What do you usually do?”

“When we were kids, before our parents passed, they always took us out for pizza at the arcade. The food wasn’t anything special. It was all about the atmosphere and the games. Easton loved it.” A soft smile played over her lips as she recalled the memory. “Once they were gone, our grandparents continued the tradition. We’ve kept it going strictly for the sake of nostalgia.”

“Okay,” I replied, trying to formulate a plan. “There's a pizza shop in town that has a play room with a bunch of arcade games. Maybe we can hit that up this weekend.” Her smile faltered.

“We have to fly home Saturday morning. Max has games.”

“Friday night then?” I wanted to ensure his family was included. They were important to him. I couldn't leave them out.

“That sounds great.”

“Everyone else will be wiped from Black Friday shopping, so it shouldn’t be too crowded,” I added teasingly.

“You’re probably right,” she agreed.

We continued to talk as we finished prepping the pies. It felt so easy and natural. I enjoyed getting to know her better.

Easton came through just as I placed two pumpkin pies in the oven. He was heading to the arena to start his pregame routine.The rest of us would head that way later to catch the game. Easton’s grandpa, David, hadn’t seen him play live in a long time, and I was excited for him to experience it. The atmosphere inside the Wraiths’ arena was unmatched. The team was young and energetic, still hungry for the game and determined to make their mark.

37

SHAYLA

Ipaced at the end of the bed as I waited for Easton to finish saying goodnight to his family. We would have to share a bed tonight. My stomach was doing somersaults just thinking about him being so close while we slept. Thankfully he had a king-size bed, so we wouldn’t even have to touch. The problem was I wanted to.

It was still such a shock to want him as badly as I did. Only a couple months ago, I vowed to hate him forever, but he’d been slowly winning me over. He showed me how kind, generous, and sweet he could be.

The question was, did he feel the same about me? I was convinced he wanted nothing to do with me physically, but the moment we shared in the kitchen yesterday morning made me question everything. He looked at me like I was the entire dessert table, and he was dying for a taste.

The bedroom door creaked open, and I jumped, turning toward the sound. Easton stepped inside and pulled the door closed. I gulped at the prospect of being shut in here with him.

“You’re still up,” Easton remarked, taking a hesitant step toward me.

“I wasn’t sure what side you slept on,” I replied as an excuse. The truth was, I’d damn near worn a hole in the carpet with my pacing. Nervous didn’t even begin to describe how I felt. If he sensed my unease, he didn’t let on.

“That side,” he offered, pointing to the left side of the bed. That made sense since it was closer to the bathroom.

“Cool,” I replied awkwardly, then wanted to kick myself. “I’ll just set up over here.” I went to the opposite side, placed my phone on the nightstand, and plugged my charger in behind the lamp.

I straightened and faced him, wiping my damp palms down the legs of my sweatpants. He watched me curiously which only served to amp up my nervousness. “So…” I began, unsure what to say.

“I’m going to hop in the shower. Make yourself at home.”

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