Page 35 of Tempt Me

“Caden, as in Caden Everton.”

“The very same.”

I grab some lip gloss and apply it hastily in my bathroom mirror. Luke is picking me up soon to have dinner with his parents at Osteria Fortuna. I’m suddenly wishing I had waited to have this conversation with Charlotte. But I was just so excited about the booth.

“You do realize this means you’ll need to be in contact with him, right?”

I swallow hard. “Yes.”

“Do you really think that’s the best idea?”

I bristle. “It’s not like I have a lot of other options. He’s also helping me get a permit. Finn is in charge of them so Caden said it would be no problem.”

“Fucking Caden Everton,” Charlotte mutters. “Swooping in with his permits and his giant arms to build you a booth. Like that will make up for hurting you. And now I can’t even be mad at him, because this is so fucking amazing that you’re having your own Magnolia Day booth!”

I grin. “Life is hard.”

She chuckles, then sighs. “He’s clear on the fact that you’re not available, right?”

“Yes,” I say. “You do remember him fleeing the Crooked Screw after he saw my ring.”

“I just don’t want him trying to weasel his way back into your good graces after all he put you through.”

“I don’t think he’s trying to weasel into anything.”

“Oh, you can bet that gorgeous ass of yours he is,” Charlotte says. “I saw the way he looked at you in the Screw.” My stomach dips. “But whatever. This isn’t about Caden. We are going to sell the shit out of your macarons. Oh, make the dulce de leche ones, those are my faves. And make your conchas! You know my dad can’t resist those.”

“Okay,” I say, laughing. “You and Grace can be my taste testers as I sort out what to bake.”

“Done,” Charlotte says.

“I’ve gotta run, I’m having dinner with Luke and his parents at Osteria tonight.”

“Wow, so you’ve got them slumming it.”

I roll my eyes. “They like Osteria.” At least, Luke does. I think Lucille prefers to host dinner parties rather than dine out in Magnolia Bay.

“Sure,” Charlotte says. “Talk to you later.”

I hang up and look at myself in the mirror.

“I can handle this,” I say to my reflection. I grab a brush and start combing out my hair. No matter what Charlotte says, I am determined to accept Caden’s help graciously and then be done with him. Maybe I’ll get desensitized the more he’s around. My heart can stop performing acrobatics every time I see him.

I’m sure it’s just residual emotion, leftover from so many years of heartache. It would probably be stranger if Ididn’tfeel anything.

My phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number.

You’ve got your permit. Finn will email you the confirmation tomorrow.

Despite my recent determination, my heart does a spectacular backflip and ends up somewhere behind my left ear. But before I can reply, my phone buzzes again.

This is Caden, by the way.

Noah gave me your number.

For a moment, I consider not responding. Makinghimwait and wonder if he’ll ever hear from me again

But I’m not that vindictive. At the end of the day, I’m dependable Isla. I won’t let Caden change that.

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