Page 114 of The Candlemaker

“It was so long ago. When she gave it to me, I thought it meant my business becausechandlermeans candlemaker.”

His eyes went wide. “This was why she was so excited when she met me…”

Again, I nodded.

“So, all this time, I’ve been your destiny, and you’re only telling me now?” he rumbled and stepped closer.

“I like to keep my cards close,” I murmured softly.

He cupped my cheek and tilted my head up. “No, you don’t like being told what to do.”

A whisper of a smile teased my lips. Months ago, I would’ve hated the idea of someone knowing me this well, but now I ached for it—for him like a drug.

I swayed toward him, my gaze drifting toward his mouth. “No one told me I had to fall in love with you.”

I watched the rush of air pull through his perfect lips. Watched a different kind of fire ignite in his gaze.He reached for me, his intent clear.

“Wait, your label?—”

He balled it in his fist. “You’re it for me, Frankie. I never needed it written down,” he growled and kissed me.

My curiosity melted under his caress.The hard press of his lips. The deep swipe of his tongue. And then he drew back with a curse.

At first, I thought it was because he realized we were in the middle of my mom’s kitchen and not the most private place for us to…but a second later, the real reason appeared.

He dropped the crumpled label on the counter and pulled out his phone, the screen lit up with an incoming call. “I have to take this. I’m sorry.”

I started to catch my breath as soon as he left the room, but my heart I was afraid was too far gone.

“Frankie?”

I smiled at my mom. “What’s up?” I went to the sinkbefore she could get a good look at my face. “Lou and Gigi are outside,” I offered up as a distraction.

“I’ll talk to your sister later. I don’t want to overwhelm her.” Mom sighed, always aware of what was going on.

“I told her it could mean anything. It doesn’t have to meanthat.”

Mom hummed, not taking the bait. “Is everything okay with Chandler? I saw him rush out of the room.”

I swallowed through the tightness in my throat. “Yeah. Just a work call.”

“This late on a Saturday?”

I breathed out slowly. “It’s a big acquisition.”

She hummed again and waited. Unfortunately for me, I could only scrub a cutting board for so long, and when I turned, she was waiting for me. Mom stood on the opposite side of the counter, her arms crossed and her expression firm. She looked regal.

“I’m going to tell you what I plan on telling your sister,” she said and rounded the counter until she was in front of me. “Neither of you are going to settle for anything less than you deserve.”

A cry bubbled from my chest, and she pulled me to her in a tight hug. I wanted to ignore it—the doubt itching in the center of my chest—but now, her words wouldn’t let me. As much as Chandler had made me a priority. As much as he’d melted away all my anger and distrust and fear, there was still this: his dedication to his business. The common ground we’d had when we met. A thing I’d once admired was now the thing that could harm me.

But I didn’t deserve to come in second place in the life of a man I loved. And neither did our baby.

Mom squeezed, and then, with a murmured, “I loveyou,”went back to the living room, leaving me with nothing but those last words.

And Chandler’s label.

I couldn’t stop myself, my emotions were like a tangled, thorny knot in my chest. I grabbed the slip like it would inflate into a lifesaver. Instead, the word gutted me.

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