Page 69 of Sugar
That was a handful of months ago, so I check the expiration date and give the box of batter mix a good whiff before deciding it’s fine enough. I grab what I need around the kitchen and get started. By the time a crumpled and sleepy Ava comes padding out of my bedroom, there’s a warm stack of pancakes on the table with all the fixings. I even found a container of strawberries I took from the main house a few days ago and then swiftly forgot about.
“Wow,” she says, eyeing the table with the intensity of an apex predator as she pads out of my bedroom, a pair of my sweatpants rolled at the waistband and hanging loosely from her hips.
I pull a chair out. “Hungry?”
Her gaze swirls across my bare chest peeking out through my robe, that same hunger fastened tight. “Starving,” she says.
My mouth goes dry as I wait for her to sit. When she does, I can’t help my fingers from brushing a section of her hair back over her shoulder, watching as her skin erupts in goosebumps. “Milk?”
“Just water, please.”
I move to grab a cup from the cabinet near the sink. “I really should get out to the barn,” I say, hoping she can’t hear thewantin my voice.
“Okay,” she responds lightly. “I think I’m going to go home—to my dad’s house, I mean—and grab all my things.”
“Surprised he didn’t show up yesterday.”
“Oh, he did.” Her tone is gruff.
I turn to look at her, arching a brow.
“He tried to walk me down the aisle,” she explains. “I basically told him to fuck off.”
“Yikes. Who told him?”
Her eyes go stormy. “Eleanor, that traitor.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, no that’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“What do you need to grab?” I frown. “Anything heavy?”
She smiles, staking four pancakes on the plate I laid out for her. “Nothing heavy. Just some clothes and my laptop. Some files for work. A few bags. I promise it’s not a big deal. I’ll probably only be an hour or two.”
“Okay.” I nod. “You up for dinner at my parents’ tonight?”
She accidentally squeezes out a huge glob of syrup, worry creasing between her brows. “Oh—um, yeah! Definitely. That sounds great.”
Liar, I think, amused. “No one’s gonna bite, I promise.”
She pushes her tongue into her cheek. “Right. Of course.” Turning her gaze to me, she asks, “Anything I can bring?”
I shake my head. “Why don’t you rest when you get back? Take the day to . . . settle in. There’s a tub in my bathroom I’ve never used. Plenty of movies to stream. Whatever you want.”
Ava gives me a long look before she tilts her head and smirks. “Are you trying to take care of me?”
“No.” I bristle. “But you’ve had a lot thrown at you the last few weeks. I’m sure all that stress isn’t good for . . .” I’m not sure how to finish the sentence. Stress isn’t good for her? Forthe baby? Who am I to say what’s good for either of them?
I need to get the fuck out of here.
“Look, just rest. The cabin is yours—take whatever you need.”
I don’t give her a chance to respond before I march back into my bedroom to shower and change. By the time I come back out, the table is cleared, the dishes rinsed and drying by the sink, and her Range Rover is already gone.
“Didn’t expectto see you this morning,” Rhett teases as soon as he sees me. “Surprised you’re not handcuffed to your headboard, or rubbing oil over your wife’s ti?—”
“Knock it off, Rhett.” I shoot him a dark glare.
