Page 345 of Love Bites

Maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

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Four hours,three hundred macarons, and way too much red food coloring later, and I had to admit—my day hadn’t been too bad. Save for being caught post-sex by my date’s son whom I’d also slept with and the fact that my heart was completely shattered from the idea of never seeing Magnus again. But, hey—I had my iPod blaring in my ears, and all the trays of pink macarons looked amazing. What more could I ask for?

Yes, thatwasactually the saddest thing I’d ever thought in my entire life. Positive thoughts and all that.

Misty popped back to check on me a few times, but my sisters shooed her away to the customer area. They were taking their promise of me not seeing anyone seriously—and that anyone included our foxy customer service person, apparently. That was fine with me—I wasn’t ready to explain what had happened.

Of course, no plan ever went perfectly. Especially not when dealing with a wily fox. At one point, as I was lining up pink macarons to place into the delivery boxes, a hand appeared in front of my face and ripped out my earbuds.

“Hey,” I squeaked.

Misty stood on the other side of the prep counter looking almost livid. “What the hell happened?”

I glanced around, not seeing my sisters. Of course.

“The duo of fox blockers is dealing with a wedding cake crisis,” she said, looking almost smug. “You and I are alone, and you’re going to tell me what happened before I assume the worst and call for my family to hunt down that dog.”

I loved her protectiveness, I really did, but it was so misplaced. And Isowasn’t telling her anything. I couldn’t. “Nothing happened. I don’t know what you mean.”

The glare Misty shot me practically sizzled. “Oh, really? You have no idea what might have made you hide out like some sort of felon on the run from the law? Or what caused your sisters to block me from the back of the bakery because, and I quote, ‘Coco can’t deal with life right now.’”

Okay, that was a little much. “I can deal with life.”

“But not me. And not Magnus.”

My heart lurched at his name. “There’s nothing to deal with there.”

If her eyebrow rise could talk, it would be saying “Bitch, please.”

“Really? Then why has he shown up at our door five times today, looking like a man whose heart’s been shattered? Why does he keep coming back even after I told him you won’t see him?”

Won’t…couldn’t was the better word. I couldn’t face him after that morning. Couldn’t deal with seeing the disgust on his face. Couldn’t deal with having to listen to him end whatever it was we had. I simply couldn’t. “He’ll leave town after the wedding. Everything will settle back down.”

Her face—always so expressive—went slack. “Leave town.”

“Yes, leave town. Look, Misty—I know things are a little weird today, but I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to get these cookies for tonight’s rehearsal dinner finished so I can go home and drown myself in a hot bath, a bottle of Malbec, and maybe some sort of ridiculously sugary ice cream. Is that too much to ask?”

“You have no idea,” she said with a shake of her head. “He won’t stop coming to see you, and he’s certainly not just leaving town. I’m going to kill him for not telling you.”

“Telling me what?”

She pursed her lips. “It’s not my place to say.”

“Then skip it altogether because it doesn’t matter. I screwed up. Either that or your beloved fates have a really sick sense of humor. Either way, it’s over. There’s no coming back from…what happened.”

We stood staring at one another, silent…battling with our eyes. I refused to give in, and she refused to back down. At least until the ding of the bell announcing a customer chimed through the shop. Pulling the boss card might have been a low blow, but I took it.

“I think you’re needed up front.”

Misty scowled but turned, walking away without another word. At least not until she made it to the doors separating the kitchen from the sales floor.

“He won’t stop, he won’t leave, and that pain gnawing at your chest will only get worse. You don’t want to tell me what happened…fine. But you will eventually. When you’re ready, I’ll still be here for you even if you are being a bit of a jerk right now.”

I crumpled the second the door swooshed closed behind her. Iwasbeing a jerk. But I was hurt and embarrassed, and the last thing I wanted to do was relive this morning over and over again. Better to forget—to push everything out of my mind and let myself fall into my work.

Misty was right about one thing—someday, I’d tell her what happened. But she was wrong too. No way would Magnus keep coming after me. He had an entire life outside of Kinship Cove to live. He wouldn’t give that up for me.

Especially not after finding out about Nico and me.

But I couldn’t focus on all that. Instead, I slipped my earbuds back in and cranked up the volume. I still had cookies to finish. A job to do. The perfect distraction from the shambles my life had become.

Macarons to the rescue.

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