Page 6 of Sweet on Her

“Have a good life, Katrina,” I whisper under my breath when I turn to watch her slink away. My pride is in tatters and I hope that she feels just as messed up.

There’s a small sliver of hope in me. That we can be friends or something.

It can’t be but it’s a comforting thought.

My lips twist and I push those thoughts aside. “Nostalgia is a cruel bitch and I suppose I should thank my lucky stars that I don’t still care about her the way I used to.”

Grunting, I stagger away from her. For the first time in a long time, I don’t dream about her that night. About the day I got that damnable letter and tried to call her only to have the person on the other end tell me that they didn’t know her.

Twenty years and no contact and now here she is. Looking more lovely than the day I first met her.

The day I lost my heart for all time and never fucking got it back. She stole it like she stole everything from me. Even my naive hope.

CHAPTER 4

Kat

“Everything looks good with the papers and I’ve signed and notarized them.”

“That’s wonderful! When are you planning on coming in and working on some new menu items? I’m very excited to see your pastries in person instead of in a picture on the internet.”

“Tomorrow. I’ve got to take care of a few things here first today.”

Like find my damn dad…again.

I’ve been home for three days and in that time, he’s managed to wander off at least once a day. If I didn’t know better I’d say he’s doing it on purpose just to fuck with me.

Dad always hated that I never came home. He didn’t agree with my mom’s wishes and tried to talk me out of running off to Paris to fulfill my dream.

Then again, the man didn’t have a dreamy bone left in his body. Pragmatic until the end, that’s him. I think my mother drove it all out of him.

Not that he didn’t love her. At least in some shape or form. But the way they felt about each other couldn’t possibly feel like the love I had for Hank.

“Hello, Gage. Have you heard anything yet?” I’m getting way too comfortable talking to the Sheriff of Wildwood. But since I’ve had to do it time and again since I got home, I suppose it’s not that surprising.

“Not yet, Kat. But don’t you worry. My guys are looking for him and we’ll find him.”

“Thanks, Gage. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s my job, Kat. Don’t even worry about it.” I hang up my phone and sigh.

It’s been like this since I got home. I can’t relax fully because of it. I want to. Don’t get me wrong. I want to strip down, jump into my big bathtub full of scented bubbles and just let the stress of the day wash away but I know that it’s not going to.

Hanks dark brown gaze fills my mind again.

“Why the hell can’t I just forget about the guy?” I wish I knew. But the truth is, the whole time I was I Paris, I saw Hank behind every corner. He haunted me.

Still does.

I move to the kitchen and set a bowl on the counter, starting to mix up my favorite cupcake recipe. It’s one that I’ve perfected with a dulce de leche cupcake and a sweet whipped frosting with caramel drizzle.

It doesn’t take long to mix it up and then slip it in the oven. I know the recipe so well that I don’t even need a recipe card. Or a cookbook.

Then I sit down on the couch and put my head back, sighing and letting the day’s events wash over me. Letting my head float until I finally drift off.

Smoke fills the room and I come awake, coughing desperately. I look around and see the smoke pouring out of my oven.

“Oh shit!” I yelp, grabbing up the oven mitts from off the counter and flipping the door open, coughing even harder as the black smoke inside pours over me.

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