I smile at him. “Her friends.”
Drew laughs lightly. “Her friends. Sure.”
We are both quiet for a long moment. I don’t really know what to say. Without knowing how Dana feels, I can’t really push him to make a move. And also, having been on the other side of ruining a friendship, I sympathize with his plight.
“Things are just fine the way they are right now,” Drew says firmly. “I’d rather have Dana in my life like this than not at all.”
Damn, this man is so romantic. It makes me want to scream. When is it my turn?
“You’re a good egg, Drew,” I say.
He scratches his hand through the scruff on his cheek. “I’m alright. Okay. I should get back to work and then get out of your hair.”
“You’re the best,” I say with a smile.
“I’m not–”
“Take the damn compliment!”
He laughs. “Aright, alright.”
I start to leave the kitchen but stop when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Text from Fran. Jesus…I don’t know if I can take this right now. Any talk of the Seton lot right now sends my thoughts right toward Axel and where there are thoughts of Axel there are thoughts of our bodies entangled in my living room and where there are thoughts of –
My brain goes blank when I open her text.
It’s a picture. Of Axel Hitchins. Wearing a perfectly tailored suit and looking finer than I’d like to admit.
Around his neck hangs an auburn-haired beauty.
And…they’re kissing.
A text appears under the picture.
Competition trying to repair their image by literally sucking up.
Followed by a series of eye roll and expletive faced emojis.
Another text.
Pathetic.
I don’t have words. And I know better than to scroll back up and look at the picture. But curiosity is getting the best of me.
I look at the picture until I’m frowning so hard my forehead might stay like that.
So, not only is he going to try and thwart me at every turn but he’s going to suck face with a glamorous heiress or businesswoman or whoever the fuck? Right after we–not that it meant anything, but –
Why is my heart breaking? Why am I feeling like this? I hate him, don’t I?
I clench my phone in my hand and feel my hands start to shake. “God fucking dammit.”
“What’s wrong? You okay?”
I turn around, remembering Drew is still in the room with me. I try to smile. “Oh, you know. Just have to curse every now and then to get that negative energy out. Namaste, etc.”
Drew frowns, but nods. “Makes sense.”
“Sorry,” I mutter and then go back to the front of the bakery. Always easy to pass off my weird quirks as hippy dippy behavior. Gotta take the wins when I can.