Chapter 21
21
DORIE
I stood in front of the mirror and turned left and right for what felt like the hundredth time.
I stepped back, looking myself over. “It’s just game night,” I muttered under my breath. “Not a gala.”
But it didn’t feel like just game night. It felt like stepping into a world I didn’t belong in—a world of sprawling mansions and people who probably had monogrammed napkins at their dinner parties. And then there was Kaisen, who was so ridiculously good-looking that it almost felt unfair. Kaisen, who had somehow managed to worm his way into my life—and into my thoughts—more than I wanted to admit.
I’d made an effort to dress up for the occasion, wearing tight black jeans and a shirt that showed off my curves in a flattering way. I’d even woken up extra early to give myself a blowout, pinning the curls back all day at work so they’d look decent tonight.
I was exhausted. My feet hurt and I wanted nothing more than to fall into bed, but this game night was important to Eliza. I couldn’t back out. Never mind the fact I had started baking Eliza’s grand wedding cake layers. I tested a few of the complicated flavors she wanted. There were hits and misses but I was confident I had gotten it all dialed in. There was still a lot more to do, but I ran out of time.
I grabbed my bag and double-checked that I had the bottle of wine I’d picked up on the way home from the bakery. It wasn’t expensive, but I hoped no one would notice.
My phone chimed, letting me know my Uber was arriving. I walked out and waited before climbing into the car. I stifled a yawn, forcing myself to be alert. I didn’t want to be a drag at the party.
I was feeling confident as I knocked on the door, but that confidence was quickly tested when Eliza and her friends ambushed me the second I stepped inside. I thought I looked cute, but these women were all gorgeous and fashionable.
I suddenly felt small and out of place.
“Dorie!” Eliza squealed, pulling me into a hug. “You made it!”
I nervously laughed, hugging her back. “Of course I made it. I wouldn’t miss this.”
Eliza’s friends—mostly girls she’d known since college—crowded around me. Eliza made the introductions. They were all friendly, but I was obviously not part of their crowd. They were all polished and poised, their designer clothes and perfect makeup making me feel a little out of place. But I held my own, smiling and laughing as we talked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Kaisen leaning against the massive fireplace in the living room. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a fitted sweater, his arms crossed as he chatted with Cullen and a few of the groomsmen. Our eyes met for a moment. I felt my cheeks heat when his gaze dipped to my chest and back up again. But before I could process what that look meant, Eliza was dragging me into the kitchen, her friends trailing behind us.
“Come get a drink,” Eliza said. “I need to pull out the stuffed mushrooms. I hope they’re decent. We had to use all frozen apps for tonight.”
“We should have had Dorie bake for us,” one of the women said.
I forced a tight smile. It was a little offensive. Like I was the help instead of the sister of the bride.
Eliza opened the oven and peered in. “I don’t know, Dorie, what do you think?”
I could already see where this was going. “Let me look.”
I leaned over the oven, letting the heat brush my face as I inspected the stuffed mushrooms. They looked fine, if a little overdone on the edges. “They’re good,” I said, standing back up. “Just a couple more minutes and they’ll be perfect. You might want to pull them out before the cheese starts browning too much. That’s a pro tip.”
Eliza nodded, grabbing a pair of mitts. “Got it. You’re a lifesaver, Dorie.” She shot me a grateful smile before turning her attention back to the oven.
The other women had already moved on to pouring drinks and chatting about something I couldn’t quite catch. I lingered by the counter, fiddling with the stem of my glass. I took a sip of wine, hoping it would loosen the knot in my chest. I felt so out of place, even though everyone had been friendly and welcoming.
Kaisen and the guys drifted into the kitchen.
“Can you help me with more of these apps?” Eliza asked.
“Of course.”
“Please let Dorie help,” Kaisen joked. “Anything to keep Eliza from setting the kitchen on fire.”
Eliza swatted at him with an oven mitt, laughing. “Shut it, Kaisen. I’ll have you know I’m a perfectly capable chef.”
“Capable of what? Burning water?” Cullen teased.
Everyone laughed. Even I couldn’t help but smile. I opened the boxes of mozzarella cheese sticks and jalapeno poppers. While I put the food in the oven, everyone else was eating the other appetizers and chatting. I did feel like the help a bit but I also wanted mozzarella sticks. My craving for junk food triumphed over any bruises to my ego.
“This is such a nice house,” one of the women said. “Do you live nearby?”
It was cute they thought I actually lived in a house similar to this.
“No, I live on the other side of town,” I said.
“I wish I could bake all day and live in a cute little seaside town,” another said. “Your life must be so easy.”
I forced a smile, biting back the urge to tell her that running a bakery was anything but easy. “It has its moments,” I said lightly, trying to keep the conversation moving.
The comments kept coming, each one hitting like a paper cut—small but sharp.
“I mean, I could never,” the woman said. “I’d get so bored just standing in a kitchen all the time.” She sipped her wine, her perfectly manicured nails glinting under the kitchen light.
“Yeah,” another chimed in, her tone just as sweet but her words just as cutting. “But it’s great you found something you’re good at, right? Not everyone can handle a high-pressure job. You’re lucky you don’t have to deal with all that stress.”
I clenched the edge of the counter, my smile plastered on like frosting over a cracked cake. “Yeah,” I said, my voice tight. “No stress baking a thousand pastries before six a.m.”
One of them—Samantha, I think her name was—leaned in closer, her designer perfume overpowering the scent of the baking appetizers. “You know, I bet you could make a killing selling your stuff at farmers’ markets or something. Like, little side hustle stuff. It’s not exactly fine dining, but it’s cute, you know?”
I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and frustration. These women had no idea what it took to run a small business, let alone the challenges I faced just to keep my bakery afloat. I had half a mind to grab my mozzarella sticks and go, but I reminded myself they weren’t intentionally being hurtful. They were just naturally bitchy. Might as well ask a fish not to swim.
“Actually, the bakery keeps me plenty busy,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “I don’t really have time for side hustles.”
Samantha just laughed, tossing her perfectly highlighted hair over her shoulder. “Girl, you need to learn to work smarter, not harder. If I had your skills, I’d be cashing in left and right.”
The other women murmured in agreement, nodding along as if I was somehow wasting my potential by not monetizing every aspect of my life.
“I’m happy making good food for good folks,” I said. “It might not be glamorous but it’s mine.”
Thankfully, the ladies moved on to talking about some new restaurant in town. I made myself at home in the kitchen, pulling out serving trays and finding refrigerated dips in the fridge. By the time I got crackers and sliced cheese, the mozzarella sticks were done. My mouth watered with joy.
I looked up and saw Kaisen’s eyes on me. Every time I glanced his way, he was looking at me, his expression unreadable. He’d been quiet while everyone else was yammering. Eliza was talking about the venue and the menu with her friends all chiming in with judgmental comments.
Kaisen tilted his head toward one of the exits off the kitchen. I frowned, questioning him with my eyes. He jerked his head again before he walked out. My frown deepened when I looked at the sizzling cheese sticks. They were too hot to grab but too tempting to leave. I sighed. Kaisen better appreciate the sacrifice I was making.
I excused myself from the group and followed him into the hallway. He pulled me aside, his hand resting lightly on my arm.
“Hey,” he said, his voice low. “How have you been?”
“Good,” I said.
“Ignore them,” he said. “They have no clue what you do.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care. I know I’m not like them.”
“Which is a good thing,” he said. “I haven’t heard from you all week. Everything okay?”
I shrugged, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing. “I’ve been busy. So have you, from the looks of it. Babysitting Cullen’s friends must be exhausting.”
He chuckled, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “You had a little icing there.”
“I do not,” I murmured.
“Okay. You’re right. I just wanted to touch you.”
I froze, my breath catching. His eyes locked on mine, and for a moment all I could focus on was him. His mouth. The butterflies in my stomach were back, fluttering wildly as I held his gaze.
“Oh,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leaned closer, his tone softening. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“We are talking,” I said.
“Maybe we could go upstairs and talk more,” he said. His tone was full of suggestion. I didn’t know why, but I was actually considering the idea. That kiss in his car had been haunting me. I wanted more.
Eliza burst into the hallway, her cheeks flushed and her steps a little unsteady. The wine was clearly working its magic.
“There you are!” she exclaimed, grabbing my arm. “We’re starting the game now. Come on you guys!”
Kaisen and I quickly stepped apart, the moment shattered. I shot him an apologetic look as Eliza dragged me back to the living room with her friends. The group settled on couches and chairs. Kaisen and I ended up on opposite sides of the room, him leaning against the fireplace and me perched on the edge of an armchair.
The snack trays were spread across the coffee table and I elbowed my way toward the mozzarella sticks. If I couldn’t have Kaisen, I could have ooey gooey battered cheese. It was a thin silver lining but I would take what I could get.
“This is a game of question and answer,” Eliza said. She went on to explain the rules, her voice bubbly with excitement that was clearly amplified by the booze. “Since we all know each other so well, this should be easy.”
I bit back a sigh. I didn’t know most of these people nearly as well as they knew each other. I hadn’t gone to college with them or lived in the city, and I felt like an outsider in my own sister’s circle. I smiled and stuffed my mouth, determined to make the best of it.
Cullen arrived with a bowl filled with scraps of paper, each one bearing a name. The guys had to draw a name to determine their partner for the game. I watched as Kaisen smirked at Cullen, murmuring something about how he hated things like this and was only doing it for Cullen’s sake. But when Cullen handed him a scrap of paper, Kaisen unfolded it and his eyes immediately found mine across the room.
My mouth went dry at the smile he shot me. I gulped my cheese stick down with some difficulty and held his gaze, hoping I didn’t have any crumbs on my face. He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes was enough to make my stomach flip. I didn’t need to see the name on the paper to know who he’d drawn.
“Looks like we’re partners,” he said, his voice carrying across the room.