Chapter 19
Olivia
When Aubrey called this morning and asked if our usual Sunday hangout could be at the bakery, I jumped at the chance. I needed to talk to her about Kade. It might be a little awkward, considering he’s her brother, but if anyone knows him well enough to give me advice, it’s Aubrey.
The familiar chime rings as I step inside, followed by the warm, buttery scent of her famous cinnamon buns.
“Morning, Liv,” Lucy calls from behind the counter. “Aubrey will be right out. If you grab a seat, I’ll bring your coffee over.”
“Can I also get—”
“—a cinnamon bun?” she finishes with a knowing grin. “Already got you.”
“You’re the best,” I say with a smirk, heading for the booth by the window.
I settle into the seat, the sunlight slanting through the window casting soft golden lines across the table. Outside, the street is quiet, slow, and peaceful. It’s one of the many things I love about this small town.
A moment later, Lucy appears with my coffee and a warm cinnamon bun, the icing just beginning to melt and pool along the edges.
“Thanks,” I say softly. She flashes me a quick smile before slipping back behind the counter.
Lucy’s the definition of the girl next door—sweet, approachable, with mid-length blonde hair and bright blue eyes that always seem to be smiling.
According to Aubrey, she lives just a few houses down from Aubrey’s parents.
Their families have always been close, especially since Lucy and Conrad were best friends all through school.
Aubrey swears everyone knew they liked each other long before they admitted it—apparently, it just took them forever to figure it out.
I turn my attention back to the cinnamon bun, tearing off a small piece. The sugar and spice melt across my tongue, grounding me as I try to find the right words for Aubrey. I need to ask her about Kade without sounding like I’m already in too deep. Because maybe I am.
“Okay,” Aubrey says, swooping into the seat across from me like she’s about to break a major story, sunglasses perched on her head and her cheeks still pink from the sun. “Spill it. Don’t make me drag it out of you.”
I grin, lowering my coffee with exaggerated innocence. “You invited me, remember? Who says I’m the one with tea to spill?”
She throws me a look — the kind that says don’t play dumb with me. “Because I saw my brother yesterday, and he had the exact same look on his face that you do right now.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What look is that?”
She leans in, grinning. “The ‘I’m absolutely dying to talk about it but pretending I’m not’ look.”
I just smile, taking a slow sip of my coffee. “Fine,” I say, setting the cup down. “I’ll tell you… if you tell me what happened with you and Trent last night.”
Aubrey blinks. The grin slips right off her face as her mouth opens, then closes again. “What do you mean?” she says, a little too quickly. “He just took me home.”
I arch a brow. “Uh-huh. And?”
She goes quiet — just for a beat too long. The air shifts, just slightly.
I hold up my hands in surrender, offering a soft smile. “Hey, I was just joking. I didn’t mean to make it weird.” I pause, then add, more gently, “I just noticed you two seemed kind of close, that’s all. But it’s none of my business.”
Aubrey gives me a smile — small and tight, the kind that never quite makes it to her eyes. She stares into her coffee like it might give her an excuse not to answer, then finally looks up.
“Trent and I… it’s complicated.” She shrugs, too casually. “He’s just... someone I care about. A lot more than I probably should.”
There’s a beat — just long enough to feel heavy — before she looks away again.
Silence settles between us for a beat, not awkward exactly, but charged with something unspoken.
Then Aubrey clears her throat, eyes flicking up with a grin that’s just a little too bright. “Anyway, we’re not talking about me. So come on, spill it.”
“Kade called me last night.”
“And?” she leans in, eyes wide, practically vibrating with barely-contained excitement.
“And…” I try to play it cool, but the smile tugging at my lips betrays me. “He asked me out. On a date.”
Aubrey lets out a tiny squeal, clapping her hands like she physically can’t hold it in. I burst out laughing.
A slow grin spreads across her face, lighting her up from the inside. “So… what did you say?”
“I said yes.” I smile into my coffee, trying to hide the flutter in my chest.
She squeals again and reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “Liv, I’m so happy for you. You guys… I’ve been hoping this would happen.”
I chew my bottom lip. “Is it weird, though? That he’s your brother?”
She shrugs, her grin softening into something gentler. “Only if he hurts you. But honestly? He won’t. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. Ever.”
Somehow, that makes my heart pound even harder.
“He also… kissed me,” I admit, cheeks flushing warm.
Aubrey lights up. “I love this for you! Seriously. But I’m definitely going to have to separate the whole ‘best friend’ and ‘brother’ thing in my brain, so…
maybe don’t tell me anything past kissing, okay?
Unless you need advice — in which case, I’ll just pretend you’re hooking up with some random and not my actual brother. ”
I nearly choke on my coffee. “Jesus, Aubrey.”
She holds up a finger, deadly serious. “No, listen. These ground rules must be established — because if you ever start talking about all the ways my brother is rocking your world in the bedroom, you are personally funding the therapy I’ll need to erase those mental images.”
I scramble to cover my face, cheeks burning. “O-Okay, yeah, no… no sexy details, not that there are any sexy details. It was just a kiss, really. That’s it.”
Aubrey raises an eyebrow, smirking. “For now.”
I shake my head, still laughing, a warm feeling spreading through me—something more than just the coffee. This—this is what freedom feels like. Messy, imperfect friendships. Cinnamon buns shared over secrets. Someone who’s got my back without asking for anything in return.
Aubrey’s smile flickers, a shadow passing behind her eyes. She hesitates for a beat before speaking.
“You were right, you know.”
I blink, brows knitting together in confusion. “About what?”
“Trent.” She says quietly, eyes fixed on her coffee cup.
I shift closer, my voice softening. “Do you want to talk about it? I mean, I don’t have much experience and probably won’t be able to give very useful advice, but I’m a good listener.”
Aubrey goes quiet for a moment, eyes softening in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. “I’ve been in love with Trent Gibson for as long as I can remember.”
The words hang in the air between us, heavier than gossip—like a truth she’s carried for years and only just now dared to speak aloud.
I swallow, the weight of her words settling around us like a quiet secret. After a moment, I ask softly, “Are things more than just friends between you two?”
Aubrey doesn’t answer right away. She just looks up at me, eyes meeting mine.
There’s something in her gaze—a mixture of vulnerability and something more—that says everything she won’t.
“Have you talked to him about how you’re feeling?” I ask gently.
Aubrey groans, then looks at me again. “No. There are rules, things we agreed to before…” She exhales deeply before continuing, “I’m worried that if I talk to him—about how I’m feeling—it’ll ruin everything.
But at the same time, I’m driving myself crazy.
I have no idea if I’m overthinking every look he gives me, or the things he says.
” She shakes her head. “It’s just so unbelievably messy, and that’s without even adding in the fact that he’s my brother’s best friend. ”
“You deserve to know where you stand, Aubrey. But you’ll never find out unless you talk to him. For all you know, he might be feeling the exact same way—and you’re both just too scared to say it.”
She rests her chin on her hand, thoughtful. “Yeah… maybe.”
“I think you owe it to yourself to find out.”
Aubrey nods slowly, letting out an exaggerated sigh before shaking off the moment as if physically pushing the vulnerability away. “Okay, enough about my tragic love life,” she says, pointing a finger at me. “Let’s get back to the much more exciting news—your date with my brother.”
I offer a small, understanding smile, letting her gently shift the conversation away from herself and back to me. “Alright, what about it?”
Her eyes sparkle. “What are you gonna wear? Where’s he taking you? Has he planned something or is he going full Kade and winging it with charm and a half-smile?”
I snort. “I have no idea. He just said he wanted to take me out, so I guess I’ll find out.”
Aubrey leans back, grinning like she’s already picturing it. “Well, whatever he does, just know he’s probably overthinking every second of it.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah,” she says, nodding. “Kade doesn’t date, Liv. He flirts, he messes around, but this? This is different. You’re different.”
That nervous flutter returns to my stomach, but this time, it’s laced with something warm. Hopeful.
“I’m nervous,” I admit after a second. “Not about him. Just… other than that awful date you set me up on with Cameron, I’m new to all this.”
Aubrey’s expression softens. “You don’t have to know how to do it perfectly. Just show up. Be yourself. He already likes that version of you.”
I nod slowly, her words sinking in. “Thanks. I’m not sure I would have ever survived in this town without you.”
“Anytime,” she says, snagging the last bite of her cinnamon bun. “Now finish your coffee and promise me you’ll call me the second the date’s over. I need a full report—well, not everything, but you know what I mean.”
I grin, warmth blooming in my chest. “Deal.”
It’s moments like this—sitting across from Aubrey, gossiping about dates and teasing each other over cinnamon buns—that make me think of Ivy.
I miss her all at once, sharp and sudden.
I wish she were here too, anchoring me with her steady presence, guiding me through this the way she always used to.
She’d be sitting right here beside Aubrey, smirking over the rim of her coffee cup, probably already planning what I should wear and how I should do my hair. I smile at the thought, even as my chest aches with the longing.
But for now, I have Aubrey—and that means I’m not alone.