Page 41 of I’d Be Honored
“Keep your voice down,” Hayley hissed. “You told me to get to know her, and I was.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Gemma snapped quietly. “I thought you had an open house tonight—what’d you do, fuck her on a kitchen island or something?”
Hayley spluttered, feeling color rise to her cheeks.
“Oh my God. The kitchen island. Seriously, Hay?”
Hayley waved her off. “Look, I promise things won’t get weird. We’re both here being dutiful maids of honor, aren’t we?” She shrugged, the movement tight and unconvincing. “Plus, Maddie knows I don’t date. Hooking up was her idea.”
Gemma rolled her eyes, frustration radiating off her in waves. “You’re slipping, Hay.” She sighed, shaking her head. “First, you invite her back to your apartment, and now this? Maddie isn’t going to be okay with casual sex, you know, no matter what she says.”
Hayley’s instincts had warned her of that when Maddie first agreed to her terms, but she’d ignored it, choosing to trust that Maddie could handle her own emotions.
“You have my word, Gem,” Hayley promised. “If I feel like Maddie’s getting attached in any way, I’ll stop.”
“Which means you intend on sleeping with her again.” Gemma threw her hands into the air. “You’re playing with fire, Hayley.”
A slow smirk pulled at Hayley’s lips. “Maybe, but at least it’s hot.”
Gemma let out a final huff and shoved past her, leading them back out into the sugary air of the bakery.
“Everything okay?” Caitlin asked, her eyebrows pinched together in concern. Beside her, Maddie’s expression mirrored the question.
“Wonderful,” Gemma replied, shooting a final glare at Hayley before retaking their seats.
“Squish, I can’t decide.” Caitlin polished off the piece of red velvet ganache and set down her fork. “They’re just all so good.”
“Same—I’m zero help,” Maddie admitted with a sheepish smile. It looked far too innocent on the face of a woman with a fresh bite mark on her neck, Hayley thought.
She did her best to ignore the strange, unwelcome stirring in her chest as she focused on her own plate, but her gaze kept drifting. A tiny smudge of frosting sat at the corner of Maddie’s mouth, and all Hayley could think about was wiping it away with her tongue.
Get it together, Maddox.
Gemma must have gotten in her head.
Maddie caught Hayley staring and winked, snapping her out of her daydream.
Someone cleared their throat.
“Do you two need a second alone?” Gemma asked, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. She leveled Hayley with a flat, knowing look.
For the first time that night, Caitlin looked between Hayley and Maddie, snorting as she seemed to finally piece together Gemma’s comments.
Hayley blew out a slow, controlled breath. “Well, I think the red velvet was my favorite, but it’s your wedding cake,” she added pointedly. “Your cake, your choice.”
Hayley tuned out while the brides discussed the finer details of the cake’s size, shape, and design. They had ultimately chosen a base of cocoa-scented red velvet ganache, a heart of the classic vanilla sponge, and a crown of spiced carrot cake.
She watched Gemma’s gaze soften when Caitlin requested that the carrot cake be put on top. A soft breath caught in Hayley’s throat, her chest aching, knowing it had been more than just a flavor choice. It was a silent promise to preserve Gemma’s favorite one for their first anniversary.
——
Later that night, all four of them settled outside under the dark sky while Caitlin popped open a new bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The city hummed restlessly around them, but the air on the terrace was thick with the quiet contentment of a day well spent.
“Maddie, would you ever move to New York?” Gemma threw the question out into the silence, about as subtle as a brick.
“I don’t know.” Maddie paused, seeming to genuinely ponder it. “I love LA. It’s the only home I’ve ever known.” She leaned back against the cushions, a playful gleam creeping into her eye. “Manhattan is cool and all, but I’m not sure I get all the hype.”
Hayley scoffed. “Are you kidding me? New York City is so much better than LA.”
