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“I’m baking.” I shrug.

She slowly nods. “I can see.”

I pull out more mixing bowls to whip up more ingredients, and just as I’m pouring more sugar in, the oven goes off. My hands are full, and Kayla jumps into action, pulling cupcake tins out of the oven, one after another and setting them on the stove.

“So, what’s the occasion?”

I start laughing as I shove the other four pans of muffins in the oven like it’s no big deal. “Some people are stress eaters. I’m a stress baker.”

“So, you’re making one hundred muffins for nothing? Who’s going to eat all this?” she asks, curiosity written all over her face.

“It’s only ninety-six muffins. You can have some. I’ll bring them to work. Give some to the neighbor. Make Drew bring them to work. They disappear, trust me,” I say, knowing one time I was able to pawn three hundred muffins on different people in one day.

“I’ll deliver them to Drew’s partner for you.”

I give her a side-glance.

“I’m sure he’d be all for it.” I encourage her.

She rolls her eyes. “Enough about him. The last thing I heard you woke up in Drew’s bed and I’ve been left in suspense ever since. So, spill it,” she says with a sweet smile on her face.

“Well, there isn’t much to tell since he doesn’t remember anything. I’m scared that maybe Drew’s ashamed or embarrassed. I’m afraid I was nothing but a one-night stand. What if I’m a rebound fuck? Or maybe he’s not over Mia and thinks it was all one giant mistake and it’s easier to pretend it didn’t happen than to talk about it. I don’t want it to be awkward, but I can’t straight-up ignore him. He’s going to have three days off, which happen to fall on a weekend, which means I’ll be off. And we always hang out on our weekends off when Mia’s not in the picture.”

Kayla just shakes her head as she listens, disagreeing with every word I say. “It’s good to get out your fears, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Do you know what will solve all of this?”

“What’s that?”

“Talk to him.”

I sigh.

“You need to pull up your big girl panties and see what he has to say. Maybe he thinks it was a mistake. If that’s the case, it’s better for you to know where you two stand than for you to slowly lose your mind thinking about it. And what if he doesn’t? You won’t know until you talk to him.”

“Wow. You’re like Viola 2.0.”

She smiles. “I’ll accept that. I love her.”

“I do, too,” I say. “But honey, I have plenty of room in my heart for more friends.”

“Southerners,” she says, shaking her head with a smile.

The oven starts beeping with the second round of muffins, and Kayla grabs the mitts as I place cork cooling boards down on the counter. Carefully she places each pan on top. She’s a natural at this.

“They smell delicious.”

“Wait until they cool and we have them with milk. We might eat all ninety-six ourselves.” I give her a big smile.

“I’m okay with that! So, you’re going to talk to him, right?” she asks as I begin removing the cooled muffins from the baking pans and placing them on a tray.

“I don’t know. I’m not even sure what to say.”

She starts helping me pull the muffins from the pans, and I give her a small smile.

“Just say what’s in your heart. You can’t go wrong with that.”

“I’m worried I’ll end up losing one of my best friends, but I know I can’t keep pretending it never happened. It’ll eat me alive.”

“Or baking dozens of muffins in the meantime.”

I laugh. “Oh, I’m already there.” I brush my hands on my apron and turn to give her a big hug, regardless if I have flour all over my clothes and face. I already know we’re going to be best friends.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DREW

After four long days of working twelve-hour shifts, I’m more than ready for a day off. After several months of working various rotations, my body’s schedule gets messed up regularly. Working out helps me blow off steam, but sometimes I just need to sleep it off.

Getting home at 3 AM Thursday, I’m ready to pass out before I walk in the door. Relieved to have the next three days off, I can’t help thinking about Courtney and what she’s been up to this week. We normally catch up over the weekends when we’re both off work, but I have a feeling this weekend isn’t going to be like the others.

I sleep later than I mean to, but once I’m up, I drink my shake and head to the gym. It’ll get my head back on track even when it feels like a tornado has blown through it. I’ve been overthinking everything that’s happened lately and the blowout with Mia over two weeks ago. I’ve refused to call her like I normally would after an argument. I’d beg and plead for her to talk to me over her voicemail, and when she’d finally call back, on her terms, she’d dangle the carrot in my face just long enough until I cave and say what she wants to hear. She held all the cards, and she knew it, but that’s the last time that’ll happen. I haven’t attempted to call or text her, and I bet it’s driving her absolutely crazy.