Page 30 of Merry Fake Bride

Kairo doesn’t look entirely convinced and he leans forward slightly as if trying to examine my fingers from afar.

As he does, the beads at his neck dangle forward and force the silk lapels of his shirt to drift open an inch further.

It’s suddenly very hot in this kitchen and I quickly scold myself for thinking anything of the sort.

There’s no alcohol here or I’m certain I’d climb him again without a second thought.

“I’m okay, really.” To persuade him, I remove my fingers from the water and start drying them on a fresh towel. “See?” I hold them up. “Pink and tender, but they’re fine. You moved really fast.”

The concern remains in his eyes even as he nods. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Having him back here breaks more rules than I can think of, but I’d rather not involve Faith, so I take him up on his offer.

Under my guidance, he opens certain windows and starts the convection fans to clear the smoke, then he checks over the oven for any damage.

Luckily, there’s nothing.

The only casualties from this are the too-high edges of the parchment paper on which the strudels rest.

Together, we pry them gently from their home and onto cooling racks and Kairo helps mix up the cranberry and cherry jams to spread over the top of them.

He’s strong enough to get a consistency that would take me at least ten minutes, or thirty, given the cast on my arm.

“How is your arm, by the way?” Kairo asks while holding the bowl with both arms.

I reach inside, scoop out a glob of jam with my spoon, and then dollop it onto the still-warm strudel.

“It’s fine. I don’t really feel anything, actually. My parents want me to rest, but I needed to do something, y’know? I was stuck feeling trapped, so I just needed to come here, and it worked.”

“I understand,” Kairo replies. “Feeling trapped is never a good feeling.”

He meets my gaze and immediately smiles in such a way that my heart jumps, so I focus on the next spoonful of jam. “Your doctor was very attentive.”

Kairo scoffs. “They always are when there’s money involved.”

“I noticed! It’s so weird how it’s treated like some kind of business when?—”

“What the hell is he doing here?” Mom’s barking voice cuts through the moment and I flinch in fright.

We both turn.

Mom stands in the entranceway with a deep, dark frown creasing her features.

“Mom! This is Kair?—”

“I know who he is,” Mom snaps furiously as she stalks inside. “Is this a part of your game, huh? Is this really what you and your company have stooped to? How low can you vermin go?”

“Mom!” I rise to Kairo’s defense immediately.

Sure, we’re breaking a few health and safety rules having him back here, but he’s helping me. “Wait. Do you two know each other?”

I glance between them as all the warm, calming emotions in my chest get drowned out by tight tension.

“Know him?” Her sharp gaze snaps to me. “Devon, you'd better have a damn good explanation as to why you’ve invited the CEO of Silver Canopy into my own kitchen!”

8

KAIRO