Page 42 of Tender Offer (Chance at Love #3)

Madison

Fifteen Years Ago

A dim flame flickers on a narrow wick. The scent of vanilla lingers before I blow out the lone taper candle with a heavy sigh. Light clings to the small feast on the table, reminiscent of my childhood. It was full of good butter and hours spent next to the stove.

Roasted turkey.

Rice dressing.

Greens.

Ms. Odilia’s coveted deviled eggs.

A taste of home for Thanksgiving. It’s not a holiday they celebrate here in Paris, but Preston vowed to spend the day with me. At least, that was the plan before a last-minute work trip called him back to London.

Under normal circumstances, such an abrupt pivot wouldn’t bother me. I don’t question my place in his life because he goes out of his way to show me I’m a priority.

But I’m not sure where I fit now.

He’s quieter, more reserved.

I’ve become an afterthought. These days, he only remembers to tell me he’ll be away once he reaches his destination.

The silence is a cold reminder that, beyond the walls of this penthouse, we live worlds apart. In a few months, I’ll go back to a life of cramped dorm-room living and humid summers on the bayou.

I hope we can squeeze in more time until we revert to the people we were before that fated day in the museum. Time is running out, and I fear this is the beginning of our end.