Page 56 of Mom Com

For a second his expression leans toward concern. “Because you’re still angry with me?”

My eyes flit to his. “Because I’m nervous.”

His brow momentarily dips in confusion. “Nervous?”

“Yes, nervous.”

He hesitates like he’s not sure, which only makes me feel more foolish. Did I get it wrong? Am I just reading into things?

I do the ice-skating equivalent of hitting the brakes. He stops a few feet after me, turning to face me.

He looks down and then back up like he suddenly got shy. “I just... wanted to do something nice for you.”

“See that’s exactly what I mean,” I say, waving at him like he’s some sort of personal weakness—the perfect slice of pumpkin pie staring at me in the fridge late at night. “Breaking up with Kate, surprising me...”

He hesitates like he’s arguing with himself.

“Tell me why you invited me here, Wilder,” I say, completely lost in my need to understand. I’m crossing a line, pushing him over it is more like it. And I can’t seem to stop myself; I’m that cartoon character who puts the brakes on too late and winds up just sliding right off a cliff and splatting at the bottom.

“I wanted you here,” he says like it matters, pushing his hair back from his forehead. “Simple as that. I’ve wanted to spend time with you ever since I saw you at the benefit.”

For a wisp of a moment, I lean into his words, grab ahold of them like a lifeline. But that only makes things more confusing, threatens to shatter the barrier I’ve so carefully constructed between me and Wilder.

It’s too much. And even though some very persistent part of me wants to believe him, I just can’t. “You acted like you couldn’t have been more disappointed to see me the night of the benefit. You told Liv she shouldn’t have invited me.”

“No,” he says like I’ve got it categorically wrong. “I said she didn’t warn me.”

His denial only winds me tighter.

“You told her she made the night uncomfortable. You can’t tell me that wasn’t about me.”

He shakes his head. “I only said that because she knew I was in the process of breaking up with Kate and throwing you into the mix was going to complicate it. As you experienced.”

For a second, I just stare at him, unable to process what he’s saying. Liv knew he was breaking up with Kate? Is that why she made that bet with me? But that makes no sense, not if he made the decision to do it before I even arrived. And now I feel extra stupid for thinking that their breakup had something to do with me, and more importantly, forsayingit tohim.

Whatever fire was blazing inside of me suddenly squelches, and I wish I could disappear, just crawl right the fuck under a bush.

“Maddi?” he says when I don’t respond.

But I just stand there, barely looking at him, embarrassment eclipsing all else. “I should probably get home,” I reply, because it’s the only thing to say at this point.

CHAPTER18

Baby Bun-dt Cake—

complicated designs that are nearly impossible to get out of the tin

All morning I’ve told myself on repeat that I’m going to ignore how much yesterday affected me. That Wilder and I are business partners. That’s all. We don’t need to ice-skate and he certainly doesn’t need to make grand gestures like the booth. This is business. Just business.

Yet as I carve a path through the bakery and open the kitchen door, my stomach jumps and twitches like a piece of microwave popcorn. Wilder is already there even though it’s only 3:58 a.m., and the moment I lay eyes on him, I feel that uncontrollable pull.

He looks up from his work, an inviting smile on his face. “Good morning,” he says, which I grant you is as bland a greeting as they get, but to me translates toI remember what you look like in the goddamn moonlit snow.

I immediately avert my gaze. “Good morning,” I parrot, swallowing the words and feeling even more absurd. It’d be really great if I could stop acting like a lunatic.

“I made you some coffee,” he says, and my eyes find his once more, searching for any lingering frustration. But I find none. He looks the way he does every morning, freshly showered and happy.

Wilder walks over to me as I hang my coat and scarf on the hook, carrying a steaming mug topped with whipped cream, and when I take it from him, his fingers accidentally graze mine. We both notice, and my already chaotic pulse jumps.