I was grateful when she met Bob and fell in love. It wasn’t fair that she’d only gotten to have him in her life a handful of years. But then again, I knew life wasn’t fair. It was from her that I’d learned how to take the sourest, bitterest parts of life and turn them into something productive. It was time for my mom to make lemonade.

“Cannon, there’s something else I want to ask you,” Mom said.

“What is it?”

“Your roommate, Paige.” She hesitated, smoothing her hands over the front of her apron.

My heart thudded dully in my chest. Had Allie said something? Watching Allie freak out that morning hadn’t been easy. But Paige’s indifferent response toward me afterward had been much worse.

“What about her?”

“I watched how you were with her during the funeral. You were attentive and sweet, and paired with the fact that I know you harbored a secret crush on her when you were young . . .” Mom stuck her hands into the ball of dough once again. “Call it mother’s intuition, but I just got the sense that maybe there was something going on between you two. And then you suddenly left and hightailed it back here.”

“Mom, I love you, but I’m not going to talk about my sex life with you.”

She made a noise of agreement. “That confirms it then.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Is it merely physical, Cannon? Part of me always wondered if you two would cross the line into more than just friend territory.”

“I don’t think Paige is interested in that, Mom. And besides, Allie would never go for it.”

“You never know, Cannon-ball. Many things can be solved over a cup of coffee and some conversation.”

I pressed the heel of my hand against my temple, feeling the stirrings of a headache. “Doesn’t matter now, anyway. You’re right about Denver. As long as you’re okay, there’s no reason for me to stay.”

It was too good an opportunity to pass up. And if Mom insisted she didn’t need me, there wasn’t anything holding me here. Unless you counted a sister I wasn’t on speaking terms with, and the woman I’d always desired who was honest from the start about what she wanted from me—a few mind-blowing orgasms and nothing more.

Mom nodded, a small smile on her lips. “I know you’ll do the right thing. You always do.”

I wasn’t so sure about that.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Paige

Thankful for Allie’s second chance, I’d jumped at the opportunity to join her for a glass of wine tonight at a local bar. Her friendship was pretty much the only thing I had left.

We’d discussed her desire to start dating again after the disaster that was James, but when the topic turned to her brother, my heart began to pound. I wanted to feign mild disinterest for the sake of our mended friendship, but just hearing his name was like someone had struck a match inside my chest. I felt hot and anxious, desperate for more information, for news about how he was doing.

“I think he’s going to be wrapping up at the hospital soon,” she said, fiddling with her cocktail napkin.

“What are you saying? Does Cannon have an offer already?”

Allie’s mouth lifted in a smile. “He does. He’s going to be a resident at one of the best cardiology programs in the country.”

Gripping the edge of my chair to keep from falling off, I held my breath while I waited for her to continue.

“He’s moving to Denver. Didn’t he tell you?”

That right there told me exactly where I ranked on Cannon’s list of priorities. “He hasn’t mentioned it.” Because we hadn’t spoken in two weeks.

Allie’s eyes widened. “He’s known for a couple of weeks. I thought for sure you knew.”

I set my glass down with shaky hands, the bottom clinking against the table. The news felt like a knife had been thrust through my heart, piercing the most tender place I’d kept hidden away. Allie knew that we had been sleeping together, but she had no idea how deep my feelings ran, how crushed I was when he just walked away.

Allie focused on her cocktail, not letting on if she saw my reaction. “He’s been busy. I’m sure he was going to tell you.”

“He hasn’t been by for his stuff or anything. He’s been staying with your mom.” Admitting that felt like I’d lost the very last piece of him.

Allie smirked. “That’s probably for the best, don’t you think?”

My world suddenly felt small and dark. It had been nice having someone to live with, even better than I’d expected. Cannon and I got along great, and once we threw great sex into the mix, it had started to feel like the total package. Then he went and ruined everything by telling me he loved me. And now he was leaving.

For weeks, the dilemma I’d thought I was facing was to choose between my friendship with Allie or pursuing more with Cannon. But now it seemed the decision had been taken out of my hands.

• • •

I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed Cannon’s sweet Post-it notes until one appeared on my front door a week later. I peeled it from the sun-faded door with tears in my eyes.

I need to talk to you. Are you free on Friday?

That was still two days away. Why did it feel like an eternity? I was sure that he was going to tell me about Denver.

After letting myself inside, I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.

Paige: Yes, I’m free on Friday. Do you want to come over for dinner?