Faking It with My Ex's Best Friend novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: The Cake

I pulled my leggings up fast.

Cade scrambled to button his jeans.

He mouthed, "Go," and pointed at the kitchen.

I fixed my hair with both hands, rubbed my mouth and opened the front door the width of my face.

Trevor stood on the porch in a gray jacket, holding a cake box against his chest.

He had flowers tucked under one arm.

He looked like a man in a commercial about forgiveness.

"Baby," he said. "Thank God."

"Trevor?" I blinked at him. "How did you find the house?"

"I called around." His eyes flicked past my shoulder. "Can I come in?"

"I'm not dressed."

"I'd rather you didn't come in," I said. "Jo is sleeping."

His smile slipped, then recovered.

He set the flowers on the railing and held out the box.

"Then we'll do it here."

Up and down the street, Tuesday-morning neighbors were doing small chores on their steps.

A man watered a window box.

Two women sat on a glider with their coffee.

Trevor lifted the lid.

It was the lemon cake I had made on Friday, flattened on one side, with a single blue candle leaning in the frosting.

"It's from the day you fell," he said. His voice cracked, and I had to admit he did it well. "You were bringing me this, Lainey. You wanted to surprise me for my birthday, and I wasn't even home to catch you."

"You weren't home?"

"I was in the shower. I heard the crash and I ran out and you were at the bottom of the stairs, and I swear to God, I have never been so scared."

I looked at his face.

He was crying real tears, and he sold every word.

The top of the stairs, the landing, the dent in the wall: in his story none of it existed.

"I thought I'd lost you," he said, and wiped his face. "Then the doctor said you didn't know me, and it felt like losing you twice."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Come home." He stepped closer. "I'll be patient. We'll start at the beginning. I'll take you to the park where I proposed."

← Chapter 10 · All chapters · Chapter 12 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend