First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

to knead the bread dough. Gigi had set her ring on the window sill. She opened her mouth to say as much when her mother spoke.

“Mom, we haven’t been over in weeks!”

“I know, dear. It was just me and Leah.” She patted Leah’s hand and smiled at her. Leah smiled back.

“No,” Leah’s mother drew out the word ‘no’ in annoyance at having to explain something so simple to another adult. “Leah has not been over in weeks either. And last time she was here, you guys made cookies.”

“Yeah, white chocolate chip with raspberries. Mmmm,” Lily chimed in. “I remember ’cause they were so good!”

“But . . . but . . .” Gigi looked from Leah to her daughter. She looked as confused as Leah felt. Leah knew what Gigi was talking about even if her mother and sister did not. She stood and faced her grandmother.

“I remember, Gigi. Come on, I bet I know where your ring is.” She turned and headed towards the kitchen. Everyone followed as she continued to explain. “We opened the window because it was so hot, remember? You were worried the dough would rise too fast.”

Leah went directly to the sink and checked the window ledge. There was no ring. So she opened the window. Sure enough, the ring had fallen off the sill and had been hidden by the closed window.

“Leah, you found it!” Gigi wrapped her in the biggest hug. When she pulled back, tears were in her eyes. “Thank you, sweetheart.” She kissed Leah’s cheek.

Leah beamed. Her heart felt happy to help the grandmother she loved so much. Until she caught her mother’s eye, that is.

“You were not here,” her mother scolded.

With hands on her hips and her forehead wrinkled, Leah instantly knew her mother was angry. And she knew why. Baking bread with Gigi that day had been a dream. She should not have known where the ring was. Her mother loathed her dreams and refused to discuss them. Any attention drawn to them always landed Leah in trouble and today was no different.

“That’s two weeks grounding and extra chores, Leah,” her mother decreed.

Leah nodded, accepting her punishment. Lily, however, would not let it go. She was completely confused and vocal about it.

“But why? And Leah, how did you know? When were you here? I don’t get it!”

Leah put her head down and ignored her sister’s questions.

“But—”

“It’s over and done with and doesn’t need discussing,” their mother’s tone ended the conversation. She rushed them out the door, barely allowing goodbyes. Leah hugged Gigi tight and got yelled at but it was totally worth it.

Leah remembered their quiet ride home. Lily continued to whisper to her, still full of questions. But she didn’t answer.

It was such a bittersweet memory. Leah sighed. She wished she could go back. To be in Gigi’s kitchen again. To cook with her and to chat with her. To ask her what she never had. Gigi had remembered the dream too. How could a ring lost in a dream, also be lost in real life? Maybe if she’d asked about it then, she would have some insight about what was happening with her and Cade.

She sighed again and picked up her pen to add the ingredients for bread to her list.

♦

That evening, the whole apartment smelled of fresh baked bread. It had not turned out quite as good as Gigi’s but Leah was not complaining. It was delicious and she was exhausted.

She had filled her entire day and it was time for bed. Would she dream? And if she did, would it be like last night? If she was honest, she sure hoped so.

Sex in real life was nice but dream sex seemed so much better. Was it because of who she was with? Or because it wasn’t real? It sure felt real.

Leah wished she was free to call Cade right now. To chat about her day, to take him a loaf of homemade bread. She somehow knew he would appreciate it. Maybe he’d even have a story about his own grandma to share. But she wouldn’t call.

On impulse, Leah texted Eric instead.

I baked bread today! The apartment smells sooooo good! When will you be home?

His reply came instantly.

You know I’m off carbs this week, right?

Sorry. :(

She waited but he didn’t reply to her apology. She gave it a few more minutes and tried again.

When will you be back?

Sunday. Why?

She sent three texts in rapid succession.

Like in time for brunch?

We could go to that new place again?

You really liked it.

Leah stared at her phone. When fifteen minutes had passed and there was still no reply, she tried to call. It went straight to voicemail. She couldn’t win. She couldn’t be the wife she was supposed to be or the girlfriend she wanted to be. How had her life gotten so off-kilter?

Leah tossed her phone on the bedside table in frustration. It bounced and landed on the floor. When she picked it up to plug it in, she had a new message from Cade and one she had missed from earlier. The old message was three firework emojis. He couldn’t mean . . . She felt herself blush, remembering exactly what three explosions he could be referring to from their last dream. His new message was a sleeping emoji. She grinned. Leah agreed, sleep sounded like a great idea.

Chapter 12

Leah wasn’t in Cade’s bed and it was not nighttime. She stood in broad daylight on a porch she didn’t recognize. She must have already knocked because the inner door was opening. The outer screen door, not yet replaced for the upcoming winter, remained closed.

“Can I help you?” the teen asked warily. Leah processed quickly: dark brown hair, tan skin, heart-shaped face, intense blue eyes, and a stubborn stance. Leah smiled. She’d know those eyes anywhere. And the stubbornness was all Cade as well. This had to be Sky.

“Is this the Emerson residence? I’m looking for your father, Cade.”

“And you are?”

Leah gave the girl props. Stranger danger and all