Page 36 of Frosted Fakes

"I don't mind imperfect." Julia bit into it. Still good. Still somehow better than anything she could make. "Elliott?"

"Mmm?"

"How do you do it?" The question came out before Julia could stop it. "How do you make things this good when you're so…"

"So what?"

Julia searched for the right word. "Bitter. How can someone who's so bitter and jaded make pastries that are so sweet?"

Elliott's hands stilled. She turned, expression unreadable. "I'm not bitter."

"You are a bit."

"I'm realistic."

"Really?"

Elliott looked at her for a long moment. Then she turned back to her cleaning. "Baking is different," she said finally. "Baking is chemistry. Follow the recipe, do it right, you get the right result. No variables. No disappointment."

"That's sad."

"That's practical."

"Right," Julia said.

Elliott continued cleaning, muscles rippling under colorful tattoos as she wiped. "Go upstairs. I'll finish here."

"Thank you," Julia said. "For today. For all of this."

"It's the deal."

"Still. Thank you." She headed for the stairs, then paused. "Elliott?"

"What?"

"Maybe we're not completely terrible at this fake relationship thing after all."

"We're still pretty terrible."

"But maybe not hopeless?"

Elliott was quiet for a moment. "Maybe not hopeless."

Julia smiled and climbed the stairs, something light and warm blooming in her chest.

Behind her, she heard Elliott begin to hum. Something soft and almost content.

Upstairs, Julia fell onto the uncomfortable couch and pulled out her phone, but for once, she didn't open her nursing videos.

Instead, she found herself thinking about tomorrow. About standing close to Elliott. About casual touches and convincing performances.

About the way Elliott's hand had felt on her shoulder, warm and steady and real.

Business arrangement, she reminded herself firmly.

Chapter Twelve

Shay had developed a theory about Elliott's love life, which was that Elliott didn't have one and would die alone surrounded by perfectly laminated croissants. She shared this theory with Elliott approximately once a fortnight, usually over drinks.