Page 26 of Love to Hate You

Chapter Nine

Daisy

It’s after six o’clock at night by the time I get back to the apartment. Olivia and I were hunkered down at the library longer than expected. And then, on the way home, we stopped and grabbed sandwiches from a deli on campus. Now that my belly’s full, I can put in a few more hours of studying for my test tomorrow.

I’m not one of those people who can waltz into an exam without glancing at the material and magically pull an A out of my ass. It doesn’t work that way for me. If I want to see results, I have to put in the effort.

Carter, on the other hand, has a photographic memory. It’s just one of the many things about that guy that drives me bonkers. I’ve rarely seen him study. And he has a near-perfect grade point average. I know this because he makes the dean’s list every semester.

As soon as I open the door to our apartment, the smell of brownies hits me. I can’t believe I forgot about them. For the first time since whipping up the dessert this afternoon, I have second thoughts about feeding them to Carter.

Damn Olivia for filling my head with doubts.

Unsure of what to do, I hesitate in the entryway before setting my bag down. Maybe I should dump the pan in the garbage and rethink my strategy. If I still want to go through with it, I can always whip up another batch.

Maybe I am taking my need for revenge too far.

Ugh.

I should have just listened to Olivia in the first place. God, I hate when she’s right. Decision made, I veer into the kitchen and toward the stove where I left the pan to cool. Wanting to make the brownies extra tempting, I bought a tub of chocolate frosting and left it sitting on the counter.

My footsteps slow as I realize the frosting has been opened. The foil wrapper from the top lies crumpled on the countertop. I glance from the frosting to the dessert, and my heart plummets. A third of the brownies has already been hacked from the pan. Crumbs cling to the stainless-steel knife that rests against the dark metal.

I’m too late.

My plan has unwittingly been set in motion, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

“Daisy?”

My head jerks up at the sound of my cousin’s voice. I peek through the kitchen opening and see Noah and his girlfriend lounging on the couch in the living room, watching TV.

Oh no.

It doesn’t take much to put two and two together.

“Hi,” I squeak out.

What am I supposed to do now?

Tell him?

Or wait it out and see what happens?

I didn’t even eat the brownies, and I feel sick to my stomach.

“Hey, did you make those brownies?” Noah’s arm is slung around Ashley, and she’s cuddled up against his side.

What do I do?

What do I do?

What do I do?

Calm down and just breathe. “Um, yeah.” I cough to clear the nervousness from my voice. “Why?”

I’m kicking myself for not listening to Olivia.

“Because they were seriously tasty.” He flashes me a grin. “I hope you weren’t saving them for something special.”