Chapter 1
On a snowy day, Curtis Bernard spent an entire night delivering food.
He did this to bring me a cake for my successful performance.
But I never got the lead dancer role at all. He had bribed the crew to let his first love, June Fitzgerald, take my part.
It didn't matter anymore.
Because I had made up my mind to marry his elder brother.
*****
After our wedding, Curtis cornered me at home. "Did he kiss you? Like this?"
I pushed him away. "Behave yourself. Your brother is right outside."
"Good." The man who had been careless and unconcerned about everything had completely lost his mind.
He said, "I don't think he's ever seen you lose control for me."
*****
On my twenty-seventh birthday, I had some cake.
But it wasn't for my birthday.
It was the cake from the afterparty for June. The girl who had been parachuted in to steal my lead dancer role.
The cake was eleven layers tall, sitting on the table, towering over me.
A text pinged on my phone, snapping me out of my daze. Curtis texted: [Congrats on the show.
[Hey babe, show over yet? I just finished my last delivery. Want me to come pick you up?
[I made a little extra cash today, so I got you a cake. To celebrate my babe's first time as lead dancer. You deserve everything anyone else has.]
The cupcake in the photo was no bigger than the palm of my hand.
It was strawberry, my favorite flavor.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
I had never told Curtis that the lead role I had rehearsed hundreds of times for had been stolen from me.
That day, I was nothing but a nameless corps dancer, hidden away in the back corner of the crowd.
I forced a smile, headed to the end of the wide, hidden hallway, and sent him a text.
This was the only place I could pretend, without anyone peeking at my phone and calling me out on my little act.
[It's over...] I'd barely typed a few words when I heard a mocking laugh from behind the curtain.
Someone said, "Curtis, you actually went out delivering food? All that just for a cake? Seriously?"
Another echoed, "You don't get it. If you're going to play the game, you have to go all in. Too bad she'll never find out it was Curtis who paid off the crew so June could grab the lead and take her spot."
A third chimed in, "She's still putting on that act for you. What a vain, washed-up woman. Curtis, when are you going to get bored of her? You don't actually like this broke chick, do you?"
"Enough," someone else said.
That voice rooted me to the spot.
We had been together for two years.
I had heard his lazy grins, his soft, whiny pleas when he wanted something, and even his jealous, unreasonable rants when someone saw me dancing.
But this was the first time I had ever heard him sound so cold.
It was the kind of pride that comes from always being above everyone else.
This was not the Curtis I knew.
I inched the curtain open.
I saw a group of guys crowded around Curtis, and one of them accidentally sent my cake tumbling to the floor.
The strawberry topping slid off, and the cream smushed into the floor.
Curtis crouched down, picked up the cake, and locked his gaze on the guy. "Who told you to touch it?"
"I..." The guy panicked, scratching his nose and shifting awkwardly on his feet.
"Hey, Curtis, what are you guys talking about?" June asked.
She came in through another door.
Curtis immediately composed himself, quickly hid the cake, and asked, "What are you doing out here? You should be at the afterparty backstage."
"Lame," June said.
She jumped onto the table, her skirt riding up and revealing the curve of her thigh.
Curtis took off his jacket and tossed it over her lap.
That jacket was a gift from me. He had treasured it more than anything. He had even snapped at strangers for brushing against it on the subway.
June smiled, pointing at the cake in his hand. "Is this a surprise for me?"
"No," Curtis said, dropping his gaze. "This one's not good enough for you. I got you a big cake. Why aren't you eating it?"
June said, "I did. It even had blueberry filling. Curtis, after all this time, you still remember my favorite."
Her eyes sparkled, but Curtis looked away.
A split second later, she leaned forward and nearly fell off the table.
He lunged forward to catch her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
June said, "Reward. I knew it, Curtis. I knew you liked me more than anyone."