Minutes passed like hours on Polly’s internal clock. Each dragged from her to eternity as she tried to fill the days. The routine she’d found at Victory Cupcakes that helped her thrive in her new city suddenly ripped away.

There was no worry about money or that she might have to head home. She had saved up more than enough of her pay to stay for the next couple of years. Her rent was reasonable, and the pay was great. Even better, it kept coming. Declan insisted on paying ...