Friends to Lovers: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (Heart of Hope Book 6)

by Ajme Williams

  3

  Cyrus

  Becoming a Navy SEAL required mental strength and stamina along with physical strength and stamina. So, it was a bit unnerving that someone like me, who could not only achieve becoming a Navy SEAL, but carry out the job, would need a cupcake and a smile from a pretty petite baker to keep his morale up. As much as I was always eager for my daily visits with Petal, I was equally as unsettled by them when I left. Still, there was no denying that I felt rejuvenated and ready to finish the day. And I was very happy that I had a plus one, as she called it, for Jude and April’s Halloween party. Thank God for Petal.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to meet someone new someday. But before that happened, I’d need to get my Petal infatuation out of my system. Jude would probably argue that if I got out more, I’d be more likely to move on, but I’d also have to give up my daily coffee and cupcake, and I wasn’t ready for that.

  I finished my work at the office and then headed home. When I first moved here, I considered buying property that would allow me to have horses. Being a city boy, the idea of country living intrigued me, until I discovered the amount of work and expense it took to main land and care for livestock. So instead, I bought a one and half story fixer upper in the historic Cathedral District. Built in 1927, it had a ton of charm, but was rough around the edges. Just like me.

  I changed my clothes and headed down to the partially finished basement where I had my home gym. It was one of the many areas I was fixing up, but tonight instead of working on the room, I jumped on the treadmill and did a quick five mile run. I drank my water as I made my way up two flights of stairs, showered, and then went to the main level to get a beer and make some dinner. It was my usual routine, especially now that Jude was married. He’d been the only person I’d known when I came to Bismarck and while I knew some other people now, they were either related to Jude or were clients. And there was Petal, but I didn’t think it was safe to hang with her alone. So, my nights were my own.

  I’d already renovated the kitchen, restored the stone fireplace in the living room, and fixed up the main level bedroom into a home office. I’d also painted the entire main floor. The only project left on this level was the bathroom. I’d done most of the work already. All that was left was the tiling, light fixtures and painting. Tonight, I decided to work on the tiling.

  The bathroom had been upgraded about a decade before, but I felt like a home built in the twenties, should retain its character as much as possible. So, I’d pulled everything out and replaced it with materials that fit the times. The tile I was laying on the floor was a black and white basketweave. Fortunately, old homes were small, and so the bathroom wasn’t that large making the project not too overwhelming.

  Several hours later, I took a break to have another beer. I snapped a picture of the tile and texted to my mom and then I sat on the couch to call her.

  “Oh goodness Cy, that flooring is gorgeous. I can’t wait until you finish and I can finally come visit you,” my mother said when she picked up.

  “Nearly there, mom. Just the upstairs is left.” And the basement, but that was my gym and laundry area. I could also put a mancave, but since the whole home was mine, I didn’t need a place to escape my family. To be honest, I had to wonder about men who felt the need to escape to a mancave. Not that couples didn’t need some time for themselves, but did a man really need an entire room? And what did women have? Where was her personal escape spot?

  “I don’t know why you don’t let me come now. It’s been a year.” She sighed and I wondered if she had a hard day at work. She was a school secretary, which to my mind had to be one of the hardest jobs ever. To be on demand by administrators, teachers, and parents couldn’t be easy.

  “I saw you a few months ago when I came home for your birthday,” I said, stretching my legs out on the ottoman I’d bought to go with my couch.

  “It’s been a year since you bought that house. I want to see it. I’m not getting any younger you know.”

  I laughed. “You’re not even fifty, mom. It’s not like you’re elderly.”

  “Next year I’ll qualify for AARP.”

  “Soon mom, I promise. Are you okay? You sound tired.”

  “Do I?” Her voice perked up some, which actually made me more suspicious. Like maybe she didn’t want me to think she was tired. “Oh well, you know how it is. Mr. Burke was all in a tizzy about a fight on the bus,” she said about the principal. “And the school board is looking at more cuts, so everyone is on edge. What about you? Your business is still booming?”

  “Yes. It’s great. Better than I’d anticipated.” I sipped my beer.

  “Well of course. You and Jude are two smart, dedicated men. Have you seen his new baby?”

  “I have.” I steeled myself for her to talk about wanting grandchildren. I was her only child, and so I was her only hope to be a grandmother. “He’s cute. Apparently he wakes up twice a night.”

  “They do that.” She paused for a moment. “Lora isn’t with that man anymore.”

  It took me a minute to register the change in topic. I’d been ready to hear about how she’d like to be a grandmother and instead she tossed out news about my ex. Like I’d care. Then again, based on what she said, perhaps we were talking about grandchildren. Had my life gone to plan, I might have given her one by now with Lora.

  “That’s too bad,” I said.

  “I think she regrets losing you.”

  “When did you see Lora?” I asked. Lora was an oncology nurse and while she lived in the same outskirts of Chicago, it wasn’t a small area. It’s not like they’d run into each other at the grocery store.

  “The other day. She happened to be out when I was. I was going to ignore her. She hurt my son. I wanted to punch her in the throat.”

  I let out a laugh. My mom rocked. She was five feet tall with her pumps on, but what she lacked in height she made up for in feistiness. The fact that I was just over six three suggested my father was tall. But we never talked about him.

  “But she stopped me and asked how I was doing. Of course, I told her how you were so successful there in Bismarck. A bigwig businessman. Making money hand over fist.”

  I smiled. Moms really were the best. “I wouldn’t go that far.” Although my savings was growing steadily.

  “I, of course, had to inquire about her. At one point I think she was engaged to that man, but she said it was over. She made some comment about not fully valuing what she had. I’m certain she was talking about you. But she seemed alright otherwise.”

  “Good.” I was bitter about Lora for sure, but I didn’t wish her ill will.

  “Now, tell me, who are you seeing? I really want to tell her how you’re gaga over a new love.”

  Petal’s smile flashed into my brain. I shook my head to rid it. “No dating now mom. I’ve got the house to fix up and my business.”

  She was quiet for a moment. “I want to see you, Cy.” Again, her voice sounded tired. Actually, she sounded defeated.

  “What’s going on mom?”

  She paused again. Her voice was back up to cheerful. “Oh nothing. I’m just an old mom missing her boy.”

  “It won’t be long,” I assured her. I wondered if I’d made the right choice coming to Bismarck instead of returning to Chicago after I got out of the military. At the time, I wanted to avoid my old life. Avoid Lora and her new man. But it meant being away from my mother. Being in the military, I was used to it. So was she. But I wasn’t in the military anymore.

  “I’m so proud of you Cyrus.”

  My heart swelled. Even as a grown ass ex-Navy SEAL, it was nice to hear my mom was proud of me. To me, she was like superwoman. Having me when she was barely twenty years old and raising me on her own.

  “Thanks mom.”

  We got off the phone and I went through my nightly routine of closing up the house and getting ready for bed. I brushed my teeth and flossed, set my alarm even though I wouldn’t need it, stripped out of my work c
lothes and climbed into bed. The cool sheets felt good against my skin. It was one of the splurges when I bought my home; expensive high-thread count sheets.

  I put one hand under my head and closed my eyes reflecting on my day. Except for Lora, I had achieved all I’d hoped to when I got out of the military. I was self-employed. I owned a home. And I had good friends. Again, Petal’s sunshine smile with the dimple came to my mind. I wondered what she’d wear to the Halloween party. Lora had gone to a few parties that I’d always been able to get out of going to. She usually dressed up in something over-the-top sexy. Like a nurse in a white dress two sizes too small.

  “You don’t even wear a uniform like that,” I’d said the first time she dressed like that for a party. “You wear pink scrubs with rainbows on them.”

  She gave me a withering look. “It's a party, Cy. It’s supposed to be a costume.”

  “Didn’t they have one in your size?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Sometimes you’re such an old man. If it bothers you, why don’t you come with me. We can find a closet and make out.”

  What were we, fifteen? “I don’t make out. Definitely not in public.”

  “You’re such a Boy Scout.”

  “SEAL. I’m a SEAL.”

  I imagined Petal in a sexy nurse uniform and it didn’t seem right. Not the sexy bit. The nurse part. Instead, an image of her in just her pretty pink apron came to mind. It would barely cover her ample tits and hang just below her sweet pussy that I wondered if it had the same red color as her hair. Her creamy, silky looking skin would be bare everywhere else. And she’d smell like vanilla. My quiet dick at the memory of Lora, now swelled at the image of Petal in only her apron.

  I was alone. No one would know. So, I gripped my dick, and settled in to take that image of Petal as far as it would go. To her sucking my dick with those pink cupid bow lips. My ripping the apron off, and fucking her full round tits. That was as far as I got before I blew my load all over my chest. I reached over and grabbed a tissue, cleaning myself off. Then I settled in to go to sleep, wondering if in my dreams, I’d get further with her.

  4

  Petal

  I closed up the shop a few minutes late as a last-minute family had come in for dessert. I cleaned up the frontend of my shop, and headed back to make a few batches of cupcakes starting with the chocolate peanut butter Cyrus loved so much. I usually rotated flavors, but the chocolate peanut butter would be a staple for as long as Cyrus was coming in.

  My system for running the bakery was to make many of the cakes the night before, and then decorate them in the morning. So I set to work making several batches. An hour and half later, I pulled the last batch of cupcakes out of the oven and then headed up to my apartment over the shop. I really loved this living arrangement. I didn’t have to hassle with traffic getting to work and my place always smelled like cupcakes.

  I entered my apartment. It was small, but so was I. It was cozy, which was another term for small but included clutter. I wasn’t a messy person, but I did like my doodads and décor.

  I went to the kitchen to make dinner. Sometimes, at this time of night, I did feel a little lonely. For so long, April and Maya, or sometimes just Maya would be with me so I rarely had to eat alone. I missed having their company. Maybe that’s why it was so nice that Cyrus always stopped by. It was nice to have a friend to talk to every day.

  I didn’t feel like my life was pathetic in my aloneness, but I wondered if maybe I needed to do something about it. If I didn’t, I might end up being a lonely cat woman, even though cats weren’t allowed in my apartment.

  I liked Cyrus, and if he showed any interest, I’d be right there by his side. But he didn’t show interest and so it was time for me to stop hoping or wishing or whatever I was doing by always eagerly awaiting his visit. I couldn’t get Cyrus out of my system if I didn’t open myself to the possibility that there was someone else out there for me. I needed to meet new people.

  I meant it when I told Cyrus I didn’t want to be set up by my friends. That did feel pathetic. And anyone I was being introduced to would know it. In fact, they might be pathetic too if they had to be introduced to me. No, I needed to find another method of meeting someone.

  I was usually too tired to go out on the bar scene and now that April was married, I didn’t have anyone to go with anyway. It seemed like my only option was online dating, which seemed pathetic too, except at least I wouldn’t be at a party being introduced to someone while others could observe. This could be done in secret. Private.

  After dinner, I searched for top online dating in Bismarck. I found one that looked promising. It said it matched people based on personality compatibility. I wasn’t ugly, but I also wasn’t likely to be the sort of beauty that stopped a man mid-scroll of his options to admire.

  It took me a few tries and several glasses of wine, but I finally signed up. I found a picture of me that was a few years old, but was the prettiest I could find. I focused on wanting someone with a sense of humor, who enjoyed lazy days at home, and was looking for something long term. My finger hovered over the “enter” button as fear and feelings of embarrassment that I was considering putting myself on a dating site swirled in my gut. But finally, I hit the button. I could delete it if no one was interested in me.

  Once that was done, I quickly turned off my computer and sat back, wondering what I’d done. I started to hit the on button to remove it, but then decided I’d leave overnight. I’d see who, if anyone, was interested.

  The fact that I was likely going to abandon the online dating option meant I’d need a new plan. I didn’t want to be set up, but maybe I could attract people at the party on my own. Perhaps if I mixed things up a bit in my life, I wouldn’t need my friends' help. Men would gravitate to me.

  I went to my room to go through my clothes to find a suitable men-attractor costume. As a short redhead, I usually went as something cutesy like Little Orphan Annie or Raggedy Ann. But showing up at the party dressed as a child’s toy wasn’t the best way to give off a date-me vibe. I needed to find something sexy. Or at least grown up.

  This time, I used my phone and did a search on Halloween costumes. Being a redhead, I started with sexy redhead costumes. I got an assortment that included Merida from Brave and Ariel from The Little Mermaid, neither of which seemed appropriate for the sexy category. There was Fiona from Shrek, which considering some of my rounder body parts might have fit, but being green didn’t seem sexy either. There was Jessica Rabbit, which would have been perfect as I had the T&A, but not the tiny waist or height. My hair would take hours to straighten as well.

  I skipped looking for a specific character and moved on to searching for basic Halloween witch costume ideas. There were some sexy looking costumes but I didn’t want to go as the black pointed hat type. I was getting ready to do a search on vampires, when I saw a promo photo from the movie Hocus Pocus. While it was a Disney Movie like Brave and The Little Mermaid, a search of costumes related to the Sanderson sisters showed options that could be alluring without being over the top skanky. I opted to go with Sarah’s style of dress using my own wavy red hair. No one would guess that I was dressed as a Hocus Pocus character, but they’d definitely see me as a witch.

  I went to my closet and found an old costume I wore in a Gilbert and Sullivan musical in high school that had the right type of bodice. Then I made a list of items I’d need to create the rest of the costume, and looked at my schedule for when I could get to the thrift and craft stores to see what I could buy to hobble together a costume.

  I finished the rest of the night working on my business books. Since April got married, she wasn’t helping me with them anymore. I should probably hire a bookkeeper, but in the meantime, I did my own accounting.

  Then I poured wine, and watched an episode of the Great British Bake Off which despite being a competition, was always very soothing and soft. When it was done, I got ready for bed. I was excited for the Halloween party and revealing my updated s
elf. I wondered what Cyrus would think. I laughed at myself. Cyrus was my friend. A good friend.

  I wondered if he was ever lonely. Now that Jude was married, he didn’t have time either. Did Cyrus have other friends? His conversation today suggested he wasn’t dating, so what did he do at night? I knew he bought a home and worked on it, but surely that was done.

  Maybe I needed to make more of an effort to hang out with him. Just as a friend of course. Winter was coming, which was bitterly cold in North Dakota, but it was still fall and there were plenty of activities we could do. I closed the bakery at ten on Sundays, so maybe we could go to the river or visit a museum. Since he wasn’t from here, I could show him around. Granted, he’d been here a year, but I didn’t have a since that he’d really taken in the sights of the city and surrounding area.

  I shook my head reminding myself that if I was ever going to find true love, I needed to let my infatuation with Cyrus go. I’d have to find someone else to spend my Sunday afternoons with.

  My heart sank a little, and sure sign I was crushing too much on the large, silent but sweet Cyrus.

  5

  Cyrus

  I had no problem taking Petal to a Halloween party. I had a problem with Halloween parties themselves. The dressing up part in particular. A quick chat with my mother, who was thrilled to hear I was going out, but still sounded tired, gave me the idea of Zorro. Black shirt and slacks I already owned. Then I just needed to get a black mask, hat and gloves. A party store downtown had a fake sword. I looked like an idiot. The things one did for friends.