Single Dad Baker: A Second Chance Romance Series (Book 1)

by Wood, Lauren

  “I’m just getting started.”

  I buried my face and tried to ignore that last comment. I clenched down as hard as I could. I wasn’t going to let him keep going. He was going to come, whether he wanted to or not.

  Jack had all sorts of bravado, but once I started to collapse around him, he didn’t last much longer. He filled me full of his hot seed and I called out as I felt the fullness intensify. I fell to the deck and tried to catch my breath. It was all just too much and I had a feeling that he knew that.

  He smacked my ass and made me yelp. “Fuck that felt good!”

  I didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t a time that I was able to speak much. He seemed to be energized by coming together, but all I wanted to do was sleep. I went to my back and looked up at the stars. It was a beautiful night and I could finally feel the boat moving underneath me. It was rocking slightly with the water and that seemed to add to my contentment.

  “Are you going to get up or are you down for the count?”

  “Depends, what else did you have in mind, because if it is more of that, I am out for the night.”

  He helped me up and pulled me into his arms. “You can’t tell me that you’re already done. We’re just getting started.”

  I waved him off, but he persisted and kissed me. He meant exactly what he said and there was nothing that I could do about it. I don’t know if I would want to anyways. I was just lost with him. How could I not be?

  “How about we get something to eat and drink? Maybe you will change your mind.”

  I wasn’t sure if I would or not, but I liked the idea of something to drink. My throat was parched, and I knew that it was because of all of the hollering that I’d been doing. He had felt really good and I would have been embarrassed with how I acted, the pleasure that he had squeezed out of me, but I just couldn’t be. I was just feeling too good, my body on pins and needles. There was no way that I could feel a negative feeling at the moment. Not one.

  13

  Jack

  The morning was a bright one and I was ready for it. I had taken Bella home early in the morning, and I made sure that she didn’t come in today. I wanted to believe that she was satisfied and by the way she acted, she was. I don’t think I had ever had such a fun night, or at least not one that I could remember. The things that I had done to her, the sounds derived… It wasn’t something that I was going to be able to forget anytime soon.

  For one reason or another, I hadn’t looked for another woman after Dana’s mom took off. I didn’t have the time, the patience, any of the things that were needed. I told myself that they were high-maintenance, or I was simply not what they wanted. Whatever it was that I felt, it wasn’t easy to find a reason to not see Bella again. She was exactly what I needed, though I hadn’t realized that I was lacking something. I was and it was her.

  When I got to the bakery, I was alone because Dana was at her friends this weekend. It was the first time I had been in there in a while with it so quiet and it gave me time to think of the one woman I had just seen. I’d left her with a sleepy smile and a promise to call her later. I wanted to call her now.

  I knew better though. This wasn’t my first go-round with a woman. I knew that I shouldn’t appear too into her, even if I was. I had to play it cool, something that wasn’t that challenging before.

  The bell on the top of the door made a dinging sound and I looked up to see a tall man waiting at the front. I was open, but I didn’t usually get many customers this early on a Saturday. Throughout the week, sure. People were going to work, but it was strange to have someone in before six on a weekend day.

  I stuck the cinnamon rolls in and went out to the front.

  “Sorry for the small selection, but I have some more stuff coming out in a few minutes, if you would like to get some coffee and check out a menu.”

  “I am looking for someone.”

  “Well it’s just me here. Who are you looking for?”

  “Bella Reynolds.”

  I didn’t even like the guy saying her name. Before, he was just a customer, I didn’t notice very much about him, but now that I knew he was looking for Bella, everything changed. I knew that he wasn’t from here, so he knew her from California. Why would he come all this way for her, and she didn’t even know it?

  “Bella, huh?”

  “Yeah, do you know her? I heard that she was working here, though I was thinking that it had to be some kind of mistake. Bella would never work here. I doubt she would step foot in a place like this.”

  He paused for a moment, like he finally realized that he was talking shit about my bakery.

  “You know, it’s nice and all. Just quaint and slow. Bella doesn’t do those things.”

  The guy was a punk. That’s the first descriptive word that came to mind when I was looking at him. He had longish hair that was slicked back and a bit too much cockiness oozing out of him. He thought he was big shit and maybe he was back where he was from. I could imagine a baker didn’t pose that much of a threat to a guy like him. I didn’t have to look outside, to know that he was most likely driving a red sports car.

  “You sound like you know her well.”

  He scoffed and laughed, like something I said was funny. I wasn’t finding the humor in it. I tried, really, I did, but I wasn’t liking anything about this guy. He was far too familiar with Bella and I felt like I needed to protect her from him. I didn’t know why or what was going on, but I knew that I was going to have to figure it out.

  “Yeah, you could say that. We lived together for the last few years and then she up and takes off. If you know Bella, you would know how dramatic she is sometimes.”

  It was too much information at once. I couldn’t imagine Bella, my Bella, ever being touched by such a guy. He wasn’t nowhere near good enough for her. I couldn’t believe it and I was finding it hard not to punch the guy standing in front of me.

  “I see.”

  “So, is she going to be in today? Does she actually work here?”

  I was still in shock, but I managed to tell him that she did work here, but wasn’t in. I would’ give him her schedule or tell him where she was. If he knew Bella, he would know that she was home. Something told me that Bella hadn’t told him much about her past. I was still trying to figure out how she could pick him.

  “Look man, I can see that you know her, and I bet you think that you can slide in on that, but you can’t. She’s mine and I will have that bitch right back where she belongs.”

  I started to pull back, once he said bitch. I cracked him in the face. I knew that I was wrong to do such a thing. I didn’t have time to revel in the mistake that I had just made, because I quickly had to make another one.

  The guy pulled back and hit me. I didn’t see it coming, because I’d hit him pretty hard. I thought I had made my point, but apparently, that wasn’t the case. I wanted him to leave, but instead he came at me. The next thing I know, we’re fighting on the counter and he is trying to choke me.

  It didn’t last long, his upper hand. It was more because he got a jump on me, or that’s what I told myself anyways. Soon, glass was breaking, and an actual customer came in and broke it up. It was Jerry from down the street. He threatened to call the cops when the guy wasn’t chilling out. I didn’t even know what I was fighting him for, but it didn’t matter. This guy was never going to find out where Bella was from me.

  He left and I was looking around at the mess left behind. Jerry was asking me what was going on.

  “I don’t know Jerry. I really don’t. That guy came in here looking for Bella…”

  Jerry put his hand up and stopped the rest of it. “Say no more. I knew that broad was going to be trouble, as soon as she started.”

  “It’s not Bella’s fault.”

  “No, but I saw the way you looked at her. You have turned down more women than I can count Jack. Don’t tell me she isn’t different.”

  I pressed my hand to the swelling on my eye. Then I smelled the bur
nt cinnamon rolls and I cursed. Yeah, she was different all right.

  I picked up the mess in the bakery and left a message for Bella. I hadn’t told that guy anything, but I had a feeling that he was going to be back. I wanted information on the guy, as well as to warn Bella about him. I didn’t know who he was, but I did know for certain that I didn’t want him anywhere near Bella.

  The bakery didn’t have to be shut down, but I certainly had my work cut out for me. Some of the customers that I saw everyday stayed and helped. They were most likely trying to get the scoop, but I still appreciated the help.

  I also appreciated the constant conversation. It helped me to stop worrying about everything that was going on. Namely, it made me forget about Bella. That was something that I was going to have to deal with when I got off work. Just not yet though.

  14

  Bella

  I woke up in a great mood. All of the release from the day before, really set me up right. I felt really good and there was a smile from one side of my face to the other.

  My phone had awaken me and it was Kayla. She’d been out of town since I got back and I was so glad that she was finally back in town. I needed her guidance, even though I’d probably already made too big of a mess. I had done the unthinkable and at the moment, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it all.

  After we talked for a moment, she said she was coming by and bringing coffee. That’s how I knew that she was to be my friend for life. We both loved coffee and needed it to get on with our day. Today was certainly one of those days, I needed caffeine and a good friend to help my process the magical night that I had with Jack.

  Kayla was knocking on the door, about the time I was seeing that I had a voice message from Jack. I wanted to think that it was him telling me how great of a night he had with me, but that wasn’t the case at all.

  It was instead to warn me about some guy that was looking for me. I was opening the door for Kayla and I had it on speaker. I put my finger to my lips, to show her that I wanted to hear this. She handed me the coffee and I silently thanked her, mouthing the words. I knew now, that I was going to need this coffee more than ever before.

  “So I hate to bother you Bella. I imagine that you’re still in bed, trying to recuperate from what happened last night on the boat, but I needed to tell you something.

  There was a guy here, rough looking with long hair. He was looking for you and we got into it. He rushed out of here after tearing up the bakery and a customer was going to call the cops. I didn’t catch his name. I just wanted you to be aware.

  When you get this, call me. I want to see you soon.”

  Kayla was just gawking at me and I at her. I can’t believe that this was happening. I knew instantly who it was and she did as well. “Tell me that it’s not Billy.”

  I wanted to tell her just that, but I knew that it was the only guy that I could think of that would just show up. I wondered what the two guys had said to each other, to fight, but it wasn’t hard to imagine.

  “Wait, was that Jack’s voice on the phone?”

  It was then that she realized what was going on. I played it again, just to make sure that I didn’t miss anything and in doing so, I had outed myself.

  “Oh my god, that was Jack. What has happened since I’ve been gone?”

  She had a bewildered look on her face and I knew that there was something going on in her head. There was so much to talk about, Kayla looked like she was going to explode.

  “Yes, that was Jack.”

  Kayla’s grin was wider. “So…?”

  “So, it was great. Really great, but now apparently, Billy is back.”

  “How the hell did that happen?”

  I shrugged, because I didn’t have a real answer for that. Part of the reason that I had taken off, was because Billy was just too much for me. He wanted to control everything about my life. It was more than I was willing to handle. He got violent when he was mad, which was all the time and I didn’t even like the idea of him being in Coloma. I had left him all the way in California for a reason.

  “I don’t know. I definitely thought that about him. If he can’t have me, no one can kind of thing. I can’t believe that he came, and that Jack got in a fight with him. Billy has always been a little more possessive then I liked.”

  “Well I am sure Jack took care of it. He always did like to fight, and I can’t see him losing.”

  That very well may be, but it was embarrassing. The last thing that I wanted the two guys to do, was to get in a fight over me. It wasn’t something that I ever needed to see. I left California, so that I would never have to see Billy again. He was making that seem almost impossible and I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do next. All I knew for certain, was that Billy was back and I just wanted to take off again.

  “What are you going to do?”

  I didn’t want to do anything. I knew that Billy wasn’t going to disappear, no matter how much I wanted that to happen. I was going to have to figure out something, but I was a little perturbed in general, that I would have to deal with it. He shouldn’t be my problem.

  Not to mention the idea that Jack had gotten into a fight with him over me. I certainly didn’t like the sound of that either. I didn’t want to have to explain Billy. Jack didn’t sound all that upset, he was a scrapper long before he was a baker after all, but that wasn’t something that I wanted to owe him. It was embarrassing more than anything else. I couldn’t believe that Billy would come all this way, just to start a fight. What was said to make it end up that way?

  “I don’t know. I guess I am going to have to talk to Jack. He said something about the bakery being a mess. I hope Billy didn’t do something too stupid. I know how he can be sometimes.”

  “Sounds like it is a good thing that you left.”

  I had to agree with that sentiment. The more I tried to reason as to why I had stayed with him so long, the harder it was to come up with an answer that made sense.

  “Yeah, good thing, but now he is coming to haunt my new life. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere. It felt like I may just be able to move on.”

  “Don’t let him ruin anything. Jack will just have to be understanding. I am sure he is fine. You’re gorgeous. He won’t mind fighting for your affection.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that either. I had never been a woman that wanted men to fight over me. It didn’t even sound appealing at all. It just seemed like more violence that wasn’t needed.

  “I hope you’re right Kayla, because I don’t know what I am going to say to Jack. I can’t be mad at him if he is upset. I think I would be as well. If some girl just came in looking for him, starting a fight…”

  “Girls are different; besides, you don’t have anything to worry about. He hasn’t dated anyone in years. Ever since Dana’s mom took off. Kathy did a number on him. I think that there may be some women that don’t like that he’s off the market, but there’s no exes hiding around.”

  “How would you even know that? I can’t see Jack going too long being single.”

  “Trust me when I say it, everyone knows everything in Coloma. I would have heard about it, if he was dating anyone. A lot of women want him, naturally, so there is quite a bit of talk about it.”

  I was just going to have to trust Kayla. She had never left, so she knew all of the gossip. I used to know it as well, it was just strange to hear that Jack had been single for years. He certainly didn’t act like he was out of practice. The way he had made me feel was amazing. I couldn’t believe that he had lasted so long, knowing what I know now.

  “So, you were going to tell me what is going on with you two? I was gone a week and you and he hooked up?”

  I hadn’t said as much, but I didn’t deny it either. There really was no point. Kayla would know that I was lying.

  “Yeah, something like that. But now Billy just threw a wrench in all of it. I didn’t want to have that sort of conversation with Jack, not yet. It’s new and we just start
ed messing around. Billy just complicates an already confusing situation.”

  “What happens if you just ignore Billy?”

  “He keeps popping up. I don’t even know how he found out that I was working at the bakery. Possibly my parents and now he will know where I live.”

  “You didn’t tell your mom about him at least?”

  I shook my head. “No, I would have never heard the end of it. I didn’t want to admit this to anyone, but if Billy is going to get violent with Jack, he has a right to know what kind of guy he is.”

  I didn’t even want to think about that conversation. Kayla was empathetic, but I felt her judgment as well. Kayla was one of the only people that had known what all went on with Billy. She had told me more than once that I was being a dumb ass. It had hurt at the time, but she had been right of course.

  “Just get it out there. It’s not your fault.”

  “You said I was a dumb ass, more than once.”

  “Well, I can say that. I’m your best friend and you were being one, but he can’t ever say that.”

  I giggled at her answer. If only everything was as easy as Kayla made it out to be. As much optimism as she had about it, I was still finding it hard to feel the same way. I was dreading the conversation that I was going to have to have with him later.

  15

  Jack

  After the bakery closed, I had one more day with the house to myself and I was thinking of only one thing. I would have thought that some random guy coming in and picking a fight with me about Bella, would put me off. That didn’t seem to be the case at all. I think it actually did the opposite and the last thing I could think about, was something happening with her. I didn’t want her to leave, so I wanted to make sure that she knew that there was much better options if she stayed.