At the end of two long grueling days, Cole helps me load up the back of his truck with all the cupcakes we worked so hard on.
I wipe my brow. “It smells like a banana factory blew up in here.”
“Last I heard they were still growing them on trees, but, compared to the stink I usually have going on in here, it’s an improvement.”
“See? I’m losing brain cells due to lack of sleep.” Cole and I haven’t even shared two kisses since operation lose-my-ever-loving-cupcake-mind came into play. “I’m just glad it’s over.”
My cell goes off. “It’s a text from the Morris Foundation.”
“What’s it say?” He takes the turn to downtown Jepson gingerly so the boxes don’t slosh around in the back.
“Oh my, God.” I just stare at my phone in disbelief. “I think I’m delirious. It says they would like to order a thousand cupcakes for an event they’re hosting this Saturday afternoon.”
“You’re on fire, girl.” Cole reaches over and tweaks my rib. “Do it. I’ll be right there with you.”
My heart warms just hearing him say it.
“I can’t thank you enough for that.” I take him in as the fading sunlight catches him just right with his dark hair slicked back, his glowing eyes. “I mean I know how I’d like to thank you.” If every muscle in my body didn’t ache. I’d really like to impress him with a couple acrobatics for our first time and not lie there like a limp rag.
He pats my knee as we park in front of the homeless shelter with their line snaking around the block.
“Would you look at this?” He gives a quick grimace. “You’re really going to make a lot of people happy today, you know that? And I’m one of them. I’m honored to be a small part of this. Don’t worry about us, Rox. As soon as we fill that next order, we’ll do something special. Maybe I’ll take the day off Sunday and we can see where the wind takes us.” He sweeps his soft gaze over me, his finger softly touching my cheek. “I’m in this for the long haul.”
I swallow down the sudden urge to cry. It looks like baking twenty-four seven, and no sex turns me into an emotional idiot.
I give a little smile. “I wouldn’t want anyone else with me for the long haul but you.”
We share a simple kiss before getting back to work.
Both Cole and I bake our asses off. One thousand lemon raspberry cupcakes signed sealed and delivered to the Morris Foundation bright and early Saturday morning. Cole and I took two days off school just to finish on time, and poor Baya missed a class, herself.
“I don’t think I should fill orders like that anymore.” I tell Laney as we hunch over our coffee inside Hallowed Grounds. Cole left for work, and I’m here hoping to catch a second wind by infusing myself with caffeine.
“I think you’re pretty lucky you’re getting orders like that.” Laney’s eyes bug out. “I’ve never heard of anything like it. I bet your mom put in a good word to all her big wig foundation friends.” She wrinkles her nose. “You know, sort of like a peace offering.”
“Peace offering? My mother doesn’t know the meaning.” True story.
“I don’t know about that—she’s reached out to Ryder a few times since Christmas.”
“Get out.” I lean in like it’s the most outrageous thing I’ve heard. Ryder made the decision to cut my mother out of his life because she deliberately tried to sabotage his relationship with Laney.
“It’s true. She’s singing a different tune these days. She said she would gladly ‘welcome me into the fold.’ She even texted me an apology.”
“That’s my mother, using modern conveniences to do her bidding.”
“I don’t really blame her for the text. It’s not like we’re communicating by any other means these days. I think having Ryder freeze her out is about all she can take. Rumor has it, she fired Meg.”
“No.” My mother worships the ground her mini-me walks on. “Go figure. Maybe that old tiger can change her stripes. Maybe she’ll even let Cole into the ‘fold.’ She made it pretty clear how she feels about him.”
“She didn’t.” Laney looks desperately sad for me.
“She did. She came over and said it was Cole or the Valentine’s benefit, and I chose Cole.”
Her mouth falls open. “I’m so sorry.” Laney knows how much hurt my mother is capable of, and, I know for a fact, neither of us wants to put Cole through my mother’s barbed wringer. I guess it’ll be me cutting my mother out of my life next.
My phone goes off—it’s another mysterious text. “One thousand red velvet cupcakes for the animal shelter fundraiser—by tomorrow night?” It comes out perplexed far more than it ever does excited. It’s becoming clear I’m losing my enthusiasm for these back-to-back neck-breaking orders. “Wow, I must have really hit the big time. You really think my mom is behind this?”
“Maybe.” She stares at my phone in disbelief. “One thousand red velvet cupcakes. Ooh save a couple for me, would you?”
“Will do.” I make a face. “Something isn’t sitting well with me.”
“Are they paying you?”
“In cash on delivery each and every time.” My bank account isn’t complaining. I tried to pay Cole back for springing for all those supplies he helped me with in the beginning, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Poor Cole. I’m almost afraid to tell him about this. “I’d better get going.”
Laney and I say our goodbyes, and I bump into my handsome brother on my way out the door.
“Your other half is ready and waiting.” I mock sock him on my way out into the cold to brave the elements.
“Stay for a couple minutes. I want to catch up. Maybe we can get dinner somewhere, and you can tell me everything my sweet little sis has been up to.” He gives a little wink.
“Can’t. I’ve got another ginormous order to fill in a ridiculous amount of time. I’ll be lucky if I’m not kicked out of school by the end of the week.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I may have missed a class or two.”
“Roxy.” He closes his eyes a moment. “Tell them you can’t fill the order.”
“No way. If word gets out that I’m a quitter, I’ll never live to bake in this town again.”
“Crap.” He cuts a quick glance over to Laney. “All right, but don’t worry about it too much. I’m betting you won’t be getting these ‘ginormous’ orders anymore.”
“That might not be such a bad thing—although I can’t really complain. It is what I wanted. Anyway, have a great time tonight.” I give him a quick hug.
“You, too. Save a few of those cupcakes for me. Red velvet’s my favorite.”
“Will do.”
I get all the way up to the apartment and bake my ass off by myself. If there’s one thing I’m up for it’s a challenge.
I’m halfway through with my baking spree when it hits me.
I never told Ryder I was baking red velvet.
I wait until my last batch is done before heading over to the Black Bear. I texted Laney some ridiculous question just to see where my not-so-sweet brother may be. The music is pumping, and the bodies are jumping, all a sure sign Cole will be stuck here for the next few hours. I should be happy that the Edwards’ bar is doing so well on their own since I seriously doubt my brother furnished them with patrons like he did me.
“Hey!” Baya jumps up and gives me a hug. “Whoa, no offense, you look like hell, girl.”
“None taken. I just spent the last eight hours baking another thousand cupcakes.”
“No freaking way!” Her eyes bug out in horror.
“Yes freaking way.” Somehow all of the deception involved in my brother’s scheme demands an explanation. “Have you seen Ryder around anywhere?”
“He’s in the back, playing pool.”
“Perfect.”
She takes off to tend to her tables, and I spot Cole behind the bar, and my heart melts a little. The light hits him just right, and he looks like a god illuminated from the inside. I’m so lucky to ha
ve someone like Cole in my life. I can’t believe he was right here at Whitney Briggs under my nose this entire time.
I take a step in his direction and notice a familiar blonde seated in front of him, talking a mile a minute as he mixes her a drink—Melanie Harrison.
I speed over just as the girl next to her leans over, and I not-so-accidentally take up her seat.
“Hey, beautiful.” Cole swoops over.
“Pink Panty Dropper, please—virgin.” I sink a little in my seat. I have no plans on enlisting anybody to hold my hair tonight. In fact, the only person I want holding me later is Cole.
“Funny”—Melanie looks up at me from under her forest of fake lashes—“he just called me the same thing. Beautiful.” She winks up at Cole, but I doubt he heard.
My stomach turns at the thought. I doubt he called her anything, so I choose to ignore her adolescent attempt to get under my skin.
“Why don’t you go dip yourself in a vat of buttercream and run into the nearest fraternity, maybe then you’ll get some genuine attention.”
The music switches up to some obnoxious pop song that gnawed on me all last summer, and then it hits me, its performed by none other than Steal-Your-Man LeAnn. I swear in a perfect world she’d blow a vocal cord, or, better yet, cheat on Aiden and let him know how much abject misery a heartbreak like that is capable of.
Cole slides my glorified pink lemonade over, and I give a sultry smile up at the ebony-haired god. It’s all I can do to keep from bowing to him.
“Lucky you”—he drills those angst-riddled eyes into mine—“you got the last cherry.” He gives a quick wink.
“I’m not the only one getting lucky tonight,” I purr.
“Oh, yeah?” He leans in. His chin tucked low, his lids hooded over with lust. “Who else is getting lucky tonight?” His eyes widen a notch with boyish anticipation.
“You.” I hold back the smile dying to break loose on my face.
A group of guys flag him down, and he blows me a kiss before heading to the other end of the bar.
I hop off my seat, and Melanie snatches at my arm. “Bedding Brighton tonight, are we?” She averts her eyes as if it were cliché in some way. “You want any tips?” Melanie leans in, her cleavage crusading for my attention.
“No. You can keep both your culinary and coital tips to yourself. I’ve got this.”
“Of course, you’ve got this. You’ve probably slept with him a million times.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I’m not the one in a sorority known for its sexual shenanigans. She’s in Alpha Chi, my cousin Aubree’s, ex-sorority. Not that my cousin is a testament to the sorority’s greatness, more like a testament to its budding psychosis. Aubree is set to go on trial for attempting to murder Baya by way of drugging her and shoving her off a bridge last fall. I shake all thoughts of my psychotic family out of my head for now.
“Of course, you’re knocking boots—combat boots.” She glances down and makes a face at my footwear. “Anyway, you’re living with him so it’s to be expected.” She rolls her eyes. “Look, everyone sleeps with Cole. It’s a rite of passage. I get it. It’s not like I’m calling you a skank. Relax. I was just going to fill you in on some of his favorite positions.”
My insides explode in a hot ball of acid, and the very real threat of reprising my vomit routine pulsates through me.
I glance over at him at the far end of the bar as he entertains a group of coeds while gyrating his cocktail shaker over his chest.
“Did you sleep with Cole?” I ask, but I have a feeling I know the answer. He probably slept with all those girls at the end of the bar as well.
“Yes.” She says it slow as if I were severely feeble-minded for having to ask. “Have you slept with Cole?” She shakes her head as if she were asking a rhetorical question.
My mouth falls open, and not a sound comes out.
“Oh, my gosh! You’re a Cole Brighton virgin!” She gives a little whoop before covering her mouth. “I swear I didn’t think you people existed. You’re like a fabled creature around these parts.”
“Shut up, Mel.” If anyone can drive me right back to the brink of hating society, it’s Melanie Harrison. I don’t waste a second heading for the pool room in the back. Melanie shouts something about the competition—something about swapping recipes, or maybe it was positions. Crap. Just the thought of Cole loving her like that makes my skin crawl.
Ryder nods at me as I speed in his direction.
Laney is busing a table nearby, and Bryson is standing next to my brother with a pool stick in hand.
“What’s up little sis?” He reverts his attention to the balls breaking on the table.
“Hey, Ryder—or should I call you Mr. Banana-Chocolate-Lemon-Raspberry-Red-Velvet?” His face bleaches out. “So you are the one behind these manic orders I’ve been getting. Why?” I bark it in his face because I think I know.
“Ryder!” Laney smacks him over the arm.
Ryder closes his eyes as Laney butts her shoulder into mine awaiting his answer.
“Because”—he gives that look that says I’m sorry long before his lips do—“I thought maybe if I kept you busy, it would buy some time for you to see what an idiot that guy you’re living with is.”
And there it is.
There are so many things I could say to him like you’re just like Mom, or thanks for the cash I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank right after I roll out of bed with my new boyfriend, but I don’t.
Instead I haul back and deck him right in the jaw.
Ryder stumbles back onto the table.
Bank shot.
Cole
Laney runs out and yells something about Roxy, so I hop over the bar and follow her to the back. There’s a brawl breaking out with Ryder and… Roxy?
I help Bryson pluck her off her brother, kicking and screaming, but if I had it my way, I would have let her kick the crap out of him just a little longer.
“Holy heck.” I try not to laugh while wrapping my arms around her tight. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She buries her face in my chest a moment. “I mean no. Do you think you can take me home?”
Bryson nods over to me. “Go ahead, man, I’ll close out your shift.” He shakes his head at Rox. “Save the sibling rivalry for the holidays. I don’t want to have to kick you out of the bar.”
“Sorry.” She digs her fingers into my back as she says it, and my boxers perks to life like a reflex.
“What happened?” I’m not moving until I find out what this idiot did to drive Roxy to the point of no return.
“You want to know what happened?” She shoots her brother a look that could slice his balls off. “He’s been running us ragged so we wouldn’t do each other.” She leans into him, and he winces as if she were going to clock him again. “But don’t worry about that ginormous order you put in today. I’ll be sure to get the cupcakes to the animal shelter on time. Too bad for you, though, because my fee just doubled. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going home to screw my boyfriend.”
Ryder winces as if he were just slapped. And in a way, he was.
Roxy takes me by the hand and leads me out of the bar.
A sly smile creeps up my lips. I’ve never been with a girl as ballsy as Roxy before.
Who the hell am I kidding? That smile is on my face because I’m about to get laid. And with Roxy it really will feel like the very first time.
I drive us home, and she’s pretty quiet all the way over.
We take the elevator up without saying a single word, and with each step toward the apartment, it’s starting to feel a little less probable that my body will be getting the attention it craves.
Damn. I guess it wasn’t meant to be tonight. But Rox is pretty upset. I get that.
The apartment is lit up with the scent of chocolate. I take in a deep lungful and feel that familiar carbohydrate high hit me as if it were opium. Cupcakes are laid out over the counter for what looks like miles.
“We can make the frosting, but it’s cream cheese—it needs to be refrigerated until delivery day.”
The table and counters are all lined with stacks and stacks of pink boxes. “You did all this by yourself?”
“Yeah, you got a problem with that?” She huffs it out, and, for a second, I think she’s joking.
“Yeah, I got a problem with that.” I pull her in by the hips and chase her eyes with mine until she looks up at me. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
“Everything’s wrong.” She pushes my hands off her waist and pulls out a mixing bowl. She dumps in cup after cup of confectioners sugar until there’s a plume of dust mushrooming out of it like a nuclear bomb just exploded.
“Let me help. We’re a team remember?” I step in behind her and land a kiss on the back of her neck.
“Are we a team?” She jerks away. “Or, at the end of the day, am I just going to be another member of the team?”
Where the hell is this coming from? “Did something happen that I should know about?”
“I talked to Melanie tonight at the bar.” Roxy yanks the drawers open and closed until she finds the utensils she’s looking for.
I think I know where this is going.
“You know what she asked?” Her eyes expand with fire in them. “If I was up on all your favorite positions because apparently she is.”
“I never said I was an angel.”
“No, you just sleep with girls with that name. Look, I get it, you’ve been around.”
“And I didn’t hide it.”
“I never said you did.” She screams it out so loud, the windows rattle.
“Then why do I feel like I’m being punished for something?” I shout back.
“Don’t you yell at me!” She grabs a fistful of confectioners sugar and pelts it at my chest. The room explodes in a cloud.
Valentine's Day Kisses : Boxed Set Page 12