The Forget-Me-Not Bakery

by Caroline Flynn

  ‘That doesn’t sound fair, but I’m listening,’ Bryce replied, hands on his hips.

  Cohen didn’t dare steal a glance over at Paige, whom he knew would be fighting not to laugh out loud. ‘I didn’t say it was fair, I said the cake came with conditions. This isn’t a negotiation.’ He pointed a finger at Bryce, which the boy promptly pushed away, chuckling.

  ‘State your conditions, Dad.’

  ‘The first one,’ Cohen rhymed off, holding one finger up again to count them down, ‘is that you thank Paige for bringing it in the first place.’

  ‘Thank you, Paige,’ Bryce recited immediately. ‘It’s a great surprise, having you here and bringing a cake with you.’ His son’s tone had changed, and he heard the sincerity in his voice, which made Cohen proud.

  ‘You’re very welcome, Bryce.’ Paige nodded at the boy. ‘It’s my pleasure.’

  ‘And the second condition?’ Bryce questioned, impatient.

  Cohen handed him the plate and a fork. ‘You’ve got to eat it in your bedroom and let us adults talk for a bit,’ he advised. ‘I will come and get you when we’re done. Cool?’ Cohen held out his hand, waiting for Bryce to shake on it.

  Cohen could almost see the wheels turning in his son’s head. He was smart, and the way his gaze flitted from Paige to Cohen and then back again, Cohen knew the assumption Bryce was going to make. It made his chest constrict, but he planned to talk to Bryce about it.

  Right after he talked to Paige.

  ‘Cool.’ Bryce balanced the cake plate with one hand and shook his dad’s hand with the other. ‘See you later, Paige.’

  She gave him a little wave and Bryce retreated down the hallway, cake in hand, stealing furtive glances over his shoulder as he went.

  When Cohen heard the bedroom door shut, he turned to Paige. ‘I don’t know where he gets it all from, I swear.’

  ‘He’s a good kid, Cohen.’ She accepted the plate he held out to her. ‘And a smart one. I think it’s safe to say he’s going to be asking some questions in the near future.’

  ‘I’ll bet,’ he replied wryly. ‘But before that happens, I’ve got a few of my own for you.’ Cohen served himself up a slice of cake, then filled a mug with coffee for Paige, sliding it across the table to her before he sat down to face her straight on. ‘Will you tell me what’s going on?’

  She moved the cake around on her plate, focusing on it like it might get up and do tricks. ‘I made a mistake,’ she said finally. ‘I said I couldn’t go on a date with you … made it sound like I didn’t want to.’ She looked up at him. ‘And that’s just not true, Cohen.’

  The look of distress on her face prevented him from offering her a smile. ‘I can’t deny I’m glad to hear that, Paige. But if that’s not the truth, then what is?’

  ‘The truth is …’ She pushed the cake around again, then huffed a sigh as she put the fork down. ‘The truth is that I’m not sure how to date, because I’ve never really done it, and I’m scared.’

  ‘Scared of what, exactly?’ Cohen was surprised, to say the least. Surprised that she hadn’t dated much, and that she was fearful enough of it to steer clear of all things surrounding it. Including him.

  ‘Scared of the fact that … I like you. And that I might mess this friendship up because of it.’

  This time, he couldn’t fight the grin tugging at his lips. ‘I like you, too. And, personally, I think it means more to me that you are afraid to mess up our friendship, than if you weren’t.’

  ‘You don’t think I’m being silly?’ This obviously wasn’t how she expected the conversation to go.

  ‘Not at all,’ Cohen assured her. ‘But maybe that’s the difference between you and me. I took a chance by asking you out. I’d be lying if I said I was ready for more than just friendship. With anyone.’ God, he hoped that didn’t come out wrong. ‘But maybe I never will be, Paige. My wife died. It was tragic, and unexpected, and it ripped me apart. Hell, some days it still does.’ Cohen paused, unsure if he had ever voiced that truth to anyone before now. ‘So, if you’re not ready to take that leap, I’m the last one who will begrudge you that. And I certainly won’t pester you about it. But, just know, I’m here, and the offer still stands. Whenever you’re ready. Or not ready. Maybe we can be not ready together.’ He laughed hollowly at his own ridiculous explanation. But it was the best he had, and it was the truth. That had to count for something.

  She looked stunned. ‘You’ve been so nice to me. And you’re still being so nice to me, even after I declined your offer. Allison said you don’t really …’ She trailed off, her cheeks flushing into a deep crimson.

  ‘Allison said I don’t date much?’ He finished the sentence for her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. ‘She’s not wrong. I don’t date. There’s no denying that losing Stacey plays a factor in that, but I’ve also just never really had the time since, I guess. Or never really made the time – that’s probably more accurate.’

  ‘Me too!’ Paige looked about ready to jump out of her chair. ‘I think it’s just so easy to get caught up in work and obligations that spending time with someone else can get shoved onto the back burner without realizing it.’

  ‘You’re preaching to the choir, Paige.’ He shrugged. ‘That doesn’t mean we can’t try to change that, though. We can take baby steps. If we find the time to spend an evening out with each other, then that’s great. If not, I promise you, it’s not the end of our friendship. All right?’ Cohen never thought he would be the one sitting there, advising a fellow workaholic that they had to take time to smell the proverbial roses. He certainly never thought he would be vying for a date with someone. Because Cohen Beckett didn’t date. There was a time he believed that he, Cohen Beckett, was no longer himself as a whole. He was merely what was left over after losing the love of his life. A piece of something that could never be put back together again. There was a time that he had been resigned to the fact that the dating ship had come and gone from the harbor of his life.

  But that time was before Paige Henley.

  ‘So, I’m just overthinking this.’

  ‘You’re definitely just overthinking this,’ Cohen chuckled. ‘But I mean it. I do appreciate the fact that our friendship means enough that you’re fearful of ruining it. That, in itself, tells me a lot about you. And you know what else it tells me?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘That I would love to take you on a date even more.’ He had to say it, because he meant it. In that moment, Cohen felt no apprehension about the prospect. He needed to use that fleeting moment of conviction to his full benefit.

  Paige snickered, plucking her fork back up to spear a mouthful of cake. ‘Despite the fact that I overanalyze everything?’

  He paused for a moment, then leaned back and dug in his jeans pocket, pulling out the familiar stone he’d shown her a few days ago. ‘Like I said before, you’ve got to just think about the positive stuff. Think Pawsitive. Besides, the fact you’re overthinking this isn’t the most important part of what you’ve said since you sat down.’

  Her eyebrows furrowed. ‘It’s not? Then, what is?’

  Cohen leaned in. ‘The part where you said you liked me.’

  She tried to cover her wide grin. ‘I meant that part.’

  ‘And the part about wanting to go out with me?’ It was a bold step for him. One he would probably overanalyze himself later on. But he asked, nonetheless.

  ‘I meant that part, too.’ Her eyes were bright. ‘But where would we go?’

  Cohen lowered his fork onto his plate, giving Paige a steady stare. ‘You just leave that up to me.’

  Chapter 11

  Paige

  She couldn’t believe she was doing it. Paige Henley was really, truly going on a date.

  With Cohen Beckett.

  She didn’t even fully know what that meant since Cohen insisted on letting him surprise her with the details, but she had to admit …

  She was excited. And proud, if she was honest with herself. For a w
oman who shied away from every romantic relationship opportunity that had come her way up until now, pretending to need work and only work to keep her company, Paige was bursting with pride that she’d not only confessed to Allison that she really wanted to spend time with Cohen, and then listened to her when she gave her good advice, but she’d taken the bull by the horns and pursued Cohen herself. Six days ago, she’d confronted him. Sat in his kitchen with cake and coffee to fortify her, and she admitted her fears about the entire thing.

  And Cohen had calmed those fears. With ease. She found solace in knowing he had that kind of ability, and genuine comfort in knowing she hadn’t messed things up between them permanently.

  The only thing Cohen advised her was to bring a jacket. Everything else was left in his hands. The idea of leaving the fate of the evening to someone else made Paige’s stomach twist. It was a mix of uncertainty and anticipation, though, so she knew that, while the notion scared her, it was fear of the unknown that she feared, not the time with Cohen itself.

  It wasn’t like she had never dated at all. Paige had a few dates in high school and college, but there was a difference between being taken out to the local burger joint or the campus pub with a man led by the hormones of a teenager, and being asked out by a man who had his priorities in check and didn’t expect anything from her other than to give him a chance.

  Nothing about Cohen Beckett could be compared to a teenage boy. Hell, he was only a few years away from being the father of one, though she would never remind him of that fact. Kids grew up too fast as it was. Cohen didn’t need it thrown in his face.

  Paige didn’t need the continual reminder that Bryce wouldn’t be there with them tonight, either. A formal date with Cohen was so much different than the evening walks and the dessert they’d shared at her place with Bryce before. She had been comfortable then, never viewing it as more than it was, never expecting more than that moment.

  But was that because she just didn’t know more when she saw it, or because she and Cohen were so connected that the more came without thought or a conscious choice?

  She was doing it again. Overthinking it. Overanalyzing it. She could practically hear Cohen’s deep voice telling her to take it easy. Could see his hazel eyes with flecks of amber glinting the way they did when he found her neuroticism amusing.

  He’s right, she thought, letting out a long, steadying breath. Just relax and enjoy it. The thought was quickly followed by, And think pawsitive. She smiled.

  Paige slipped on her favorite leather sandals just as the doorbell chimed out the first few bars of a pretty classical-sounding jingle. Much better than the previous chime. It was eight o’clock on the dot. Cohen was punctual. Just another thing to add to the list of things she liked about him.

  ‘You look beautiful.’ Cohen’s eyes gleamed as the outside light above her entryway door at the bottom of the stairs reflected in them.

  Paige had stressed over what to wear. Knowing she needed to bring a jacket hadn’t helped her very much in deciding what to wear underneath it, so after tossing half her closet out onto the bed, she’d decided simple was best, pairing black capris with a cap-sleeved emerald green top. She knew it made the hue of her eyes pop without the aid of makeup, and she’d added only some faint lip gloss and foundation. Less was more when it came to makeup, as far as she was concerned.

  ‘Thank you.’ She gestured toward his ensemble of his signature jeans and T-shirt covered by a dark forest green plaid shirt he’d left open. ‘You don’t look too bad yourself.’

  ‘Thanks.’ He held an arm out for her to take. ‘I contemplated dressing more formal, but I didn’t want to freak you out. And, honestly, I didn’t want to be uncomfortable all damn night.’

  Paige appreciated his candor, having thought along the same lines. ‘I happen to like your casual look. It suits you just fine.’

  ‘Seeing as you opened the door, I’m assuming you haven’t completely talked yourself out of this yet. So, what do you say we go before you change your mind?’

  He might have said it in jest, but Paige wondered if he’d truly thought she would cancel their plans before now. She didn’t blame him for thinking that. She let out a long breath, pulled her denim jacket from the hook by the door and folded it over one arm, then hooked her other arm around his. ‘Lead the way.’

  Outside, Main Street was buzzing with action. Well, as much action as a small-town downtown could on a weekend evening when almost all the businesses were closed and people were forced to make their own entertainment. Wrought iron lampposts lined both sides of the street, casting soft shadows in the glowing lamplight. The sky was clear, and the stars twinkled and shone like diamonds across the blackened backdrop. The moon, though brighter and whiter than the yellow halogen light glowing from the streetlamps, was large and round amidst the stars, and it cast a romantic, storybook ambience onto the scene.

  Paige rarely went out after dark, either working late into the night to prepare the next morning’s baked goods or heading to bed early with a good book and falling asleep after a chapter or two. She was mesmerized by the activity around her. Couples were out walking hand in hand, peering into the shops and murmuring amongst each other. Through the shrubs and tree trunks, she could just make out the blinking lights and the ripple of the water where boats glided smoothly through the harbor, leaving gentle, rolling waves in their wake. A handful of vehicles passed by, going in both directions, their occupants either out for a scenic drive or heading toward their weekend plans.

  In Paige’s mind, it reminded her of the constant hustle and bustle of New York City, but on a smaller scale. Okay, a ridiculously smaller scale. But the idea that Port Landon resembled a mini New York in a small-town, easy kind of way held a certain charm that she couldn’t deny she loved.

  It made her ache for her old life in the big city for a split second. But just as quickly, Paige fell in love with her new life just a little bit more, tipping the scales in the small town’s favor.

  ‘So, this is what’s going on while I’m slaving away in the kitchen or hiding out in my apartment.’ She still held Cohen’s arm loosely, allowing him to guide her from the sidewalk, down the cement stairs beside the bank, and onto the wooden boardwalk that would lead out to the pier they’d visited last week.

  ‘There’s always something to do, Paige. Something to see. Even in a small town.’ He gave her hand that rested on his forearm a little squeeze. ‘We just have to be willing to take the time to do and see it.’

  ‘Spoken like a true workaholic.’

  ‘It takes one to know one.’

  She didn’t take it as an insult. Rather, it was something they shared, something they understood about each other. Paige relished in the fact that Cohen was just as ambitious and hardworking as she was, albeit for different reasons. She liked that she didn’t have to explain that side of herself to him. ‘Do you ever wish you could change that about yourself?’ she wondered out loud. ‘Your workaholic ways, I mean?’

  Cohen stayed quiet long enough that she wondered if she’d overstepped. Then, ‘Even if things were different … even if there was a second permanent veterinarian at the clinic alongside me, I think I’d still struggle to step away from my business. I don’t delegate well. I think that’s just the kind of person I am,’ he said. His gaze met hers. ‘But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to try.’

  The longing in his voice didn’t go unnoticed. ‘Ditto,’ Paige replied. His words washed through her, lifting a weight from her shoulders. She wasn’t sure she could have phrased her own thoughts better than he did.

  ‘Ditto?’ Cohen raised an eyebrow. ‘What are we, in a scene from Ghost?’

  ‘The fact that you even know the correlation between ditto and that movie just awarded you more brownie points than you know, Cohen Beckett.’

  He fist-pumped the air theatrically. ‘Please tell me those brownie points get me actual brownies.’

  ‘Oh, the perks of owning the local bakery.’

&n
bsp; ‘Bryce is going to be ecstatic,’ he quipped. ‘Looks like I’d better brush up on my ‘90s movie trivia. It seems to have its perks, too.’

  ‘You are too much.’

  ‘Hey, you’re the one who mentioned brownies.’ He pointed down the length of the boardwalk toward the Old Port Ice Cream Shoppe. ‘This way.’ He led her off the boardwalk and closer to the shop, which Paige could see was very much closed for the evening. It was dark, all the lights were off, and the sign on the screen door had been flipped to read Closed.

  There were less people out this way, and Paige wondered idly why they were there at all. ‘It’s closed, Cohen.’

  ‘It is,’ he agreed, guiding her around to the back of the building that faced the waterfront. ‘But not for us.’

  He pulled a small keyring from his pocket and let go of Paige’s arm only long enough to unlock the back door. Situated beside it was a small wooden patio boasting two Adirondack lawn chairs. He pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit room. He waved a hand. ‘Ladies first.’

  Confused, Paige stepped past him. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dim light. As she looked around, the light in the room grew brighter. She spun around to see Cohen turning a dimmer switch on the wall, a crooked grin on his face.

  ‘I knew we wouldn’t make it to North Springs in time to have dinner at one of the fancier restaurants there. You deserve better than the diner here in town, which closes at eight o’clock, anyway. So, I did the only thing I could do.’ He pushed away from the wall and held a hand out toward Paige. ‘I brought one of those North Springs restaurants to you.’

  She still didn’t quite understand until she took Cohen’s hand and let him lead her through the back entrance and into the ice cream storefront.

  Except, it wasn’t the storefront she’d experienced the day they’d come here. The round tables and steel-framed chairs had been removed, leaving only one long table against the far wall and one round table with two chairs in the middle of the room. Even in the soft light, Paige could see that the table nearest the wall had a couple of warming trays and pitchers set out on a crisp white tablecloth. The table in the middle of the room was set with two place settings, and a single rose was perched in the middle of it in a thin crystal vase. There were small tealight candles on both tables, their bright flames the only movement in the room as Paige stared at the entire scene, awestruck.