Sugary Sweets: Volume Two of A Taste of Love Series

by Willard, A. M.

  “No… It’s… Well… I’m happy,” I say between the cries that have now caused the whole backyard to stare at me. Natasha joins the table without a blink and starts to eat. Diesel looks over at her curious to why she hasn’t asked what is wrong with me. She understands the look, shrugs and states, “I already know what he asked her, and I warned him that she’d become a blubber of tears. Just the other day Hatcher said she cried because a bird was sitting on the deck singing a song to her.”

  “Hatcher James… Really, that was only for us to know,” I yell and turn my head towards Natasha. “In my defense, the song was beautiful.” I pull my shit together and look at Jayden. I take in his features before I glance over to Morgan. She deserves this, which is why I smile and nod my approval at Jayden. I wipe my face and set back out to devour what’s left on my plate. I start to think as I watch our friends join around me. The only ones that aren’t happy are Brody and Frankie. I watch as Frankie shifts from side to side, fumbling with her fork. She’s nervous… But I can’t tell if that truly is the problem. It’s like she has something on her mind. Do I ask? Do I pull her aside? I switch my sights over to Brody, who keeps raising his eyes over to Frankie. I can sense the connection between them, but they’re both too dang hard headed to give in to what could be amazing. I’m going to shrug it off as I need to brace myself for the reveal and the proposal of one of my best friends. I’ll deal with those two soon. I have to laugh at how I feel thankful that Natasha and Diesel are just fine. The day they finally agree to get hitched will be the joining of the perfect little family they already have.

  Chapter 19

  Morgan gives everyone enough time to finish eating and socializing before she grabs the picture frame from inside the house. I watch as she tallies up the total pink and blue signatures. She let’s a laugh out once she places it down. Clearing her throat, she announces, “Alright everyone, it’s time to find out what the Jameses have in the oven. Will it be a boy, or a girl? By the looks of it, everyone thinks Zara has a little soccer player baking away. Now, if you will all grab a cupcake from the plates being walked around, we’ll find out what the stork plans to bring us in a few months.” I notice a few of our friends and even neighbors are walking around with trays of cupcakes. Of course, I grab mine while I eye Hatcher’s. “You have your own stash in the house, back away from mine, you mean lady.”

  I snarl at him in protest, but decide he can have his cupcake as Morgan stashed away a few of these and brought me my own. “Zara, Hatcher, can you join me up here before we get started?” Morgan asks with her award winning smile. As we approach, Hatcher places his hand on my lower back, causing me to get those butterflies that he’s always giving me. I watch as Morgan’s face lights up, and how everyone near us has a smile on their faces. I hug Morgan, and roll away as Hatcher does the same thing.

  “Now that the parents-to-be are here, I wanted to say a little something before we bite into our cupcakes. As some of you know, we all go way back and I can’t remember a time that I didn’t have these two in my life driving me crazy with their antics along the way. It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but now that they both have thrown in the towel all of our lives have become a little less stressful. I’d like to say I was shocked by the news of them expecting, but that would be a lie. Once you witness these two in action and the way they stare at each other, it is simple to understand the love they share. Now, we didn’t get to celebrate the wedding like most would and I’m okay with that because I’m thankful enough to be a part of this process as we share the gender of the newest member of the James family. Let’s all raise our treats in honor of the lucky couple and take a bite too see if we have blue or pink.”

  Hatcher and I wait before we bite into ours as we watch the others ooh and aah over the pink frosting in the middle of the cupcake. The yard fills with congratulations, shakes of the hands, hugs, and pats on the back. Hatcher clears his throat, gaining the attention of the observers.

  “We want to thank you all for joining us today as we turned our first neighborhood BBQ into a dual celebration with the announcement of our daughter. Things could’ve turned out differently for us, but thankfully my family is recovering. I can honestly say I don’t know what I would do if something had happened to Zara.” Hatcher stops and looks down at me, “I love you, Zara, and I can’t wait to meet our baby girl.” He finishes his speech with a seal of a kiss and another round of applause erupts around us. Immediately, I watch as Jayden steps up towards us with a smile. I nod my head once again and reach for Hatcher’s hand. I squeeze it tight and take a deep breath as I wait for what’s about to happen.

  Chapter 20

  Morgan

  Being here today celebrating with Zara and Hatcher is one of the happiest days of my life. When I watched her car turn round and round before me, I thought things were going to end differently. I still have no idea how they both survived, but they did. It brought a lot of things into perspective for me. The bakery, the break up, the relationship with Jayden, and my friends. It all taught me something along the way. Each event in our lives is to shape us as we become stronger. I’m standing here next to Zara and Hatcher and my chest fills with love as I watch them. When Simon and I split, I never thought I would find love again, but when I think about it, I realize what we had was never love. He wanted a lifestyle, someone with a proper upbringing to look good on his arm. Now that I have Jayden I understand what love is. I understand what it truly feels like to miss someone, to want to know how their day has been. Jayden moves towards me. I can feel my face light up from just looking at him. When he steps closer to me I wonder what he’s doing. I notice a bead of sweat forming around his hairline and the nervous look about him. My heart stops when he kneels before me, with a baby blue box in his hand. “Jayden, what are you doing? Get up,” I say motioning for him to stand, but he ignores me.

  “Morgan, I can’t wait another day to do this,” he stops, looks over towards Zara and winks before he looks back at me. “Morgan Lewis, you bumped into me one sunny afternoon in a park, carrying what you hoped to be the dress of your dreams. I know you still have it, and I’d like nothing more than to see you in the one you’ve always wanted, maybe not that one, but one that you love and can’t wait to show me on our wedding day. I realized recently that life is short and when you have a bond with someone like the two of us do, you don’t waste it on time. You jump feet first and grab ahold of what you want in life. For me, that just happens to be you, and only you. Morgan, will you do me the honor of being my wife, the mother of our children, and promise to bake for me for the rest of your life?”

  I can’t breathe.

  I can’t see through the tears that are streaming down my face.

  I’m pretty sure I can’t even feel my heart beating in my chest as it’s stopped to pause this moment in time.

  Shock runs through me as Jayden and I have only spoken of marriage and a family a few times so I definitely didn’t see this coming.

  “Morgan, you want to answer me? I’m kind of down here waiting,” he says as he gives me that devilish smile of his.

  I place my left hand out towards him. “Yes, I’ll marry you and I promise to bake anything you ever want for the rest of my life,” I say as I watch him dress my ring finger with the most beautiful Tiffany style princess cut diamond ring. I take it in and enjoy how it’s me, and not a lifestyle. This is simple, but elegant.

  Zara is back to crying as she engulfs me in a hug. “Did you know about this?” I ask.

  “Only found out a little while ago myself. Oh My God, we get to plan a wedding and a baby shower,” she screams.

  “I know, I can’t believe I’m going to do this again, but I’m glad it’s with Jayden. I can’t imagine life without him in it.

  “Congrats,” Natasha says with a smile and hug as I watch the guys all shake Jayden’s hand. Frankie approaches me, tears filling her eyes as she embraces me. “I’m so happy for you,” she states and we all watch as she cuts her eyes in Brody�
�s direction.

  Chapter 21

  Natasha

  It amazes me how life changes in the blink of an eye. Just a few months ago I was still mending my heart back together from life and focused on my career. Each new case that landed on my desk was another way for me to bury myself so deep in it that I couldn’t think of anything else. Now, I’m enjoying it, along with Diesel and his daughter Cassidy. Everyday something new happens, either something with me, or with them. Cassidy has become a part of me like I never imagined and it still scares the shit out of me daily. Things have been hectic with us all, but we still seem to make our friendship a priority in life. It doesn’t hurt that the men in our lives get along; it’s just another plus for everyone. Thrilled isn’t even a word I could use today to describe the events. Between Zara, and now the news with Morgan, the day is complete as I look over and smile at Diesel. Cassidy’s hand is wrapped in her dad’s as she uses the other to eat another cupcake. I’m pretty sure the sugar high for her will hit in less than five minutes, but it’s okay.

  Diesel looks at me and smiles as he nods his head for me to come back over to them. I kneel to wipe the extra frosting from Cassidy’s face, and when I stand back up I notice a different look on Diesel’s face as he shifts his weight from side to side. “You okay?” I question.

  “I am, but we need a moment of your time. Cassidy has something she needs to ask you,” he states as he shakes her arm to get her attention. I look down at her, “Yes, Miss Cassidy, what can I do for you?” She swallows the rest of the treat, takes her hand out of her dad’s and motions for me to kneel. Eye to eye, I hear Diesel tell her to go ahead. “Will you live with me?” she asks and I’m caught off guard, not fully understanding what she means. I mean I think I do, but I’m not sure if I truly comprehend what she just asked. I stand and look back over at Diesel. The space around us is silent, and I’m pretty sure not even a fly is buzzing around at this moment.

  “What we both would like to know is, would you like to move in with us? I know it’s a little backwards and all, but we love you Natasha. I’d propose to you, but I still need a little more time before that happens. I am, however, ready to wake up to you every morning and snuggle with you each night as we start a life together.”

  I stand here flicking my eyes back and forth between Diesel and Cassidy, taking in the words that he just said. It is backwards, but I’ve tried to do it once before the way people expect and that didn’t turn out so well for me in the end. Something about this tells me to leap and take this risk. I know it’ll be an adjustment, but with Diesel by my side, it’ll be worth it. My response is delayed as I process it, my mind is telling me to jump up and down like Cassidy does when we go to the bakery for treats, but something within me likes watching the way his eyes dart between me and Cassidy. It’s almost as if he thinks I’m going to say no. I wait a few more minutes before answering.

  “Yes, I’ll move in with you guys. Or you can move in with me, I don’t care, I just know I want this also,” I answer and Cassidy’s voice booms with happiness.

  I know most people do this different, but Diesel still has to work through the death of his wife before he can let me completely in. I’m okay with this as I understand it. I think in time he’ll allow me to heal his heart just like he’s been the one to put mine back together. I know I’ll never replace Cassidy’s mother, but I hope that I can become someone she looks up to and that I’m around long enough to watch her celebrate the same things we’ve been celebrating today. I turn to look back over at my friends and their guests. “Who would’ve known all these things were going to happen at once?” I say with laughter as it’s pretty funny when you think about it.

  “Well, I sure as hell didn’t and I think we need more banana pudding,” Zara yells out as she scoots over to the table. She stops just shy of the bowl, turns around to the crowd and asks, “Anyone else want some, because if not this shit is all mine.” She grabs the bowl and balances it in her arms as she makes her way back over towards the group. When she stops and scoops up a huge bite we laugh at how she can still be hungry. Hatcher shakes his head at his wife but allows her to indulge herself in the craving that’s she currently having – which by the way is usually everything.

  Chapter 22

  Frankie

  “Well, I don’t have news like that, but I do have an announcement,” I say, gaining the attention of everyone. I was going to wait to do this tomorrow when the girls and I had lunch, but since it seems to be the time of happy news, I plan to spill it now rather than later.

  “We’re waiting,” Zara says through a mouth full of food.

  “I’m moving home!”

  “Seriously, don’t you play with my emotions, Frankie,” Zara says as she passes the now empty bowl to Hatcher.

  “Seriously, and I bought a house.”

  “Where, and when did this happen? I mean wow.” I hear Zara, and I can’t wait to tell her where I’ll be living.

  “It’s really close, and I think you might approve.” I smile and drag it out a little as I love to toy with her emotions – even when she’s not pregnant.

  “Stop playing with me, Frankie. I mean… I’m excited about all of them, but this is the topper to my day.”

  “Two doors down, you know the house that was for sale and now it has a sold sign on it?” Zara screams with excitement and forgoes the scooter to hobble towards me. As she embraces me, I hear Brody excuse himself from the group. I’m not sure what to do or say to him. I allow him to walk away as I explain to everyone that I won’t be going back to New York at the end of the weekend. The moving company will deliver my stuff in a few days and I tell them how I said good bye to New York as a permanent home base. I’ll have to travel back at times for shoots as I have contracts to complete, but my main business is here where I belong. While I was in New York I had time to do a lot of thinking, but I still need to figure out what I want in life. Is it Brody, or have I ruined things with him for good? I don’t know, as seeing he’s moving along without me, that might be the answer to it all. Maybe in life we miss the good and have to settle for something less. Those are answers that I’m not sure I’m ready for today. All I do know is that life has brought me back here, and this is where my heart is. I just have to figure out where I left it.

  Our group splits and mingles with the other guests. I’m approached by a few of the ladies in the neighborhood as they welcome me. A few have asked if I do family portraits and I hand them my card so they can take a look at my past work. I have the opportunity to gain new clients with all these families and it doesn’t matter that the pictures won’t be seen on the cover of a magazine. I’ve learned over the last few months that family and friends mean more than any photograph I can ever take. The pictures that I take of newborns, weddings, and just a fun day at the park are worth a million bucks. It’s a story of life, love, and new beginnings for them. Those are memories that I get to capture with a click of my lens -something most people never get to enjoy. I get to witness the romance between a newly married couple, where the love is so deep and new that you can’t help but smile while your heart desires the same. The joy of new life, that’s the purest of souls in the universe. The still of life’s moments on a swing when you capture people by random. This is what I want back; I want the happiness from behind my camera again.

  I notice the moment Brody comes in my line of sight and I stand to see if I can have a moment of his time. I take him off to the side where we can be alone.

  Taking a deep breath, I let it out before I can say anything. I reach down and grab his hand so I feel his skin against mine again. “Brody, I need to explain to you why I had to leave. Why I left and ignored all your calls, texts, and… You. I wasn’t in a good place, things were moving fast and you scared me. I wasn’t sure if I felt the same about you as you did me. I know the answer to that now and maybe one day you’ll give me the chance to tell you. I might have thrown the best thing in my life away by running, but one day you’ll understand w
hy I had to do that. I would never want you to do something you don’t want to, especially if you were lost. By leaving, I was able to find myself ... Know exactly what I want out of life and who I want that life with.” I stop to gather myself for a moment before I can continue. As I start to say something again, Brody holds his free hand up to stop me.

  “You can’t just waltz back in here today and tell me this, Frankie. When you left, you took my heart with you and it’s not back in my chest yet. I’ve moved on and that’s something you’ll have to live with. I would’ve joined you on your adventure … I would’ve done anything you needed me to do, as long as I was allowed to love you. I still care deeply for you, but I don’t know if I can give you my whole heart again without the fear of you ripping it from my chest. Maybe in time that’ll change, but right now I can’t even try to let you back in. Will we be friends? Yes, but nothing more. You had to find yourself once before, and that’s what I’m trying to do now. So, if you excuse me I need to head back over to my date that’s currently wanting to know what’s going on.” Brody pulls his hand from mine. When he does, I feel my heart rip from my chest and follow behind him. I realize at this moment that he holds the key to everything good in life for me. I knew coming back and repairing what I broke was going to be hard – but I wasn’t prepared for it to feel this way.

  “I have more cupcakes in the kitchen, care to join me?” Zara asks, waiting to console me like she always does. I shake my head and follow beside her as we round the front of the house trying to avoid the looks of everyone else. We stop in the front yard and take in the scenery before us and how I’ll only be two doors down from her in a few days.