Delicious Temptation

by Sabrina Sol

  Daisy threw up her hands. “I don’t like him like that! I’m just trying to protect you, cousin. You’re obviously heartbroken over Eric and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of your condition.”

  The mention of Eric’s name formed a lump in her throat. She swallowed any emotion and tried to sound normal. “Fine. Maybe I am sad about Eric leaving, but it’s not like he promised me anything. And don’t worry. Nothing will ever happen between me and Brandon because our business relationship is too important to me. Plus, I just don’t think of him that way.”

  “Okay. Good. I’m sorry then for acting like such a brat.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to think about what Brandon said? He has the connections, Daisy. He could really help.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. Just do me a favor and keep me out of your conversations, please. If he wants to know something about me, he can ask me directly.”

  “So, if he wants to know if you’re single…?”

  “Oh. My. God. Enough of trying to hook us up, okay? That’s never going to happen.”

  Amara smiled. “Fine. I’ll stop if you stop.”

  Daisy nodded and pushed Amara’s shoulder again—softly this time. Amara pushed her back. “Thanks for looking out for me.”

  “Alright, that’s enough of that,” said Daisy. “Let’s see what we’ve got to get done today.”

  As she watched her cousin flip through the order book, she blinked back tears. For all her talk about wanting to be independent and live her own life, it still felt nice to have someone in her corner who was prepared to throw down with anyone who threatened to hurt her. If Brandon was the business expert, then Daisy was the expert when it came to getting over a broken heart.

  Hopefully, with both of their help, she’d survive the next few months intact.

  …

  The coldness of the house was the first thing he noticed.

  As Eric wandered from room to room, he hugged himself tighter in attempt to warm up. Every room was empty now. Every room was bare. He’d just taken the last box out to the moving van and come back for…what?

  One last check was what he’d told his mom. And although there was nothing physical that they were leaving behind, he still felt a tug to check every cupboard and every closet. When he came up empty handed, Eric knew there was nothing left for him at this house. Only memories. And those he could take with him back to Vegas.

  “It’s all clear,” he announced to his mom after walking back outside. She nodded and pulled down the van’s back door. After dusting off her hands, she joined him as he waited for her by the driver’s side door.

  “You know I can still follow you there. The new project site doesn’t open up until next week.”

  She put her hand on his arm. “We talked about this already. It’s too much driving for you. Besides, I’m kind of looking forward to a road trip on my own. It’ll be my first new adventure.”

  He nodded and watched her climb in behind the wheel.

  “Have you talked to Amara?”

  He widened his eyes. “Why are you asking?”

  She shrugged and started up the van. “I don’t know. I guess a part of me is hoping you were wrong about her—the way I was wrong about you.”

  “Well, to be fair, you weren’t technically wrong about me. I did a lot of stupid things and you had every reason to think the way you did.”

  “Well, to be fair, I wasn’t exactly winning any Best Mom prizes. I know I also did a lot of stupid things when you were younger. And you didn’t deserve that. I hate that it took for your abuela to die to make me realize all the time we wasted. I want Amara and you to realize that every minute, every precious minute, is a gift. And if you want to be together, then you should do everything in your power to be together.”

  “See, but that’s the thing, Mom. I don’t think she wants us to be together. Or if she does, then she’s too afraid to make it happen. And I can’t want it for the both of us.”

  “How’d you get to be so wise about love?”

  He looked at his abuela’s house one last time. “I guess I had a pretty good teacher.”

  His mom nodded, promised she’d call him every few hours, and then drove away, leaving him and his truck in the driveway. Just as he was about to get inside, a black Jeep pulled in behind him. It was Daisy.

  She waved to him from the window and he walked over to her.

  “Hey. What’s up?”

  “I came to give you this,” she said, and handed him a flyer. It was the announcement of the bakery’s grand re-opening on Friday.

  Pride swelled inside him. She’d done it. She’d made her dream happen. He’d always imagined himself standing right next to her when it did. But that spot wasn’t reserved for him anymore. Maybe it never was. “Thanks,” he told Daisy, “but I don’t think I can go. I’ll probably be on my way to Vegas by then. Besides, I don’t think Amara wants me there. Does she even know you’re giving me this?”

  “What does it matter? You miss her don’t you?”

  Of course he missed her. Cold showers and his other usual methods of relief hadn’t helped him forget her. Because he didn’t just miss having sex with Amara, he missed talking to her and laughing with her and just feeling her body next to his. Part of him had hoped that she would have called him that night to tell him she’d changed her mind and wanted him to stay. But she never did, and he didn’t bother to pick up the phone either. And now it was too late. He looked at the ground, afraid Daisy would see the emotion he’d been trying to stifle ever since.

  “So what happened between you two anyway?”

  He jerked his head up to look at her. “What did she tell you?”

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But apparently something happened between you two and I wanna know what you plan on doing about it?”

  “Look, Daisy. I care about her. I really do. And it’s killing me that things didn’t turn out differently. But whatever we had is over now.”

  “If you care so much about her, why are you leaving?”

  He sighed. “Because it wouldn’t have worked out. All the hiding and sneaking around isn’t exactly the best way to have a relationship. We didn’t want it to become this big thing between us and her parents, or me and Miguel.”

  “What do they have to do with it?”

  “You know her parents can’t stand me. Do you think they’d ever have let her take over the bakery if we started dating?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “And then there’s Miguel. He recommended me for the remodel, but only if I first swore to stay away from Amara. If I stay here in L.A. to be with her, then I can kiss any other job referrals from him and Amara’s dad good-bye. And how can I be with Amara if I don’t have a job? She needs someone to support her, not someone she’s going to have to support financially. Trust me, it’s better for everyone that we didn’t stay together. Even us.”

  “Maybe you’re right. Maybe everyone else is the reason you shouldn’t be together. But if you ask me—okay, even if you don’t ask me—I think that a part of you won’t let yourself be with her either. At least not completely.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense. I was with her.”

  “Maybe your body was. But, what about your heart? Did you ever tell her that you love her?”

  Eric tensed. “How did you know?”

  “You just told me. So, did you ever tell her?”

  “It wouldn’t have made a difference.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not the type of guy Amara needs in her life right now. She needs someone like Brandon.” He practically spat the man’s name.

  “If I’ve learned anything about my cousin in these last few months is that she doesn’t like other people deciding what she needs or doesn’t need. Especially when it comes to men.” She grimaced. “Maybe it’s time for all of us to let Amara have a say in her own life.”

  “When she didn’t ask me to stay, that w
as her having her say.” He handed the flyer back to her. “Thanks for the invite, Daisy. But I won’t be needing it.”

  She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but then closed it. Instead, she backed her Jeep out of the driveway.

  Eric stood there for a few minutes. He knew Daisy had only tried to help. But talking about Amara and the way things ended between them was not how he wanted to spend his last day at his abuela’s house. It was painful enough knowing that he’d never walk through that front door again and smell her hearty, rich cocido. And it was just as painful to be reminded that one of her dying wishes was for him to be with Amara, and he couldn’t even do that right.

  East Los Angeles had been his home. Now, all he wanted to do was get the hell out of it.

  Time to start over. Again.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  As she surveyed the line of people that snaked out the door and onto the sidewalk, only one thought ran through Amara’s head.

  I’m going to wake up now. I’m going to wake up now. I’m going to wake up now.

  The response to her Friday giveaway of two free pastries or bread items with every cup of coffee was overwhelming. For the first time since she could remember, there were people waiting outside before the bakery opened at six. The crowd was still going strong into the lunch hour and Amara couldn’t believe that it wasn’t just a very nice dream.

  Day one of the bakery’s weekend grand re-opening event was proving to be a great success. Today was about bringing in the college students and faculty by encouraging them to try their new menu of café lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, cafes con leche, and spiced hot chocolate. Tomorrow was about bringing in the community by offering special deals on breads and pastries and entertaining them with a mariachi trio in the morning.

  Reinforcements had been called in. Daisy helped customers at the counter along with Trina, who was carrying little Miguel in one of those front backpack things. Mom ran the register, while her dad and brother helped by cleaning tables and folding boxes as needed.

  Taking one last look at the beautiful craziness before her, Amara headed back to the kitchen to get started packing up a big order of churros

  “Dad, I need your help,” she yelled while she pulled two baking sheets from the oven. “Grab me some pastry boxes from the counter and help me pack up these churros for Fr. Marcos.” Her hands full, she used one foot to lift the oven door about halfway up and then turned around and pushed it closed with her butt.

  “Careful now. I’d hate to see that beautiful ass get burned.”

  Amara nearly dropped her trays at seeing Eric standing in the doorway holding a mini-tower of pastry boxes. She recovered her balance and set them on the stove. Determined not to show the volcano of emotions erupting inside at the sight of him, Amara took the boxes from his hands and headed back to the counter by the ovens.

  “Are you going to say anything to me?” he asked.

  She took a spatula from a nearby drawer. Her hand shook as she lifted one of the baked desserts off the baking sheet to place it into an empty box. “What are you doing here?” she finally managed.

  He cleared his throat. “It looks like the grand re-opening is going well. Congratulations. And the front of the bakery looks awesome. The display cabinets really make a difference. Everything looks really, really good.”

  The deepness of his voice on that last sentence made goose bumps dance up and down her arms. Remembering that her dignity and fragile heart were at stake, she shook off the tremors and went back to packing the churros. “You didn’t answer me. Why are you here? Why are you back?”

  “Daisy stopped by the other day to drop off an invitation. She also told me I had some unfinished business here that I needed to take care of right away.”

  Ah, he came back to install the blinds. Daisy had mentioned to her yesterday that the old ones were starting to crack and that Amara should get someone to fix them. She closed her eyes and ordered her heart not to sink. She was too busy arguing with her emotions that she didn’t notice when he moved behind her. Very close behind her.

  “I was supposed to leave for Vegas yesterday. I had everything packed up in my truck, I closed out my bill at the motel I’ve been staying at, I even stopped at that corner liquor store to stock up on snacks for the road.”

  His breath caressed the back of her neck and she shivered. “So what are you doing here then?”

  “I walked up to the counter to pay for my bottled waters and sunflower seeds and Mr. Veracruz, the owner, recognized me. He told me I owed him a hundred dollars. So, naturally, I think he’s crazy and I show him that I’m only buying a couple of waters and the sunflower seeds. He tells me I owe him a hundred dollars for everything I used to steal from him back when I was in high school.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I gave him the hundred dollars, because I don’t want to be that guy anymore—the guy who doesn’t pay for what he takes. Just like I don’t want to be the guy who disappears when things get too hard.” His breath turned hot against her exposed neck. “So I came back to finish what I started. I’m just hoping it’s not too late.”

  She froze, leaving one churro in mid-lift. His arm came around her and he covered her hand holding the spatula. After gently pushing it down and returning the churro back to the baking sheet, he touched her bare shoulder. The skin-on-skin contact set off a whole new set of goose bumps. Her already slippery grip on the situation threatened to disintegrate. Before she turned around and got lost in those killer eyes, Amara needed to know for sure why he’d come back.

  “Why are you here, Eric?” She whispered the words, yet the impact behind them was deafening.

  “Because I love you, and someone tells me there’s a very good chance you might just love me, too.”

  At first, she didn’t move. She couldn’t believe—wouldn’t let herself believe—him. The magnitude of what he’d said… She started to tremble. It began with her knees and traveled up to her shoulders until she could do nothing but shake her head. She shrugged out of his half embrace and whipped around to face him.

  “Is that what Daisy told you? I’m going to kill her. No, she’s family. I can’t kill her. I’ll just injure her. Severely. Everyone needs to stop butting into my life. But they just can’t help themselves. It’s like a disease—”

  “Amara, stop. I just told you that I loved you. Don’t you have anything to say about that?”

  Old insecurities washed over her. He loved her now but that didn’t mean one day he wouldn’t anymore. And then what? If she began a relationship with Eric, there was a good chance her parents would never sell her the bakery. Thanks to the success of the grand re-opening, she’d planned to bring it up again after this weekend.

  Everything she’d ever wanted was within her grasp. Question was, what if she couldn’t have both?

  “Well?” Eric pressed again.

  Amara’s mind was a jumbled mess. Everything was moving so fast. Just a few minutes ago, she’d thought Eric had already left for Vegas. The fact that he was standing in front of her, professing his love, overwhelmed her. She couldn’t form a coherent thought, let alone speak.

  He took her silence for rejection.

  “I guess Daisy was wrong, then. And so was I.” He backed away, his gaze downcast. “Congrats on the grand re-opening, Amara. I won’t bother you again.”

  It took her a few seconds to realize that Eric was walking away from her. It took her a few more seconds to realize that this time would be the last. He’d given her so many chances to admit how she felt, and now she was about throw away another one.

  Because while she’d been so busy trying not to fall in love with Eric, she’d gone and fallen in love with Eric.

  But if you tell him now, everyone will know.

  And that’s when it hit her. Oh. My. Gosh. She wanted everyone to know.

  Amara ran through the kitchen and through the new shutter doors Eric had installed to separate it from the front of the bakery.
It was filled with wall-to-wall customers and she searched the crowd for Eric. But he was nowhere to be seen. Her heart deflated. It was too late.

  Jingle. Jingle.

  She looked up and saw a black baseball cap about to head out the front door. She knew that baseball cap.

  “Eric!” she shouted over the crowd. “Wait! I love you, too!”

  The baseball cap stopped. Eric turned around and their eyes met.

  “Amara, what are you doing?” Her mother’s words were nearly drowned out by the rumble of the crowd, the things people must be saying about her, about him.

  Good thing she didn’t care anymore.

  She walked toward him and Eric met her in the middle of the bakery. “Is that your new marketing strategy or something? Telling customers that you love them so they’ll buy more cookies?”

  “I have to admit that I’d do almost anything to sell more cookies. But you’re the only customer I’ll ever say that to.”

  The huge grin on his face was the last thing she saw before she pulled him down for a kiss. Gasps and claps sputtered from the crowd. She ignored them all and concentrated on the way Eric’s lips were setting her entire body on fire.

  “Okay, okay. Let’s leave the lovebirds alone and get back to business. Who’s next?” she heard Daisy yell. She smiled against his lips before pulling away from him at last. Then she took Eric by the hand and led him back into the kitchen.

  Of course, they were followed.

  “But I was in the middle of eating that cupcake, Consuelo!” her dad yelled as he barreled through the new shutter doors.

  “Basta! Your daughter talking crazy is more important than some cupcake. There she is! Talk some sense into her!”

  “Amara, please tell your mother that you’re not really in love with Eric Valencia so I can go get another cupcake before they are all gone.”

  “I’m sorry Dad, but I can’t do that. I love Eric.” She looked at him and smiled. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side.

  Consuelo gasped. “Aye madre de dios. You cannot, Amara! I forbid it!”