Sugary Sweets (A Taste of Love Series Book 2)

by A. M. Willard

  “Simple, Frankie is being blackmailed into dating the head guy’s son in order for them to keep tabs on her. They want to make sure that whatever she witnessed, she doesn’t go to the police. I mean, we could all be in danger now.”

  “Have you been watching those crime shows again? The last time you did that you were convinced that my Uncle Tommy was an axe murderer and wanted in like ten states.”

  “You have to admit he looked just like the guy they were looking for, plus he was creepy and weird. Totally fit the standards.”

  “Morgan, what have you been feeding her? I told you all to watch her sugar intake and to block those crime channels. Things will get weird and we can’t have her poking around in the dark trying to fit in some black clothes as she stalks people with her protruding belly.”

  “Don’t mess with my food, and no, I’m only watching a few shows. If you bothered to come home you would know that, now wouldn’t you?”

  “Okay you two, let’s keep the peace until after dinner. You two take that cab and Morgan and I will take this one.” Natasha, always the planner, takes over as she pushes Morgan in the back seat and slams the door to her taxi, leaving the two of us on the sidewalk watching them drive away.

  “I hope you know where we are going,” I ask as I slide in and wait for her to give the driver the address. I know what they are doing and it’s not going to work. I sit back and wait to see if she’ll say anything first. I’m so hardheaded that I refuse to start the conversation, deciding to wait it out and make her sweat it some. Within a few minutes we’re arriving at our location and notice it’s a Tapas restaurant. It’s not like ours back home, but it’ll work, especially if the food is good because at this point I could eat a house and not feel guilty for doing it alone.

  The four of us walk in like we’ve been here a million times. Frankie bypasses us and waves the hostess down. A tall blonde comes over and embraces her with a big hug and instructs us to follow her. I look around the place and to my friends to see if they find this weird or not. I mean, what the hell is going on, and how is it that we can just walk right in without a reservation? This whole trip is a hot mess that I need to wake up from, that’s one thing I can’t wait to do –return home.

  Reviewing the menu, I’m startled when the hostess comes back over and drops off a few baskets of mini slices of garlic breads and what smells like a basil herb butter sauce. I take this moment to grab a few slices and dig in as it smells divine and my mouth waters to taste it.

  “So, Frankie, what have you been doing? How’s business?” Morgan asks to cut the tension at the table. My ears perk up to hear this as I continue to stuff my mouth.

  “Just adjusting to the city life really, and business is great. I have clients lined up for months and new contacts are steadily coming in. I never thought I would be this busy. What about you guys?”

  Natasha speaks up first and explains about her and Diesel, which is still amazing and I love hearing her talk about Cassidy. Morgan explains how the bakery has outgrown itself and says she has a surprise coming, but not ready to announce or talk about it yet. This only causes me to raise an eyebrow in her direction, confused to what she is hinting at.

  “Morgan, are you pregnant? Are you engaged, married, or what?” I ask as I’m dying to know what is going on.

  “No, no, no…. Nothing like that, you silly girl. Just something I want to do and talk to you soon about, but nothing has been set into action as I need my business partner to agree first.”

  “Well, I’m right here so let’s talk about it,” I respond as I know this will take the pressure off me from talking to Frankie about my life right now.

  “How about after dinner? Tell Frankie about the baby and your appointment next week,” she nudges me, but I blow it off as I have the feeling she doesn’t want to hear this.

  “Tell me Zara, I want to know what’s going on back home other than what we talk about on the phone. Did you finally give in to this crazy thing you have going on with Hatcher?”

  “No, I’m still fighting it and nothing is going on. We go for our ultrasound next week to see if we can tell what the sex of the baby is. I say boy and Hatcher says girl.”

  “I think it’s a girl,” Morgan announces as she rubs her hands together in excitement.

  “Same here, what about you Natasha?”

  “Boy, only so I can hear Zara complain about it peeing on her with every diaper change. Can you girls imagine the first phone call when that happens? It’s going to be priceless,” she laughs.

  “What do you mean pee at every diaper change? I don’t understand,” I say with not only disgust, but confusion.

  “I got this one,” Frankie says and continues. “When you change a boy you have to be quick because as soon as the cool air hits its boyhood it shoots out and hits you in the mouth, face, chest, ceiling, or anywhere. Happened to my cousin with every change. It was so bad that she finally moved his changing table to the bathroom, and she made this shower curtain contraption that she’d wear when she could. It was awful and no one in the family would ever chance it with that one. Be prepared is all I can say.”

  “That is disgusting and Lord, I think I want a girl now.”

  “How’s the nursery coming along?” Frankie asks which I try to ignore and take another huge bit of bread so I can’t answer.

  “It’s not,” Morgan says for me.

  “Why, I thought you would have started by now. What’s the problem?”

  “There’s a ton of problems, but none of them are yours so don’t worry about it.”

  “Zara, what is your problem? You are being the biggest bitch ever and don’t you dare blame your hormones. Spill it right now so we can have a nice evening.” Frankie practically yells at me.

  I toss my napkin onto the table and turn my body a little so I’m completely facing her. “You know what my problem is? I don’t know what to do! I didn’t even know that a cradle is for the infant that comes home, I thought it was the same as a crib, just a fancy one that swings back and forth. I hate where I live because my friends are too far from me and the women in the neighborhood have the hots for my husband. Not to mention, I’m scared to death that Hatcher will change his mind and leave me and that I will be a complete failure as a mother. I don’t even know how to change a diaper, feed a baby, or anything. I mean, what am I going to do?” I say as I finally allow the tears to start and I stop suddenly to finish. “Oh and let’s not even forget that my best friend up and left me, and from the looks of it will never return back to the South where she belongs with the man who loves to worship the ground she walks on. Want to talk about that?”

  With a chance look around the table I can tell that they are all shocked from everything I just said. Yes, I’ve been harboring these fears to myself for months now and they finally broke me. I shrug my shoulders not knowing what else to say. Frankie reaches over and grabs my hand into hers. “Zara, listen to me, okay? You are going to be an amazing mother and Hatcher loves you more than anything in this world, don’t be afraid that he’s going to leave you. That would never happen. As far as learning to do those things, most of it comes naturally, and the other stuff you can take a class. Hell, I know you can print a list of the must need items online. For me, I’m okay here. This is where I need to be right now in my life. I need the no pressure of making someone happy, or worrying that I might hurt him. You need to understand something. Josh is young and doesn’t want to settle down anytime soon. What we are doing is fun, no strings, and no future promises. I have to be able to work through a few things before I can make a commitment with Brody. I know if he finds out about Josh he will be crushed, but if I don’t focus on myself right now I’ll only end up hurting the both of us in the end. This isn’t in any way me forgetting where I come from and who my friends are. I just wasn’t ready to tell you guys about him. Hell, I don’t even know what we are doing other than having fun. He’s a model that I shoot for one of the magazines here, no one that I see myself with i
n a few months from now. For all I know he could be bedding up with someone else tonight. You on the other hand, Zara, need to deal with what is going on at home with you and Hatcher. You need to commit to this marriage and stop worrying about the rest of us. Yes, your life is about to change drastically, but it’s for the better. What you have is something I can only dream of having in the future. Will that be with Brody or someone else? I don’t know the answer to that. I can only do what everyone else is doing and that’s take one day at a time.”

  Wiping the tears from my face, I look up at Frankie and notice the amount of pain that’s written all over her face. “I want you happy, Frankie, and I wanted you to be ready to come home so you can be this child’s Godmother. How are you going to help and keep me in line if you’re here?”

  “I’d love to be its Godmother, but I can do that from anywhere and you have all of us, not just me. Pretty soon once the baby comes, you’ll be so busy that you won’t even know who we are all the time.”

  “Now you’re just talking crazy. You guys are my family and without you all I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything. I’m scared of what’s to come and feel that I rushed and said yes to being a wife and mother.”

  “Ha... Maybe the wife part but not that baby. The way you and Hatcher go at it, I’m surprised it took you this long,” Morgan pipes up causing us all to laugh at her comment.

  “See, even Morgan thinks I’m going to fail.”

  “No, I don’t… Stop putting words in my mouth, you crazy woman. I was making a joke and this baby has screwed you up. Since we’re sharing and to ease your mind Zara, my surprise is that I want to buy a warehouse and convert it into a bigger bakery while still keeping the building we have in the city. The one that I fell in love with is only about twenty minutes away from ours now, but it could be so much more than what we have. I know if you see it you will fall in love just as I have. It’s huge and we can grow.” The excitement in her voice is evident, and I can’t tell her no. I know that if she feels this strongly about it, then it’s going to be perfect for us.

  “Morgan, if you love it and I’m pretty sure you do from that look on your face, I say let’s do it. My question is how are we going to run them both?”

  “Oh that’s easy, we will hire more people and decide if we both want to be at the warehouse and have a crew at the downtown location, or vice versa. Are you really onboard with this?”

  “Yes, I am. I signed up for all of this when I agreed to be your partner. Does Hatcher know?”

  “He does and don’t be mad as he was sworn to secrecy. I had to make sure this is what I wanted to do and that I could afford the place. It’s going to need work before we can open it, but it’ll be so worth it.”

  “See what happens when we open up and talk?” Frankie asks, causing Natasha to give an Amen to that. With that last statement, we smile at each other and it’s in this moment that I know what I need to do and I can’t wait to get back home to work on my future. Maybe in a way this trip was not only to teach me a few things, but it was meant to teach us all a life lesson. Never question your worth in a friendship as deep as what we share, never underestimate the power of open communication. And most importantly, never forget who your true friends are, they are the ones that will have your back when you have a melt down, when you need reassurance that you’re doing the right thing, and love you no matter what you do - whether it be right or wrong. Friendship is found and should be held onto as tightly as your relationship with your lover. It only took me flying to New York to open my eyes and see what I have in front of me. I have a husband that I adore, a child on the way that I’m bound to screw up something with, friends that love me no matter how crazy I am, and that I always have a place to call home. I know deep down me being pregnant hasn’t been easy on Frankie and it’s the one miracle that I pray she gets. She would make the best mother in the world, I just need to figure out a way to make her dreams come true.

  Chapter 7

  After dinner last night, the three of us returned to our hotel while Frankie went in the opposite direction. This trip hasn’t been what I expected in the slightest. I’d texted Hatcher once I was settled and in bed, only letting him know that we would talk once I returned home tomorrow. The thought of being home in the bed that Hatcher and I share makes my heart skip a few beats. I know I complain about the burbs, but I’m not living with the neighbors- I’m living with the man I love. Not to mention, I’ve slept like crap as I tossed and turned from having an empty bed, now thankful that we decided to stay in and order room service for breakfast as it’s given us time to adjust. Adjust to what I’m not sure, it’s like we are all still processing last night and what Frankie had to say. The biggest fear that we all had when she left Atlanta was that she’d never return to our city. She’ll always be my best friend and the person I relate to the most, but will it be the same with us in different cities? That’s the part I want to freak out over, the not knowing what will happen in the end. My mind is flooded with questions… Will she return for the shower, delivery, christening, cookouts, birthday parties, and hell, even holidays? Or, will she gain this new life with new people and in a year it will come down to just receiving a few phone calls a year and a lone Christmas card?

  I pull the pillow close to me as I sit up on the very comfortable couch in our room and look over to Natasha and Morgan. Natasha has her head buried in her laptop and Morgan’s twirling her hair while reading the latest book of hers.

  “Hey guys, do you think we lost her? Is everything going to change now once we go back home?”

  “What do you mean?” Natasha asks, not even skipping a beat from her keyboard. Morgan peeks up over the rim of her book and looks between us. I know she’s thinking the same thing that I just asked, but is holding it in.

  Bringing my legs up more, I look out the window to observe the little bit of skyline I can see from here. “You know, will she come home, stay here, visit, forget us and start a new life?” I mumble the question as it almost feels too real if I say it louder.

  “I don’t think so. A part of me feels she will come back, but right now she needs time to heal, think, and figure out who she is,” Morgan answers while making it sound like something she just read from a book.

  Natasha closes her laptop some and leans back, it’s the classic move we’ve witnessed a time or two from her. “I agree with Morgan, but I also question the whole thing as you are doing, Zara. She doesn’t really talk to me about Brody, so I’m not sure what all is going on with them, but you do. Does she care for him or even love him? Is what she said last night true? If she loves him, I think she’s running and will come home soon. If she’s not in love, or even not sure about that – I say she’s trying to figure out her next step in life. I’m pretty sure she’s smart enough to know what she needs to do, and if it takes too long we will do something to get her home where she belongs.”

  “I know she loves Brody, but Frankie is so scared that she will ruin his dreams, life, everything, simply because she can’t see past her fear. Just for the record Natasha, you need to do some digging on this Josh guy. I don’t like him, nor trust his intentions.”

  “You don’t even know the guy, and he barely said a full sentence to you. Are you sure it’s not because he’s not Brody and you’ve already planned their wedding?” Morgan questions me while Natasha crosses her arms over her chest to wait for my response.

  “I don’t have to know him; it’s as simple as that. Frankie is not Frankie here and… Well, I just know something is off, okay?” I finish my response as I get up and head towards my room. I need to finish getting dressed so we can head out for lunch and the day’s activities. Frankie can’t meet for lunch, but will catch up with us later this afternoon.

  An hour later I’m dressed in my brown, orange, and navy Bohemian dress, topped with a cardigan and flats. It’s comfortable since my pants have all grown too tight around the belly and I welcome the loose fitting clothes today. My breasts on the other hand seem t
o have a mind of their own and want to see the world outside of my clothes. This is why I keep staring down and pushing them back in, as I walk back out to greet Morgan and Natasha.

  “Wow! Are you going to do that all day?” Natasha questions while Morgan laughs.

  “Yes, and you just laugh it up because one day you both will have this problem. I swear they have a mind of their own and this sucks. I love this dress and it’s so comfy, but I think my breasts grew overnight.” I whine, as I search for my purse and wait for the girls to join me next to the door. I’m getting hungry and we all know that will have me biting someone’s head off soon.

  “I think they grew more than a little, look at them- they’re huge,” Morgan says while staring at my chest in the elevator. Of course this earns her a glare from me and a humph from Natasha.

  “Good thing you have your sweater to cover them up; I mean they’re ready to jump out and slap a person. Natasha, did you notice her belly? It grew last night also – can I rub it, Zara?” Morgan asks in the sweetest voice that I think I’ve ever heard from her. It wasn’t high pitched laced with excitement, no; it was a mixture of happy, sad, joyful, and well, shy. How could I say no to that? I did what any normal friend would do. I reached out for her hand and placed it on my ever-growing belly. I haven’t really felt a kick or anything, but I do feel something I’d call butterflies from time to time. Or a swish feeling. It’s hard to describe it as I keep waiting for this hard kick that you hear other people describe. According to this website I stalk, it says that I am feeling the baby move, but it’s not big enough to fully feel the power of a kick.

  “It’s hard and soft all at the same time,” Morgan states while removing her hand so we can exit the elevator.

  Natasha perks her head up to look over at the two of us, and just as quickly as she thought about it she turned to head outside. I let it go as she is still adjusting to me being pregnant, and I’m not sure if she wants to feel, talk about, or just ignore it. I’m fine either way as I’m not big on affection or people rubbing my once flat stomach.