“So it does have to do with your family?” I asked.
He nodded. “What else would it be?”
I shook my head, not wanting to admit some of the darker guesses I’d obsessed over recently.
“Did you find your sister?” I asked, trying to bury the sadness I felt from being kept in the dark.
Why wouldn’t he share these things with me?
He let out a deep breath and slid his fingers along his jaw. “In a sense, she was never lost.”
His words sliced through me like a machete.
“What do you mean she was never lost?” my voice was hoarse.
I tried to stitch together the bits and pieces about his family that he had shared with me, and I was certain he’d left me with the impression he didn’t know where they were.
His eyes darkened. “It’s complicated.”
“I don’t care. I need to know. I deserve to know.”
He nodded. “You do.”
The sound of an air ratchet filled the building, and I knew I wasn’t going to find out any more answers, not yet anyway. Now was not the time. He had a flight to catch, and I had a wedding cake to bake. My lungs felt heavy again, and I tried to take a deep breath in but came up short.
“Please share with me,” I whispered, running my hands along his shoulders. “I’ll give you a week. One. More. Week. But I need answers. I need to be included. I’m all the way in with you, Jason Baines. I need that from you.”
His expression looked strained as he took a deep breath in, not releasing his air. He gave me a slight nod and ran his fingers up my back, propelling a wave of emotions through me. Being propped on his lap like this was deadly. A few more wiggles, and I’d never want to leave. Jason’s expression softened as my eyes fell to his lips. He parted them slowly, letting his breath out.
“I really don’t deserve you, Gabby.”
“Quit saying that,” I whispered. “You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not.”
His eyes darkened as his fingers ran through my hair, pulling me into him. The coolness of his lips connected with mine, shattering every thought that didn’t belong in this moment. His lips parted as the hunger we felt for each other grew. My heart raced as I slid my hands under his shirt. The firmness of his body against my fingertips lit a blaze of desire, and I had no idea how I’d last all week without having him. What this man did to me was something I’d never experienced before. He completely turned my world upside down anytime I was in his presence. It wasn’t that I felt the same amount of desire for him as I did when I first met him. Oh no. It was more—so much more—because I knew what I had, what we shared and what I was going to be missing.
He softly nipped at my lip, and I felt his smile through my closed eyes as his breathing quickened. His fingers lightly traced along my stomach as my heart rate sped up. His finger dropped lower to the waistband of my jeans when his office phone rang. I couldn’t help but giggle through our kisses.
“I love you,” I whispered, as our lips broke free. “Be safe in Sin City.”
Jason’s adorable smirk lodged its way into my heart as I scooted off his lap. It was one of those expressions I’d find myself daydreaming about while he was gone. The stress from earlier had dissipated while we shared our love with one another, and for now, that was all I needed.
The week went by in a flash. I slid another tray of croissants onto the bakery rack, preparing for the busy morning commute, when I heard a commotion at the front entrance. The bells from the door jingled and familiar laughter bounced through the air.
“Surprise.” Brandy threw her hands above her head as Lily bumped her out of the way with her hip.
“That wasn’t how we were supposed to do it.” Lily gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. “But surprise!” She smacked Brandy, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
It was a little past six o’clock on Friday morning, and I had no idea why my best friends were standing like Tweedledee and Tweedledum bumping hips in my bakery. I wiped my hands on the cotton towel that hung from my waistband and narrowed my eyes at them. They were up to something. I hadn’t seen my friends since we were all in Utah over the holidays. What was that now—a few months? It was funny how life had a way of carrying on, especially if you avoided everyone and everything like the plague.
“Okay, you two troublemakers,” I laughed. “What are doing up at this ungodly hour?”
“We were sent here to whisk you away,” Lily said, jumping up on her toes. “Orders from Jason.”
“Yep. Bags are all packed and in the car,” Brandy said.
“I can’t leave,” I protested. “Who’ll watch—”
“Emily ran things perfectly fine over the holidays,” Lily interrupted. “And she’ll be here in ten minutes and counting. There’s no talking us out of it. Jason planned the whole thing.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
Jason had been in Nevada all week and wasn’t returning until Sunday. Our texts had been sparse so I’d buried myself under the bakery’s obligations. I didn’t want to think about why he suddenly forgot how to reply to messages.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Not telling,” Brandy said, smiling.
“When will I be back?”
“Sunday afternoonish,” Brandy replied. She gave a sideways glance to Lilly, and I knew there was more going on than they were telling me.
“Is this painting new?” Lily asked, staring at a watercolor I’d recently purchased. Blackberries framed the garden setting, turning a normally invasive eyesore into something beautiful and needed. I hung it above the bookshelf where customers could grab a good read while they enjoyed their espresso and a pastry.
“Yes. It’s new, but no, you’re not getting out of answering my questions. How far away is it? Who will watch—”
“Pet sitter’s already at the house,” Lily said triumphantly. “You’re not getting out of this. Jason gave us strict orders that may or may not involve duct tape and a Justin Bieber album.
I cringed at the thought and pointed at the corner table. Lily and Brandy wandered over and each took a seat by the window.
“I’ll do whatever you say,” I laughed. “Just no Bieber.”
“He’s not that bad,” Lily protested.
Brandy shot an awkward glance at her. “Uh. Yeah. He is.”
I walked over to the espresso machine with a big grin on my face. That was what my best friends were for. I had no idea what this was all about, but I knew Brandy and Lily well enough to know there was no talking them out of it, especially if Jason was involved. It lifted my spirits knowing he’d planned a surprise for me while he’d been away.
“Who wants what?” I asked.
“Mocha,” Lily said.
“Nonfat latte,” Brandy called. “Iced. Extra shot.”
“Comin’ up.”
I dispensed the chocolate syrup into Lily’s cup and poured milk into the pitcher. Dipping the wand into the liquid, I steamed the milk into frothiness while wondering where on earth we were headed. I removed the small pitcher of milk and wiped down the wand, before pulling the shots of espresso. The bells on the door chimed, and I looked over to see Emily coming through the door. She gave a quick wave at me and winked at Lily. They were all co-conspirators of this operation.
“Did you put up a fight?” Emily whispered, walking behind the counter.
“A small one,” I confessed, as she gave me a quick hug.
Emily was in her forties with a slight build and curly red hair that had a mind of its own. She’d been divorced for nearly five years and spent her off-hours painting watercolors. The painting Lily had spied was one of Emily’s latest. Emily and I had hit it off immediately, and now our work relationship had grown into a friendship. I couldn’t imagine running the place without her.
Emily finished up the mocha for me as I poured espresso shots into Brandy’s latte.
“I promise if anything comes up, I’ll call you,” Emily said, sensing
my unease. “But you’ve been at the bakery every single day since you returned from the holidays. It’s okay to take time off. If you don’t, you’ll burn out, and your dreams of opening another bakery won’t happen.”
“I know.”
I saw the look in Emily’s eyes as she contemplated what to say next. She was right, but there was always so much to do; marketing materials to get out, blog posts to submit, and payroll to calculate—not to mention all of the baking. Granted, my recipes were ironclad, and anyone that worked here knew how to get a snickerdoodle on the shelf, but I liked being here. It took my mind off things.
“I do need a rest,” I confessed, nodding. I took a few swallows of water and then a few more. The tension in my chest hadn’t lessened since Jason left.
“Hey, have you made a doctor’s appointment yet?” Emily asked quietly.
“No. I keep forgetting. Monday, I promise,” I assured her, but she shot me a wary look.
Ignoring her, I carted Lily and Brandy’s drinks over to the table, keeping them slightly out of arms’ reach.
“That’s so unfair,” Lily said, narrowing her eyes. “I need my coffee.”
“No such thing as fair but the kind you go to,” I joked. “Now where are we going?”
“It’s a spa weekend,” Brandy said. “But that’s all I’m saying. Let’s get going. We don’t want to miss our massages, and we’ve got a bit of a drive.”
I relented and handed them their drinks.
“Delicious,” Lily said, taking a sip of her mocha. “You’re not going to make us go on a road trip empty-handed are you?”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to count on the kidnapped to feed the kidnappers,” I said grinning.
Emily laughed and held a box up. “Already got you covered. There should be plenty in there to get you where you’re going.”
“Traitor,” I said, smiling at Emily as I took the box.
“Have fun, girls. And Gabby’s Goodies will be fine while you’re away.”
Brandy clutched my hand in hers and pulled me through the door. When we reached Brandy’s car, I stopped in my tracks.
“Since when did you get one of these?” I asked, admiring her new BMW X6.
“Since your overly-paranoid brother bought it for me. Ever since the accident, I think he wants to keep me in a bubble.”
“Hey, he’s your problem now,” I chuckled. “But I don’t blame him. You scared us all.”
“I tried to get him to wrap you in Bubble Wrap, but he refused,” Lily said, as she opened the front door on the passenger side. “Guest of honor up front.”
I sat in the front seat as Brandy slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door. She glanced at me and waited until Lily crawled into the backseat.
“So…” Brandy said.
Oh, no. Here it comes.
“You don’t reply to our texts. You don’t return our calls. You don’t respond to our emails,” Brandy stated.
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been…”
“Busy. We’ve all been busy,” Lily said. “But that’s not what it is.”
I shrugged. “That’s exactly what it is.”
“Have you dealt with the Jason thing yet?” Lily asked, as Brandy pulled out of the parking lot.
“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
Brandy shot me a sideways glance. “So you know where he’s been when you wake up and there’s no Jason? And you know why he suddenly has to leave town or go to the bank more than any man I’ve ever met?”
I let out a sigh. That was the problem with having best friends. They knew things that no one else did. If only I could keep my mouth shut.
“That answered that.” Brandy shook her head. “Wanna give her what I pulled?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lily replied. I heard papers rustling as we drove to the ferry line.
Apparently wherever they were taking me was off the island.
“Here you go. Remember this is only because we love you.” Lily pushed the papers over my shoulder, and I snatched them from her.
“What’ve you guys been up to?” I asked, glancing nervously at Brandy as she stopped to pay the toll.
“I used some of my snooping skills to find out some stuff about Jason,” Brandy said.
Heat rose to my cheeks. “Why would you do that?”
“Because we’ve noticed the same things you have, Gabby.” Not looking at the papers, I shoved them in my purse.
“I’m not going to spy on my boyfriend. If that’s where the relationship’s headed, then it’s doomed.”
Lily let out an exasperated sigh. The ferry was already boarding, and we drove right on, parking on the second level.
“I appreciate it, guys. I really do. But it’s my own fault for not just talking to him about whatever’s going on. I planned on dealing with him on Sunday when he returned. And I honestly don’t think it has anything to do with what you guys are worried about…” my voice trailed off. I couldn’t actually say the words.
The ferry chugged away from the dock, and I stayed focused on the car in front of us.
Brandy turned in her seat to get a better look at me. “I don’t think it does either.” She glanced at Lily. “But I think you should prepare yourself for whatever it might be and taking a peek at some of the stuff I’ve found out might help.”
I let out a deep breath. There was obviously something in those papers that had gotten to Brandy.
“Listen, guys. I’ve finally allowed myself the luxury of not feeling like I need to control every single thing in my life. That also means I’ve had to trust, which is what I’m doing this very moment. I’m trusting my boyfriend, and I’m trusting my best friends to trust my judgment.”
The water was choppier than normal, and the sound of sloshing waves against the metal created a slight sense of foreboding, or maybe it was what was now stashed in my purse. I glanced out at the darkness and watched the lights begin to dot the windows of the homes in the distance as people began to rise for the day.
“Has he mentioned anymore about his family?” Lily asked.
“Not too much. No.” I unbuckled and tucked my legs under me.
“I’ve asked Aaron if he’s sensed anything off about Jason recently. Or if there’s anything he should be telling me to relay to you,” Brandy confided.
“How very covert.” I rolled my eyes. “And his answer?”
She shook her head. “He said he hadn’t noticed anything.”
I’d like to think if my brother noticed something about his best friend, who happened to be dating his sister, he’d step in and tell me. Yet, it kind of worried me that Jason didn’t even talk to Aaron.
“So let’s not make this trip all about me,” I laughed. “How’s law school?”
There was silence.
“Earth to Brandy?” I glanced at her and she bit her lip.
“I absolutely hate it.”
“I’m sure it’ll get better. First quarter’s supposed to be the worst,” I told her. I wasn’t lying either, that really was what I’d heard.
“Ever since the accident, I think my priorities have shifted slightly.”
I nodded. “I can understand that.”
“Once the trial begins, I don’t even know how I’ll be able to concentrate on anything at all. What if he gets off?” Brandy stated. “Working with my mom for so long has shown me both sides, guys. I’ve seen innocent people get sentenced and guilty ones get off. It’s not comforting.”
“He won’t,” Lily replied.
“But they have so much evidence against him. I mean, didn’t he basically create a manifesto of sorts?” I asked, remembering back to the time of the arrest.
Brandy nodded. “Yeah. They found that in his apartment, but it sounds like his lawyers are gearing up to make it look like he wasn’t in his right mind.”
“Let’s be real. Is anyone who does these things in their right mind? That’s what I don’t understand about the criminally-insane defense. It seems
like anyone who commits some of these crimes would qualify. I guess that’s why I plan on sticking to cupcakes.”
Brandy laughed. “I hear ya.”
“I really don’t want to see you give up something you’ve wanted to do your entire life all because of some ass, who will probably spend the next fifty years in jail,” I said.
The ferry pulled up to the dock, and we waited for the cars to pull out in front of us. Brandy followed the signs for I-5, and I wondered where on earth we’d be going that was south of here that involved a spa. The traffic was nonexistent when we pulled onto the freeway, and I took a deep breath, noticing the tightness still in my chest.
“I don’t know that I’m giving up on my dreams, but maybe they’re just evolving. We’ll see. I’m taking it one day at a time.”
“That’s all you can do,” I said, as Brandy turned off toward SeaTac Airport.
“Wait a second. I thought we were doing a road trip?” I asked.
“We did. You’ll see,” Lily replied.
“Is Jason home early? Are we picking him up?” I asked, my excitement getting the best of me.
Ignoring me, Brandy drove toward the long-term parking and stopped to get a ticket.
“We’re going somewhere?” I asked.
“Little slow on the uptake there,” Lily laughed.
Brandy found a parking stall, and my excitement level went through the roof. She popped the trunk, and we all hopped out of the SUV. I went around to grab my suitcase and noticed mine was the only one in there.
“Aaron and Ayden have ours already,” Brandy said, smiling. “They’re meeting us at the security checkpoint.”
“Wait a second. It’s not a girl’s weekend?”
“Nope. We’re all going to Vegas! Meeting Jason down there,” Lily said. “He planned the whole thing.”
“I love that man,” I said, grinning, as I rolled my carry-on bag out of the parking garage to the escalator. This was going to be a great weekend.
The limo parked in front of the hotel, and my pulse quickened. Even after all these months, I still got excited to see Jason. I peeked out the window and watched as the bellhops rushed to open our door. The warm air rushed in and clashed with the air conditioning in the vehicle, sending a wave of chills over my skin. As I half-crawled out of the limo, I glanced up the steps to see Jason waiting for me. In his hands was a beautiful mixed bouquet with roses and lilies. I couldn’t help but beam at the man I loved so much. Leaving everyone to get out of the car on their own, I quickly climbed the stairs and ran into Jason’s arms. His one hand still clutched the bouquet as I held him tightly and buried my face into his chest. I took a deep breath in and smelled the wonderful mixture of his cologne and soap.
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