“Have you seen her at all in the last week when we’ve been out?” Brody asked when we stopped at a light. “Kam, baby, have you?” He turned my head so I was facing him, and then pointed down at the letter. “Don’t worry about the lawyer and court bullshit. I’m not. It’s just, until I saw that, I forgot she’d been to your bakery, and I don’t trust her not to pull some stupid shit with you.”
“I haven’t seen her,” I said breathlessly.
I wasn’t worried about the words on the paper either. After telling Brody to show up on Tuesday for a meeting with their lawyers so they could settle things or she’d take him to court, she ended the letter with:
By the way, cute girlfriend you have there.
xo Liv (your wife)
And like Brody, when I read those words, I remembered that I’d already met Olivia. But my first thought hadn’t been fear that she might try to make my life hell by showing up at my bakery. My first thought was that she knew who I was.
“Brody,” I began, taking deep breaths as I prepared myself to tell him about my past—about Kamryn Cunningham.
“Yeah? Shit, hold on.” He grabbed for his ringing cell phone, and I snapped my mouth shut, taking that as a sign that now wasn’t the time to tell him.
I RAN TO the door of my bakery on Tuesday morning, thankful that today wasn’t one of the days Kinlee and I drove together. But I didn’t know how long this would continue, or if it was even something I should tell her.
We should totally go for drinks . . . you can bring my worthless, cheating husband!
Every day since Saturday morning there had been a note on the front of my bakery from Olivia—Monday there had been two since we were closed on Sundays. Brody knew about them, and every day I’d tried to tell him about my life in Kentucky before I’d moved here. But it never failed that something happened when I started to tell him, and then, when we were talking later, I wouldn’t have the nerve to bring it up. I wanted to keep living as though that time in my life had never existed.
But the more Olivia left me notes, the more I worried she would mention something to Brody.
As of right now, he only knew about Barb, who he still thought was my aunt. Barb had called once since we told her about our relationship, and while it was better between her and me, it wasn’t how it had been. She’d even asked to talk to Brody, and apparently she’d been nice to him. But even Barb thought it was better if everyone in Jeston thought of her as my aunt. She didn’t want me to have to think of my old life any more than I wanted to.
I left it for a reason. It’s not like I’m hiding a criminal history. I just don’t want to be Kamryn Cunningham anymore! And I couldn’t believe I was actually standing outside my bakery with my head to the glass door, trying to justify not telling Brody.
“Uh, KC?”
I rolled my head to the side, still letting it stay on the glass as I turned to look at Grace.
“You going to go in or stay out here?”
“Did you forget your keys?” Andy yelled as he walked across the parking lot.
I held up my keys without responding and looked back at Grace. “It feels like a Monday, and Mondays suck.”
“Oh, my God, is it a ‘Mondays suck’ day?” Andy asked excitedly as he finished running up to us. “Let’s do this!”
I smiled at my employees and unlocked the door to the bakery to let us in.
Sometimes you just need to throw some cake.
Brody
July 30, 2015
“KAM?” I CALLED out over the loud music as I stepped into the bakery. I looked at the large chalkboard with the bright words MONDAYS SUCK . . . SO THROW A CUPCAKE! on it, and shook my head. “Babe!”
Kamryn bounced out of the back room with a large smile on her face, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t have just flour and icing on her, she had pieces of cake plastered to her arms and glasses, and she couldn’t have looked more adorable if she’d tried.
“Is this helping?” I asked, nodding at the chalkboard.
She sighed happily and leaned up on her toes to kiss me. “Like you wouldn’t believe. Do you want to throw one before you go into the meeting?”
“No, but I’ll probably come back after and throw some.”
“Okay, good, I want to know what happens anyway. So I’ll make sure to save you a few . . . or a dozen.”
I smiled and looked at her meaningfully. “Do you have anything for me today?”
Her happy expression fell, and she jammed her hand into her apron before pulling out a piece of paper covered in red velvet cake. I raised an eyebrow, and she shrugged. “I threw it with a cupcake.”
“God, I love you.” Opening up the letter, I bit back a growl and folded it up before putting it in my pocket. “This is getting ridiculous.”
“There’s something . . .” Kamryn began at the same time I said, “Okay, I need to get going, I’m already running late.”
“. . . I wanted to tell you about Olivia,” she mumbled and looked down at the floor, defeated.
Cupping her cheeks in my hands, I waited until she looked up at me again. “Did she do something to you? Because now is definitely the time to tell me since I’m going into this meeting.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Okay.” I kissed her hard before releasing her face. “Then tell me when I come back, all right?” Kamryn nodded slowly, and I smirked at her, hoping to see her face light up again. “Throw a cupcake for me. I’ll be back soon. I love you, Kamryn.”
Her lips slowly tilted up until she was smiling wide. “I love you too, Brody Saco.”
“THIS WAS RIDICULOUS,” I whispered. “What was the point of this meeting, Liv, if you were just going to have your lawyer go around in circles about things you both know you have no case on, and then take me to court anyway?”
“I’m sorry,” she choked out, holding a hand up toward me before covering her mouth with it. “I can’t talk to you, it’s just too hard seeing you.”
“Save your tears for the judge. Maybe you will have screwed him too and you’ll have his sympathy.”
Olivia’s eyes darted left and right for a second before shrugging. “No, I don’t think any of the guys were judges.”
“God, this is—do you hear this?” I asked J. Shepherd, who was standing on the other side of the room with my lawyer. “She’s admitting to sleeping with other guys in front of all of us, and you’re still going to play it so she was the victim and I was the cruel husband. Got it. Makes sense to me.”
Olivia slapped her hand on the table. “You’re really going to try to put words in my mouth even now when we’re all in the same room, Brody? My God. Acting like I told you my parents paid off the doctor was one thing, but this is taking it to a whole new level.”
“You fucking said—”
“Don’t go making more accusations when you have no proof of any of these so-called conversations with my client, Mr. Saco. As for just now? I’m afraid I didn’t hear anything,” J. Shepherd said with a shrug and smug grin, and my lawyer just sent me an apologetic look and put his hands up in a gesture showing he hadn’t heard a thing either.
“This is bullshit. I’m leaving.” I stood to go and had just made it around to the other side of the table when Olivia spoke again . . . and stopped me in my tracks.
“Don’t you think the judge will be interested in your little cupcake girlfriend? Poor Olivia, kicked out of her home . . . her possessions taken from her so her husband could buy his girlfriend a bakery.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Bending down, I rested my hands on the table near her. “You don’t go near her,” I growled low enough that my voice wouldn’t carry. “You hear me?” When Olivia only responded with a slow malicious smile, my hands curled into fists. “Don’t forget I still have all the evidence of you and your boyfriends from when we were still together, and now, thanks to you, I have the notes you’ve been leaving us. What do you have? Kamryn and me out on dates after you and I were al
ready separated? Yeah . . . good luck with that one, Liv.”
“Bro—”
“Do not contact me or Kamryn again. I only want to see or hear from you when we’re in front of a judge. Any more notes or evidence that you were near her bakery or our place, and I will get a restraining order against you faster than you can fuck your way into trying to get me fired again. You ruined the last six years of my life, Olivia, I’ll be damned if I let you touch my life with Kamryn. Stay. The hell. Away.”
Her smirk fell, and she looked to the side. “He’s threatening me!”
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Both lawyers looked at us, but before either could say anything, I straightened up and walked toward them. “Threatening? Hardly. I was simply strongly advising. Isn’t that right, J.?”
J. Shepherd’s face fell before he could compose it, and he looked past me at Olivia. “Olivia,” he said in warning.
I tried to control my shaking as I left the room. I wasn’t worried about them actually finding out and having proof that I’d been having an affair with Kamryn before I filed for divorce. I had enough on Olivia, in addition to the threats her attorney had made on me if I did file, that they wouldn’t be able to get much off the fact that I’d been having an affair too. But I knew Olivia, and I knew how vindictive she was to people she saw as a threat. Even though Olivia didn’t want me just as much as I didn’t want her, Olivia had lost her control over me because of Kamryn—and she knew it. To her, that was exactly what Kamryn was—a threat. And I wasn’t about to let Liv come near Kamryn.
“Mr. Saco,” my attorney called after me. “I know the things you’ve told me, but I strongly suggest you don’t speak with Mrs. Saco unless Mr. Shepherd and I are moderating or we’re in front of the judge. There’s too much she can make up, and we won’t have anyone who can verify either way.”
“I understand.” I nodded in the direction of the room. “All I told her was that I would get a restraining order put on her if she came near my girlfriend or me again. She’s been leaving notes on our cars and on my girlfriend’s place of business. I’ve kept them all, and I’ll scan them and send them to you in the morning. You can let J. know that, by the way.”
My attorney raised one eyebrow, and a small grin crossed his face as he nodded and began backing up toward the room. “Perfect, send me everything. I’ll talk to you in the morning, Mr. Saco.”
Taking off my tie and rolling up my shirtsleeves, I walked quickly to my car. I was done with Olivia. I was done with her family. I was done with their entitled view of themselves because of their money, and the way they could sway people and look down on others because of it. I was just done. I only wanted to get back to Kamryn, throw a fucking cupcake, and go home with her tonight and try to forget all about Olivia until I had to see her in court.
19
Kamryn
August 1, 2015
PRESSING MY LIPS to Brody’s cheek two days later, I laughed softly against his skin when he reached for my waist and kissed him again before moving away from his searching fingers.
“Mmm, nu-uh. Come back,” he mumbled into the pillow.
“I have to go to the shop. I’ll see you later.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, and I had to force myself to stay away from him. I wake up, and I look like I got in a fight with a Weedwacker. Brody wakes up and looks like he’s ready for a photo shoot. Asshole.
“Do you want me to come help you?”
I laughed and pulled on my Converses. “You mean, do I want you to come and eat everything I make?”
“Basically, yeah.”
“If you want, you can. But I need to leave right now, so you’d have to bring your own car.”
As Brody crawled out of the bed, I stopped tying my shoelaces. My body warmed, and I might have started chewing on the inside of my cheek, but I couldn’t be sure of anything anymore, other than the sight of him naked and what I wanted to do to him.
“Are you sure you don’t want to be a little late and help me get ready?” he said softly into my ear, his gravelly voice making my already unsteady breathing even more ragged.
“You don’t play fair,” I whimpered when he made a trail down my neck.
“Never claimed to. And I want you in the shower . . . now, Kamryn.”
Just as I started to say, “Okay,” my phone started ringing and I jerked back. “Shit! Kinlee! I’m supposed to pick up Kinlee today.” Brody grumbled his dislike, and I laughed as I grabbed his head and brought it down to kiss him soundly. “I’ll see you when you get to the shop.”
“Drive safe, see you soon,” he said as he walked into the bathroom.
Grabbing my phone, I saw the missed call from a number I didn’t know and decided I’d wait to see if the caller left a voice mail before calling back. Shoving my cell in my back pocket, I finished tying my shoes and grabbed my purse as I ran to the garage.
After picking up Kinlee and getting us to the shops, I rushed around to make sure my employees had gotten everything ready up front before going to the back.
“I’m so sorry, Grace! I forgot I was picking up Kinlee, and then Brody was trying to make me later than I already was, and . . . well, obviously, I’m super late.”
Grace laughed and waved me off before going back to icing more cupcakes. “You’re the boss, I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to be late.”
I frowned and tied on my apron. “You know I want to be here, I don’t like being late . . . especially when y’all are here and having to do everything.” Looking around, I walked back out to the front before glancing at Grace. “Where’s Andy?”
“Restroom,” she said just as Andy came up behind me.
“Right here, gorgeous!”
He blew me an air kiss, and I sent him one back before grabbing my ingredients and some bowls. The chimes sounded, and Andy turned right back around from where he’d been about to do dishes and walked toward the swinging doors. “I’ll get this one. I know how you are if you don’t start your morning off with baking.” He winked and breezed through the doors.
I’d barely gotten started when he walked back into the kitchen, a confused look pinching his face.
“Uh, I think that one’s for you, KC.”
I smiled at him, and my stomach started warming. “Brody?” I asked as I walked past him.
“Not exactly.”
I stopped so suddenly midway through the swinging doors that Andy ran into me from behind. “Can I help you?” I asked the reporter and two men with her. One was holding a camera.
“Are you the owner? Are you KC?”
Glancing at the camera, and then back to Andy and Grace, who was now directly behind him, I slowly nodded my head. “I am. Again, can I help you?”
Her perfectly painted face lit up and she walked toward the counter with a hand outstretched. “Meg Schwartz with KXJN News, what a pleasure to meet you.”
I stepped forward to shake her hand, but kept my eyes on the cameraman and the second man who had just retreated from my shop, his phone going to his ear. “Pleasure. I’m sorry, but may I ask what y’all are doing here? I’m not comfortable having cameras in my shop.”
She winked at me and stepped back. “I’m sure you’re not.”
Uh, what?
“We were wondering if we could do a piece on you and your journey to opening up this beautiful bakery?”
“No, I’m sorry. I’d really prefer if you didn’t. Sorry you came all the way down here, you should have just called.” I knew I was coming across as rude, but I wanted to avoid anything that put me in the news in any way. Someone would see me and recognize me just as Olivia had. I couldn’t chance that. “But, please, pick something out to eat. On me.” I walked over to the case and waited for them to decide on something.
“You’re very sweet, but we couldn’t possibly.”
My eyes were back on the cameraman. The camera was pointed directly at me, and I was straining to see if there was any sign that it was recording.
“Okay, then, I’m sorry, but I need to ask you to leave,” I said as I stepped back to the swinging doors. Why the hell is he following my every move with that thing? Suddenly, he shifted the camera down, and I released a heavy breath as they backed up to the door.
“We’ll see you soon, Miss Cunningham.”
I just nodded and smiled, no longer watching them. The second man who had left on his phone was standing directly in front of my shop, staring at me, his phone still pressed to his ear. “Back, back, get back in the kitchen.” I pushed Grace and Andy back before closing the swinging doors and setting the latch so they couldn’t open.
“What’s going on?” Grace asked, and I shakily turned to face them. “Why wouldn’t you want to do a story? It would give the shop so much more business. More than just people in Jeston probably.”
Exactly. I couldn’t have that. “Maybe, but I don’t, uh . . .” I trailed off when I finally realized it. Miss Cunningham. The reporter called me Miss Cunningham! Oh, God, this isn’t happening. No, no, she must have found out my name another way, she can’t know who I am! “I’m sure you’re not.” I gasped and started rambling to cover the look of horror that was probably crossing my face. “I don’t like cameras very much, or news stations. They tend to clip and rearrange your words to make you look worse, and I’m just not a fan. Okay? Okay. What was I doing? I need to bake.”
Andy grabbed my hand, and he and Grace were now wearing matching concerned looks on their faces. “Sweetie, you look like you’re about to pass out. What is wrong? Why did you lock the doors?”
“No, I’m fine. Nothing is wrong. I just—just locked the doors in case they came back in. But that was stupid.” Forcing myself to unlock the swinging doors, I stood there facing them with my head down. I wanted to go home. Needed to. The camera had made me nervous, but I shouldn’t have been this freaked out about it. I had a bad feeling, and Andy was right . . . my legs and arms felt like Jell-O.
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