by Holly Renee
The Uber ride wasn’t much better.
My head was still throbbing despite the ibuprofen I took, and I was in such a foul mood that even I didn’t want to be around myself.
Charlie Walters was not built for hangovers.
I whipped up a batch of banana bread and ate half the loaf before I ever got the energy to get busy. But the banana bread did the trick.
I unwrapped the tables and chairs that had been delivered for the front of the bakery, and I smiled when I saw the buttercup yellow of the chairs. There were four tables total, each one stained a beautiful warm brown that brought out the grain on the wood, and each one had four yellow chairs.
I wasn’t sure that I would truly have customers who sat around the bakery eating their treats, but I wanted that to be an option. Plus, when I first saw the chairs, I fell in love, and I knew I couldn’t leave the store without them.
I slowly dragged one of the tables into place. I didn’t realize how heavy they were. The delivery men were certainly misleading. They lifted them as if they had been light as a feather. I could barely get one to scoot across the tile floor.
After moving it about three inches, I wiped my brow against my shirt sleeve and laid against the table. I couldn’t stop thinking about the other half of the banana bread that was just behind that door, but I promised myself that it would be my reward for getting the tables and chairs in place. I was currently regretting that promise.
“That doesn’t look very comfortable.”
I jumped and almost fell off the table at the sound of his voice.
“Don’t you ever knock?” I looked at Brandon to see he was clearly feeling better than I was today. Did he even drink last night?
“I did knock.” He chuckled but looked back at the door. “I knocked like seven times.”
“Oh.” I rubbed my hand over my forehead.
“How are you feeling today?” He chuckled softly as if he knew I had a headache and was in no mood for his shenanigans today.
“Like shitake mushrooms,” I mumbled as I laid back down on the table.
“What?” He didn’t hide his laughter this time.
“Shitake mushrooms.” I looked over at him, and he was looking at me like I had lost my damn mind. “You know shit-take.” I waved my hand in the air as if that would somehow help him understand my brand of crazy.
“You are fucking adorable.”
“Ugh.” I threw my hand over my face. I did not need the man who I threw myself at last night calling me adorable. It is what I had been my entire life. Adorable. Cute. My good pal, Charlie.
It was far worse than a straight-out rejection, but he gave me that last night, just in case there would be any confusion.
“I didn’t mean it as a bad thing.” He chuckled, and I rolled my eyes even though they were closed. “It’s just cute that you can’t even say shit.”
I told you that cute was coming.
“I can say it.” I finally sat up and looked at him. “I just choose not to.”
“And that’s adorable.”
And there it is again.
“Well.” I jumped off the table, and I swear my head still spun just a bit. “I have to get these tables moved so if you will excuse my adorable self.”
I turned back toward the table and started pushing all of my weight into it.
“That’s the reason I came over here, Freckles. We could hear you struggling from the shop.”
I rolled my eyes again, because he was such a bad liar. There was no possible way he heard me yelling at that table to move.
“Just tell me where you want it.” He pushed my hand out of the way before he easily lifted the table in the air.
“Show off,” I said under my breath.
Brandon’s smirk told me that he heard me, but I didn’t care.
I pointed to where I wanted the table and Brandon carried it there before grabbing the next. He had all four tables moved in two minutes flat.
“I like these chairs.” He grabbed a chair and started helping me move them around the tables.
“Thanks. You don’t think they are too much?”
He looked around the room at my bright blue walls then back down at my bright yellow chairs. My menu board behind the counter was filled with all sorts of bright colored writing. For me, they seemed perfect, but my opinion had always been a bit different than others.
“I think they look amazing. The whole place does.”
“Thanks.” I tucked another chair under the table. Once I had all the tables and chairs in place, the front of the bakery would be ready. All that was missing was the sign out front, and it would be good to go. The thought filled me with excitement and anxiety.
Even though everything was in my hands, it didn’t quite feel real yet.
“You’ve worked your ass off for this, huh?” he asked as he ran his hand over the stubble on his chin.
“How can you tell?” I put my hands on my hips as I tried to take in the bakery from his eyes. Could he see how many hours it had taken me to get here? How many years of work?
“There’s just something about you.” His gaze moved from the bakery to me, and I could have sworn there was something more behind it. Something that I knew I was making up in my own mind because he had made it perfectly clear last night that there was nothing more.
“Well, I have a lot more work to do tomorrow if you’re free.” I winked at him, and he laughed.
A loud knock pulled my attention away from Brandon’s eyes to the glass wall that I had totally forgotten only moments before. I unintentionally took a step back from Brandon when I saw David standing outside the locked door.
Brandon noticed though.
His eyes narrowed on me before he schooled his expression as he took a step toward the door to open it for David.
I felt the beat of my heart pound against my chest, and I took a quick deep breath while Brandon’s back was turned to me. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. Was it David or Brandon?
The loud thud of the lock reverberated throughout the room, and it was just one solitary moment, but Brandon turned his head and looked over his shoulder at me.
Just one look and I knew exactly why I was freaking out inside.
“Hey, man.” Brandon held the door open for David.
It took everything inside of me to pull my gaze away from him long enough to look at David and the food he was carrying in his hand.
As soon as I saw him, I suddenly became irrationally angry. There was the fact that he hadn’t so much as text me since our date, or heck, I don’t know, sent out a smoke signal. But more than that, I didn’t like that he just showed up here and now. Not when Brandon was here. Not when I had such a rough night.
Like I said, it was completely irrational, but it was real.
“Hey.” David nodded curtly at Brandon before looking at me. “Hey, Charlie.”
“Hi.” I ran my hand down my jeans and took a quick glance over David’s shoulder at Brandon. He looked like my angry older brother who didn’t agree with my date, and I guess in a way, that was pretty spot on.
“I brought some lunch. I thought you might be hungry.”
I nodded my head. I was hungry. I was just confused as heck as well.
David turned toward Brandon. “Sorry, man. I didn’t bring you any. I didn’t realize you’d be here.”
It was easy to hear the condescending tone in David’s voice, and I knew without a doubt that Brandon could hear it too.
But for the first time since meeting both of them, I wasn’t worried about what Brandon would say in front of David. I was more worried about him.
“No problem.” He easily waved David off then smiled at me. “I think Freckles is finished using me as her manservant for now.”
David frowned, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
“I wouldn’t get too comfortable over there.” I cocked my thumb in the direction of his shop. “I’m sure I can find something else for you to move.”
> “I’m sure you will, slave driver.” He winked at me, and I swear to God, I felt that wink all the way to my core. It didn’t matter that the guy I had went on a date with just a few short days ago was standing in front of me, and I seemed to forget completely that Brandon had pushed me away just last night. Brandon Hudson was a natural born flirt, and I was certain he was like this with every girl he saw. But there was something about him. Something that made me want to smile constantly even when he was pissing me off.
“I’ll leave you two to it then.” He smiled at me one last time before he walked out the door and headed toward his shop.
As soon as the door closed behind him, I immediately felt on edge again. It was as if the hangover I had been fighting all day suddenly took its hold again.
David dragged one of my yellow chairs out from the table, a chair that screeched across the floor, but David failed to comment on and set a bag of food down on the table.
“What was Brandon doing here?” David’s gaze tracked Brandon until he disappeared from view.
His question pissed me off.
“What does it matter?” I didn’t hide the irritation in my voice.
David looked me over, his gaze taking in the features of my face, and I slowly started to remember how nice our date was the other night. Before he didn’t call me after. Before Brandon started messing with my head even more than before.
“I was just asking. He’s usually so booked out that he barely has time to breathe.” He pulled a couple burgers out of the bag and laid one in front of me.
I realized at that moment that I wasn’t being fair to David. Sure, he hadn’t reached out to me after our date, but this was 2018. Wasn’t there some sort of rule that you weren’t supposed to text for so many hours or something?
I had no clue.
I unwrapped my burger and popped a fry in my mouth.
“What have you been up to?” I asked.
“We’ve been slammed at work.” David ran his hand through his hair, and I realized that he was in his work clothes. It looked like he had tried to dust off the dirt as best as he could before he came in here. “I only have about forty-five minutes before I have to be back.”
And he had driven all this way to bring me lunch.
“Well, thank you for bringing lunch. That was super sweet.” I bit into the greasy burger and almost moaned. This was exactly what I needed.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled at me, and I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. “The bakery looks nice.”
“Thank you. It’s finally starting to come together.” I looked around the bakery, and I was instantly filled with pride.
“Are you excited to go play laser tag on Saturday?” He smiled before taking another bite of his burger.
Crap. I forgot all about that. Not only was I not interested in another group date where I would feel super awkward, but there was no way that I was interested in getting assaulted by a bunch of kids who were superior to me in their laser shooting skills.
“I wouldn’t pick me on your team. I’m going to suck.” I popped three more fries in my mouth.
“No way.” He shook his head. “I bet you’re going to be great.”
“I don’t say it to be modest. If I’m on your team, we’re probably going to lose.”
He laughed, but he wouldn’t be laughing when we went down in flames.
“I probably won’t get a chance to see you until then.” He said it as if he was a sure thing that I would have said yes to hanging out with him. It both pissed me off and reassured me. It was only moments ago that I was thinking he wasn’t interested anymore.
He finished his burger and threw the wrapper in the bag.
“I can pick you up on Saturday if you want to ride together.” He looked almost hopeful.
“Sure. I’ll text you my address.” I picked up the rest of our trash and threw it in the bag as he stood.
When he made it to my chair, he leaned down until our faces were only a foot apart, and I held my breath. I wanted him to kiss me so badly the other night, but now, I didn’t know what I wanted.
“I’ll see you Saturday,” he said softly before his gaze dropped to my lips. My stomach flipped, and I knew it wasn’t in a good way. I wasn’t ready for this. Not here. Not now.
He seemed to sense it too. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead before walking out the door.
I sat there waiting for that same feeling to come as when Brandon walked out the door, but it never happened.
CHAPTER 14
CUPCAKES & TRAMP STAMPS
Brandon
A night out with the guys is exactly what I needed after walking out of Charlie’s bakery as David walked in. I hadn’t stopped thinking about it all day.
I felt like we were on some kind of merry go round. I try to kiss her. The next day she’s on a date with David. She tries to kiss me. The next day the bastard shows up with a bag full of food.
It was like the universe was against us or something if I believed in such a thing.
I didn’t even know if she remembered last night. She was drunk enough to make a move on me, but I had been drunk plenty of times and still remembered what happened the next day.
If she remembered it, she wasn’t letting on.
“Are you just going to stare off into your beer all night?”
I looked up at Parker who was looking at me with real concern on his face.
“You two are such shit company that I didn’t know what else to do.” I threw my arm over the chair next to me as I leaned back and took a long drag of my beer.
Parker chuckled. “If Mason would get off his damn phone. Don’t you talk to your wife enough? She’s constantly texting you all damn day.”
Mason rolled his eyes but put his phone in his pocket. “Yeah, but the texts she is sending me right now can’t be sent from work.”
“You do realize we’ve known her a long ass time. She would send you a nude from anywhere.”
“That’s true.” He grinned at us like he was the luckiest man in the world.
“So, what’s up with you and Charlie?” Parker was as big of a gossip as his damn wife. I had no doubt that he and Livy laid in bed at night trying to figure out what was going on with my love life.
I’d hate to disappoint them by telling them that it was as static as they come.
“There’s nothing going on.”
“Uh huh,” Mason huffed from beside me.
Parker leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. I rolled my eyes because I knew that he was about to go into dad mode.
“I know for a fact that you rescheduled one of your appointments this morning just so you could go help her move furniture.” Parker grinned like he had me by the balls, and I suppose he did.
“She was struggling to even budge the table. What kind of landlord would that make me? A shitty one like you?”
Mason laughed, but Parker was dead serious.
“Sorry I’m not the kind of landlord who is trying to fuck my tenant.”
“Oh, fuck you. I’m not trying to fuck her. Plus, you fucked our receptionist,” I countered before chugging the rest of my beer.
“Let’s not talk about fucking my sister,” Mason groaned, but neither one of us were listening to him.
“Plus, I wing manned you so hard with Livy. She probably wouldn’t even be with you if it wasn’t for me.”
Parker opened his mouth to argue then closed it. “That’s probably true.” He laughed. “But I was looking for more than getting in Livy’s pants.”
“And who is to say that I’m not looking for more with Charlie?” I looked him straight in the eye.
“Are you?” He grinned, and I realized that the bastard had played me. He knew that I wouldn’t talk about Charlie and I or the lack thereof willingly. I fell right into his trap.
“Will you have something to say about it if I say yes?” I didn’t need a lecture. Not from my best friend and not from my business partner.
“Maybe.” He lifted an eyebrow. “So, fess up.”
I ran my finger down my face and motioned the waitress for another round of beers.
“Yes. I’m interested in more. Are you happy?”
He smiled, but then said, “Shit.”
“What?” I asked, exasperated.
“I’m happy that you are finally into someone, but I really didn’t believe it. Now because I thought I knew you better than Livy does I lost a damn bet.”
I grinned. Parker had been my best friend for a long damn time, but he should have known better than to bet against his wife. “What do you have to do?”
“The dishes.” He looked like he was starting to panic. “For a month straight. That means she’s going to use every pot possible when she cooks dinner.”
“Sucks to be you.” Mason laughed, and I joined in with him.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out and glanced at the screen as we laughed at Parker’s misery.
Freckles: I just saw the sweetest cupcake tramp stamp. I’m thinking it might be my first tattoo.
I read the text three different times. Charlie had never text me before. I gave her my number when we had first met in case she had any problems with the bakery, but she hadn’t used it. Not until now.
Me: Bold choice. Should it have sprinkles or no?
Those three little dots appeared and disappeared more times than I could count.
Freckles: Is a cupcake even a cupcake if it doesn’t have sprinkles?
Me: Not in my humble opinion, but I’m no expert like you.
Freckles: That’s true. You probably like the mini cupcakes that you get from the grocery store. :o
Me: I never took you for a cupcake snob. Glad to know where we stand.
Freckles: I’m not a snob. I just have taste. Plus, I bet you judge everyone’s tattoos.
Me: True.
Me: Some are atrocious though.
Freckles: Cupcakes too.
Me: Touché.
I wanted to ask her about the almost kiss from last night. I wanted to know if she remembered it. If she regretted it.