Chloe whispered to me before she walked back into the kitchen that she wanted to kick him out, but he had real money, so I wasn’t going to turn him away. I couldn’t believe it when he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the business cards I gave Archer. He said the entire office had gone crazy over the cookies, and he ordered four dozen orange and ginger snaps for the mechanics.
After that, we had a steady stream of office men and burly giants coming in making orders, all of them saying the same thing: Sans Contracting was hooked on Zoe’s Bakery.
The first day was hectic. People were coming in left and right, and we could barely keep up with the orders. The orange and ginger snaps were the most popular. They sold out within three hours, so I had to keep Chloe back in the kitchen, mixing them up while I stood out front helping the customers.
Then, people started ordering danishes and muffins, even pies. We had to work late into the night every night that week just to keep from running out of the essentials. By the time Friday came around, Chloe and I were so tired that we could barely walk, but it was exhilarating.
Archer had changed everything. I didn’t have to stand around staring at the door, wondering whether or not somebody would come in. I had a steady stream of people coming in, and money was flowing. We made three times our normal profits for the week. I could’ve easily closed that place down for the morning without having to worry at all about what would happen, but I wasn’t about to do that.
No, this was the chance of a lifetime. I was going to rake in every cent I could. Every morning, I downed two cups of coffee and started early. I mopped the floor, swept everything, and made two extra batches of orange and ginger snaps.
Chloe limped in a few minutes before I opened the shop. She went straight for the coffee and poured herself a cup while I wiped the counter down. “I’m going to crawl into a corner and go into a coma.” She slammed her coffee and poured herself another cup.
I put my rag away and grabbed a bottle of window cleaner and handful of paper towels. “Not a chance in hell, sweetheart. I need you here.”
“I’m going to need a cane.” She grabbed a donut from the display case.
“We’re almost over the hump.” The weekends were always slower because the office crowds weren’t around.
“Easy for you to say. I’m going to be here alone tomorrow while you sleep off your night of sweet lovin’.”
I turned my head to hide my smile, but it was too late. She was already glaring at me.
“What?” I asked. “You were the one who told me to go out and have some fun.”
“You’re going too fast. I can see it. You’re already planning out your wedding vows and looking up cake recipes.”
“That’s not true.” I finished wiping the display case and moved onto the next.
“Look at the way you blush every time I mention him. You’re like a teenage girl. It worries me. He’s just one guy, money or not.”
“It’s not the money.”
“What is it then?” She chugged her coffee and poured herself another cup.
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure there is an ‘it’ yet.”
“I am. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before. Remember yesterday?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do.” She stood her ground.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“We need to. I’m not making up for your mistakes in the kitchen.”
“Why not? I make up for yours all the time.” I turned my focus back to cleaning the display case.
“You burnt two batches of cookies because you were staring into space, dreaming about lover boy. He’s distracting you from work.”
“Distracting me?” I set my bottle down and stood up. “He tripled our business this week.”
“It’s only going to get worse.” Chloe sighed and walked into the kitchen to pull her apron on. I wanted her to understand, so I followed her back.
“I’ve thought about this a lot, you know,” I said.
“I can tell.”
“No, I mean it. Don’t think I don’t know why you’re worried.”
“Why?”
“Because you think I’ll get too attached. Then if things don’t work out, I’ll end up getting my heart broken.”
“Not if, but when. When things don’t work out. And they won’t. It doesn’t make any sense. If he’s rich like you say he is—I mean look at him. He’s not exactly a Mormon choir boy. He’s a dog. He can get whatever he wants, and he knows it. He’s not going to go slumming it with ninety-nine percenters like us. He’s going to screw you silly and drop you.”
“Maybe,” I said. “Maybe it’s a bad idea. Maybe he’s going to hurt me. Maybe you’re right, and you’ll be able to say, ‘I told you so,’ when it all falls apart. Maybe it’s a big stupid risk. But look around you.” I motioned around the kitchen. “We wouldn’t have any of this if I played it safe. I have to take risks in life if I’m going to get anywhere.”
“You don’t even know if he’s worth the risk.”
I nodded. “No, I don’t. But I have to find out. This could be a good thing.”
“Or it could keep you from achieving your dream.”
“I’m not going to let that happen. For now, can’t you just let me hope that Archer is the real thing? Can’t you just let me be happy?”
“I’m sorry,” Chloe said. “You’re right. It’s none of my business.”
“No, honestly, you’re right to worry. You want what’s best for me. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t say a word.”
“Thank you.” Chloe walked up and gave me a hug. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I know. But if I do, at least I know you’ll be here for me.”
She laughed. “Damn straight.”
“Now, what are we missing?” I asked, looking around the kitchen.
“We should be making those orange ginger snaps.”
I walked back into the walk-in. “Ugh,” I groaned and ducked down to lift up a crate of oranges. “I’ve got orange zest permanently embedded under my fingernails.” I carried the oranges out into the kitchen.
Chloe was standing in front of the stove surveying the spices on the shelf above it. She pulled out the ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. “We’re going to have to order some more ginger soon. We might not make it until the next shipment.”
“I’ll go to the grocery store and get some if I have to. Those things are too popular to let them run out.”
“Those nasty mechanics will probably come in here and tear the place apart if we don’t have them.”
“Nasty?” I laughed and ducked down under the counter to pull out a sack of flour. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you were looking at that Samoan yesterday.”
“Eh, he was pretty hot, but he had this blank look in his eyes like there was nothing behind them. I’ll bet he could barely read the menu. If I’m going for the gold, I want a man who can hold his own in an intelligent conversation.”
“That’s a must.” My phone started ringing in my pocket. It was Archer. Chloe glanced my way and rolled her eyes when I answered it. “Hello?”
“Hi,” Archer said.
“You made my week. I just have to say that. I’ve had people coming in by the dozens, all of them saying that they loved the cookies you brought to the office. You must’ve given everybody one just to make sure they all tried them. The entire company is hooked. I swear. We can’t even keep up with orders.” I walked into the lobby for some privacy.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“It’s been amazing. I made almost a month’s worth of income in a week.”
“That’s good.”
“I don’t know how you did it, but I really have to thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What’s the plan tonight? Are you thinking dinner? I loved the scampi last time. Maybe we could go to a lobster place. They
have one a couple blocks from the bakery where they make their own biscuits, and they fly the seafood in fresh from the coast every day.”
“About that…”
“Or maybe something exotic like Thai food? I haven’t had--”
“Zoe, stop.”
I braced myself against the counter. “What’s wrong?”
“I hope it’s not too much trouble. I just don’t think I’ll be able to go this evening. I have to stay after work and deal with some paperwork.”
“Oh,” I said, trying not to sound too disappointed. “That’s all right. We can go Saturday. I’m off.”
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Okay,” I said, feeling like an idiot.
“I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere about that or not. His tone was neutral. Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe he was trying to hide the fact that he didn’t really want to cancel. I wanted to ask him why, but I didn’t want to sound desperate. I wasn’t, but I was disappointed. And I still had no idea what was going on with him. It seemed like something was holding him back from being with me, and I wanted to know what it was.
“It’s okay,” I said, doing my best not to reveal my feelings about it.
“Thanks for understanding.” And just like that, he hung up.
Chloe must have noticed the look on my face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
I told her about the short and unpleasant conversation.
“Well,” she said. “At least we know he won’t drag things out any longer. It’s a lot easier this way.”
“True, but I can’t help but wish things were different.”
“He’s got a secret, Zoe, and it can’t be good. You probably don’t want to have anything to do with him. Besides, you don’t want a man with that kind of money. It’s not your world. It’s too complicated.”
“You’re probably right. I just wish I didn’t like him so much.”
“Just figure out a way to hate him, and you’ll forget this ever happened.”
I shook my head to pull myself out of my funk. “It’s nothing. Let’s get back to work.”
“Maybe if we hurry, we can get out of here before midnight,” Chloe joked.
“I’ll stay all night so long as we have enough orange and ginger snaps.” I quickly lost myself in my work. This was my life. It was the only thing that mattered. If he wasn’t right for me, he wasn’t worth my time.
Chapter Fifteen
Archer
There was a knock at my office door when I hung up the phone. “Come in.”
Rick walked in and sat down. “How are you?” he asked.
“All right,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “How about yourself?”
“These techs are driving me crazy. They’re running around acting like they just invented the nuclear bomb.”
I forced myself to laugh. “At least they’re excited about the project.”
Rick nodded. “I suppose so. They’re talking about rigging up the heat sensors to alarm the pilot when certain temperatures are identified. I think it’s a good idea.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“It would take us some time to write the software, but we can probably get it working by the end of the quarter.”
“That works.” I took a sip of my coffee.
“You look like you just came back from the dead.”
“Nah, I’m just tired. Abel woke up his brother in the middle of the night. It took me two hours to get the boys back to sleep.”
“Least you’ve got something to look forward to tonight, eh? You’ll be up all night, but at least it’ll be worth it.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I had to cut her loose.”
“What? Dude, last time I talked to you, you were practically whipped. What happened?”
“Nothing. I just came to my senses is all. It’s not like she’s going to stick around when she sees what my life is like. I can’t even go two days without having to wake up and put the boys back to bed. Abel had me running around at the hospital all day, thinking the worst. No sane, good woman is going to stick around for problems like that.”
“I know it. That’s why you have to have a little fun. Get your dick wet.”
“I’m too damn busy to be chasing tail like some sex-crazed teenager. I have a multi-billion-dollar firm to run and two boys to raise. There’s no room for that kind of thing.”
“You don’t like it, though.”
“No, I don’t like it,” I said. “But it’s the truth, and I’m going to have to accept it.”
“I still say we should go out tonight and have a little fun. You can’t base everything on work. And family’s important and all, but you have to find a way to blow off some steam, or else you’ll go nuts.”
“I’ve got a lot to do. Go ahead and start on the sensor system. See if you can’t work on something similar for the other sensors.”
“No worries. You wanna go have a drink, just let me know.”
“I will. Thanks.” Rick left, and I went back to work. The day went by slowly. I found myself thinking about Zoe when people were trying to talk to me and staring into space wondering whether or not I should call and reschedule with her.
I stayed late signing paperwork and going over the orders with some of the men from the Navy. They were trying to retrofit one of our newer planes with Rick’s sensor and wanted to know every single detail. I gave them as much as I could and referred them to Rick for the rest.
I didn’t get home until six o’clock, right about the time I would’ve been getting ready for my date. I walked up to the nursery, where Mona was sitting and reading while the boys rested in their swings.
She looked up from her book. “What’s wrong?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I’m just tired.”
She marked her place in her book and followed me out into the hall where she leaned against the banister casually. She stared me down with her sharp, squinty eyes. “You’re always tired. People expect it. If you were just tired, then people wouldn’t be saying anything.”
“Fine, I had to cancel my date, and I feel like a complete prick.”
“Why did you cancel it? I thought you liked her.”
“I do like her. That’s why I’m cutting her loose.”
“You’re hurting her because you like her? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“No, I’m saving her from having to put up with two shrieking children.”
“You’re not saving that woman from anything except a good night out. It’s your second date, and you’re worried about integrating your life with hers?”
“I have to be realistic. She’s struggling to survive. She doesn’t need the stress, and I don’t think she’ll stay around for it, either. Her life is just as chaotic as mine, and work is her main priority.”
“Those boys are in dire need of a good woman, somebody who can come in and give them the attention they deserve. So, unless you’re going to marry me, you need to get out there and find a woman like that.”
“I’m not going to ask her to be my nanny, or a mother to two children. I don’t need to. I have you.”
“Look at me. I’m overweight, I smoked for thirty years, and I’ve had enough liquor in my liver to last three generations. I’m not going to be around forever, Archer, and when I’m gone, those boys are going to need somebody to take care of them—a real mother.”
Those last three words stung. “They had one, and now she’s gone.”
“And it’s time you learned to move past that. Not just for yourself, although Lord knows you need it. Do it for the boys.”
“It’s too big a risk. I know she likes me, Mona, and I don’t want her to get hurt when things don’t work out.”
“You’re assuming that they won’t.”
“I’m being pragmatic.”
“Pragmatism isn’t going to get you anywhere. Love is a risk, Archer. It’s one of the most dangerous risks a p
erson will ever take, but it is the most rewarding thing you will ever do.”
“I don’t even know if that’s what this is.”
“That’s the point. You don’t know what’s going to happen, and I know that scares you, but what if you’re working yourself up over nothing? What if she decides that she loves the boys and wants to stay? And why wouldn’t she? She’d be getting all of the benefits of being a mother without all of the pain it takes to become one.”
“I don’t know.” I looked back into the nursery. “It doesn’t sound likely.”
“Would you have believed that we’d be having this conversation a month ago?”
I laughed. “No.”
“Nothing is for certain, Archer, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Work with life; don’t fight it. If you fight it, you’ll be struggling until you die.”
“Why do you think she’s so important? You’ve never even met her.”
“I’m not sure she is. I’m just as pragmatic as you are, but I know that eventually you’re going to have to take this step, whether it’s with her or with somebody else. And you’ve done enough to this poor girl already. Three times now you’ve screwed this up. If she’s put up with this much, and she still wants to see you, she deserves more credit than you’re giving her.”
“Still, I don’t want to get into anything that will just probably end up in disaster.”
“Why?” she asked.
“It’s too dangerous. She could get hurt.”
“You’re not worried about her getting hurt. It’s you you’re worried about. You don’t want to end up losing somebody that you care about again.”
“That’s not true.”
“I get it,” she said, holding her hands up in mock resignation. “You’re macho. You’re invincible. I’ll go back to humoring you in a moment. Don’t worry. But right now, you need to listen to me. The risk is minimal. You’re not attached, and neither is she. If she walks away now, it won’t matter. You’d be right back where you left off.”
“True, but…”
She rose one eyebrow. “Go up to your room and call her.”
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