by Shyla Colt
“I wanted you to know I’m here and I support you. I was wrong.”
“No.” She shook her head.
“All I want is a chance to talk.”
“Why now?” When I have everything I want.
“Life isn’t the same without you, Rosaleen. Ignoring that hasn’t made the truth change.”
“Please leave, Ryan.” She lowered her voice. “I can’t do this with you. Don’t ruin what’s been an unforgettable day for me.”
“I’ll be back tonight.”
“Please, don’t.”
Thank God Mom isn’t in here. She took the broken engagement hard. A whiff of him wanting to make amends would send her into “forgiveness is a virtue” mode.
Alaric
It took effort to lift his legs to walk up the steps as his vision blurred. One misstep had sent them into a flurry of operations, medication, and talks of physical therapy. Trudging wearily up the familiar steps, he took a left to his childhood bedroom. The digital clock on his bedside mocked him. Shit. 8:30. He missed the grand opening. A text would be lame and impersonal after the hurt he must have caused. But her mother is visiting. Torn between making things right, and being respectful, he ran his fingers through his tousled hair. Waffling as his weariness told him to call it a day, he pushed past the exhaustion and turned around to retrace his steps.
“Where are you headed, son?” his father asked as he came from the kitchen with a cup of coffee he’d bet was laced with something stronger.
“I bailed on a friend today, and I need to make it right.”
His father narrowed his gaze. “Hmm. Must be some friend.”
“She is.”
His father smirked. “Don’t let me hold you. I appreciate you being there for me and your mother today.”
“Always, Dad. You don’t have to thank me for that.”
“But I do. You were a good boy who turned into an exceptional man. I don’t think we tell you enough.”
“Thanks, Dad.” He smiled bashfully at his father’s praise.
“Go take care of your lady friend who I’m guessing your mother doesn’t know about since she hasn’t mentioned it.”
“She knows I have a friend.”
“Hmm.” He took a sip from his drink. “I’ll keep this to myself since seeing as how she’s supposed to be relaxing and healing up.”
“Probably for the best.” Alaric grinned. Seeing Rosaleen always lifted his spirits. Grabbing the truck keys off the hook by the door, he left the house, hoping he’d make it to the local supermarket before they closed, and that the flowers wouldn’t be too picked over. Pulling out the driveway, he flirted with the speed limit and landed in the parking lot at twenty ’til nine. Slipping inside the automatic door, he gave the cashier an apologetic smile as he rushed to the floral department. The bouquet of sunflowers caught his eye along with the llama stick insert. After grabbing them both, he moved to the card department. Since this was his first major screw up, he figured it’d be best to lay it on thick.
Grabbing the least specific apology card, he jogged to the counter.
The female cashier smirked. “Someone in the dog house?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m trying to avoid it altogether.” He pulled out his debit card and inserted it, impatiently waiting for the chip to read. It beeped, and he entered his pin. 8:45. The numbers mocked him as the clock continued to move forward. The acceptance message flashed and the receipt printed.
“Thanks.” He grabbed his purchases from the belt.
“Good luck,” she called after him.
The short drive felt like it took hours. Pulling into her parking lot out back, he left the car and grabbed his offerings before his nerves could get the best of him. Climbing the back stairs to her door, he knocked and stood back so she could see him in the peephole. The door opened, and he thrust the flowers at her.
“I am so sorry.”
Ignoring them, she stepped out and closed the door behind her. “Do you have any clue how humiliated I was? I couldn’t even explain to my mother what happened.”
“I know, I’m sorry. My reception was shit at the hospital, and I was so worried about my mother I didn’t even think to step outside. Especially once she went in for surgery.”
All traces of anger left her face. She covered her mouth, and her eyes widened. “Oh my God. I am so sorry. Is she okay? What happened?”
He exhaled. “Yeah, well, she will be. At the moment, she’s recovering from emergency surgery at the hospital, and then she comes home. She tripped over uneven concrete, went down hard, and broke her ankle badly. They ended up having to put a plate in.”
“Jesus!”
“Yeah, we were finishing up lunch and heading to the bakery when it happened. My mind just went blank once I realized how serious it was. They took the X-rays, and the surgery talk started. She was in extreme pain—”
Rosaleen leaned forward and gripped his forearms. “Hey. I understand. God. I feel like such a jerk being so mad at you this entire time.”
“I should’ve contacted you. That was on me, and I want to apologize personally to your mother.”
“You don’t have to do that. She’ll understand. Family first is a motto for us, too.”
“So, you don’t want to knee me in the groin anymore?” he asked.
She laughed. “Oh, hero. I should’ve known with you there’d be a good reason. It was my past creeping in and making me paranoid. I apologize.”
“We all have our baggage,” he reassured her. “Now that I’m here, tell me how today went.”
“Why don’t you step inside and I’ll tell you. Mom’s already retired to bed for the evening, but you can meet her tomorrow?”
“You can count on it.”
“Good.” Her shoulders relaxed as she led him inside. They slipped into her kitchen. “There was a constant flow of people.” Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he beamed.
“I told you.”
“The interview on television went well. So did the newspaper interview. I can’t wait to see the photos they took.”
Settling across from her, he took her hand. He kissed the back, admiring the shine in her eyes as she relayed everything she could remember. This was Rosaleen at her happiest. Suddenly beautiful became stunning.
“Congratulations, sugar. I knew you’d do well today.”
“So much of that was thanks to you.” She shook her head and gave him a shy smile. “Thank you for showing me around town and introducing me to people.”
“It was my pleasure. Getting to have a beautiful woman on my arm wasn’t a hardship. Besides, how else was I going to win you over so you’d date me?”
“Stop.” She rolled her eyes. “You did not have designs on me.”
“From the minute I laid eyes on you, Rosaleen,” he said seriously.
“Oh,” she whispered. “You always know the right things to say.”
“I thought that was part of the hero MO,” he said, winking.
She giggled, and he knew the rough waters between them had been smoothed.
Relaxing back against the booth-style seat, he stroked circles onto her smooth skin as she continued bringing him up to speed on the grand opening.
IT’S JUST POPPING IN to say hello, there’s no need to be nervous. The lie didn’t help him in the least, but he continued to chant it as he walked down the sidewalk to For Cake’s Sake. After checking in for the day at the shop, he was swinging by to meet Ms. Plath. Passing beneath the heart of flowers, he entered the front door, waving at Stephanie.
“Afternoon, Steph.”
“Afternoon, Alaric. How’s your mother?”
“Much better now that she’s home, but hating her immobility.” He smiled.
“Your mother has always been the type to keep busy with committed and community projects.”
“She hasn’t slowed down a bit. Maybe this was a way to get her to actually sit in one place for more than a few minutes.” He lowered his voice. “But d
on’t tell her I said that.”
She feigned silence, zipping her mouth shut. “My lips are sealed.”
“I thought I heard your voice.” Rosaleen stepped out of the kitchen with a smile. A petite woman with a round face, curvy frame, and kind eyes identical to her daughter’s followed.
“Hi. I wanted to come by before I got lunch for Mom.”
“How is she?” Rosaleen asked, moving closer.
“Happy to be home.”
“Good.”
“Mom. This is Alaric. Alaric, this is my mother, Ms. Plath.”
“You can call me Mary. It’s so nice to meet the young man who’s made this transitional period easier for my baby.”
“Mom,” Rosaleen whined.
Alaric chuckled. “Trust me when I say it’s been my pleasure. We’ve had a lot of fun checking out all the things Granville has to offer. It’s nice to see the town I was born and raised in with a fresh perspective. I apologize for my absence yesterday. I should’ve called.”
“Oh, we understand. I’m sure that was the last thing you expected to happen. Emergencies with our loved ones have a way of turning our brains into a blank page.”
“That’s exactly how it was,” he said, relieved she truly didn’t have a bad first impression of him. “What do you think of our town so far?”
“It’s beautiful. From the buildings to the forestry and lakes surrounding it. It’s different from Cincinnati in the best possible ways. I can see why my daughter relocated here, and why you didn’t want to leave.”
“Does that mean she might persuade you to move this way, too?”
Mary laughed. “Maybe after I retire.”
“I think we have a chance to win her over, Rosaleen. What do you think?”
Rosaleen shook her head, clearly amused. “I think the two of you together might be trouble.”
“Who, us?” He shook his head. “Come on. I have to do some purchasing to make up for what I missed yesterday and to make my mom smile.”
“What does she like?” Rosaleen asked, switching effortlessly into work mode.
“She likes the flakey, butter crusts, tart fruity flavors, rich chocolates, and anything with peanut butter.”
“Okay, so she has to try the peanut butter cup cupcakes, a Danish pastry, and a cheese cup with raspberry filling.” She waved Stephanie over. “Can we get a box started for Mrs. Bulley, please?”
Nodding, Stephanie took a pale pink box with the logo in gold cursive out from behind the counter.
Turning, he made small talk with her mother while she carefully selected just the right things. Part of him wanted to believe the extra care had to do with wanting to make a good impression on his mother.
“YOU DIDN’T TELL ME your new friend was so pretty.”
“What are you talking about, Mom?” he asked as he entered the living room where she rested on the couch. She waved the paper in front of him.
Setting the cobb salad he’d picked up from the local café and the pink bakery box on the table beside her, he took the paper. “Eligible bachelorette opens new bakery on Main.” The words jumped out at him. He balled his fists.
“Can I see that?” he asked, forcing his voice to remain calm as the possessive side of him roared in protest.
“She’s going to be beating them off with a stick. You know how rare fresh blood is in this town, and she has her own business.” His mother clicked her tongue. “You’d better be prepared to warn her away from the no accounts.”
His irritation rose as he scanned the article. They’d pushed the looking for romance angle. He was certain she hadn’t intended it.
“It says she’s she’ll be participating in the Fall Auction this Saturday, too.”
“Well that’s lovely,” he said, gritting his teeth.
“Are you okay?”
“Of course, Mom. Have you been following the doctor’s orders?”
“Lord knows I am. There’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed.”
Folding the paper up, he tossed it into the trash where it belonged. If someone thought they were going to sink their hooks into his woman they were wrong.
“The doctor said I have to stay off my foot for the next couple of weeks, and that means I’ll need your help.”
“Whatever you need, Mom. You know that.”
“I need you to stand in for me at the pumpkin bake off.”
“Except that. You know I’m no star baker.”
“But you could be with me coaching you! You’ve always been a fast learner.”
“Mom ...” he warned her.
“Pumpkin Queen has been in the family for the past five years. I’m not about to let that title go to anyone else.”
“Queen, Mom. Not King.’
“Well, we’re all about being progressive, right?” she countered.
He bowed his head, knowing his mother wouldn’t stop until he agreed. “Fine.”
She clapped her hands. “You don’t know how excited this makes me. I knew you weren’t interested in baking, so I never got to pass things down the way I would’ve liked.”
My mother could guilt the Pope.
“The first thing we need to do is decide on what recipe we’ll be using this year.”
“How do we do that?”
“Trial runs. We have to taste everything.”
Aka welcome to pumpkin hell.
“Listen to me going on. I need to eat so we can start sifting through cookbooks and some of the printed-out articles of pumpkin trends popular this year.” Nodding respectfully, he sank down onto the end of the couch. “It’s perfect timing that you took some time off to be with me while I recover.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked, struggling to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. His mother could cut you with a look.
“Hand me a pen and paper, will you?” She opened and closed her hand. “I’m going to make us a list of supplies I know we’ll need. Then you can head to the grocery store while I decide what we’ll try today.”
“Today?” he asked, shocked. “We’re going to start now?”
“Well, yes,” she said, exasperated. “It’s going to take me every second leading up to the competition to get you into contest-winning shape.”
“Mom. I’m going to do my best, but I don’t want you upset if I don’t bring home the title.” He shook his head.
Her jaw ticked. “As long as you follow my directions to a t, you will.”
His mother had a wicked competitive streak, even if she tried to deny it. “Right. I’ll just tidy up while you do that.” He stood and escaped into the kitchen.
Pulling his phone out, he texted:
A: It’s going to be a long recovery process with Mom. She’s got some odd ideas for mother-son bonding time.
R: lol. Be nice. She loves you.
A: I love her, too. Why do you think I haven’t run for the hills already?
R: It can’t be that bad
A: She has me baking. Baking, sugar
R: I have faith in you, hero. *wink
He toyed with the phone as he thought of the paper and decided against it. It was a conversation best had in person.
A: Saw the paper.
R: God. She spun that out of control. I think to boost my numbers for this auction she roped me into. I couldn’t say no and seem like a team player. Her answer smoothed some of the ruffled feathers.
R: Hero?
A: It bothered me. The admission unsettled him.
R: Why?
A: Because you’re anything but single.
R: Sorry. She put me on the spot. Talk about it later in person?
A: Yes. Have a good rest of the day.
R: Will do. Try no tot burn your mother’s house down.
His lips twitched up in the corners. Ha, ha. Relieved from unburdening himself, he slipped the phone back into his pocket, finished straightening the kitchen, and got his mother’s medication ready. He and his father had agreed to alternate care to keep her entertained, following the d
octor’s orders and themselves sane. Never one to be idle, sitting still was her least favorite activity.
Chapter Five
Rosaleen
Sitting at the table in the corner of the coffee shop, she nursed her vanilla latte and waited for Alaric to join her. With his new role as caregiver added to his already busy schedule as boss, and woodworker, and the bakery open for business, they didn’t see each other as much as they used to. She missed him. He walked in the door, and she gave a quick wave. She gestured toward the Irish cream coffee with whipped cream she’d purchased him. Smiling, he walked to the table.
“Hi.”
“Hi. You look good for someone playing Cinderfella.”
“Ha, ha,” he replied dryly.
She hid her smirk in her coffee. “How’s your mom?”
“Driving me and Dad crazy, but taking her meds and staying off her feet for the most part.”
“Good.” She nodded.
Silence fell as they sipped their caffeinated beverage. This was the closest they’d come to a disagreement. Wariness settled in as she waited to see his true colors. The auction was this evening, and she wanted to clear the air and get an idea where she stood. Her run-in with Ryan left her uneasy and on edge. Things with Alaric had been so easy. Maybe too easy. Things that appeared too good to be true usually were. Up until now she hadn’t questioned his charm and easy-going mannerisms. Didn’t I learn from Ryan not to take people at face value?
“I’ll be honest, sugar. When I saw the article in the paper, I was upset.”
She sighed. “You know I didn’t pitch that to her. Jennifer decided to spin it that way. Probably to get more reads.”
“I figured that much. I just didn’t understand why you said you were single.”
She scoffed. “You agreed we wanted to keep things between us for a while.”
“Yes, but you didn’t have to name me, did you?” He arched his brow.
Part of her knew he was right, but the other part resented his questioning. But after being called out, she’d blanked.
“No, but my mother was standing right there, and I assure you, she would’ve noticed, and grilled me. Jennifer caught me off guard. I answered the best way I could while respecting the boundaries we set.”
