by Marie, Kay
Aside from baking, I love meeting my customers and getting to learn about them. I’ve acquired a handful of regulars over the years. Some stop in before work. Some bring their laptops and work from the shop a few days a week. It’s a fun job all around.
I have some great employees as well. Emma was the first person I ever hired. I interviewed about ten people before her. What was meant to be a twenty-minute interview turned into a two-hour conversation. We’ve been best friends ever since and we’ve been living together for the past couple of years.
Sebastian, or Bash as Emma and I like to call him, joined us a short six months after we opened. The three of us are the only ones who are qualified to be in the kitchen, and between us three, one of us is always at the shop. We have a handful of college students working with us. It’s a pretty great team and for the most part, everyone gets along.
My Papa insists on me having a bodyguard at the bakery whenever I’m there. Yury arrives at the same time I do and hangs out in my office while I work, keeping an eye on the security cameras. I forget he’s there most of the time.
I leave my apartment at 4:40 a.m. and arrive at A Novel Bunch at five. We open at 6:00 a.m. and today, I’m opening with Chloe. She doesn’t mind working an early shift on Tuesdays and Thursdays since those are days she has classes later in the day. Emma and I worked our butts off in the early days of A Novel Bunch to have the day’s pastries prepped the day before. It makes it super easy for whichever one of us opens because all we need to do is put trays of pastries in the ovens. Not having to prep in the mornings makes it easier to get the rest of the shop up and running for the day, and it helps lessen the stress.
As soon as I get my purse put away in my office, I head to the kitchen and turn on the ovens to let them heat up. I go on autopilot doing all of the opening duties, only pausing to let Chloe in and to put the trays of pastries in the ovens. Our special today is sharlotka, which is a Russian apple cake. Sharlotka was the first thing Babushka taught me how to make and it’s always been one of my favorites. Our specials are one of the only things we prep and bake on the same day. Since Chloe has the front of the shop taken care of, I start preparing our sharlotka for the day.
I’m so busy prepping trays and baking different pastries, the morning flies by. I glance at the clock and it’s already ten. I walk out of the kitchen to Chloe and Emma doing some light cleaning behind the counter. This is about the time we have a cool-down period after our morning rush.
“She’s alive!” Emma shouts when she sees me and smiles.
“We thought we may have lost you to the Pillsbury dough man or something,” Chloe laughs out. Emma nudges Chloe’s side.
“It’s how she gets when she has to make those apple cakes,” Emma half whispers. Chloe’s mouth forms an O.
“Sorry, boss.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. I was in the zone. It happens more often than not.” I shoot Emma a pointed look and she shrugs at me.
“It happens more when those cakes are involved,” she whispers.
“I’m not having this discussion with you today,” I tell her as the bell above the door rings, signaling customers coming in.
“Good morning!” Chloe greets them. I glance up and see a couple of my favorite new regulars.
“Minx! Rivet! How are you, ladies?” I ask them. They stumbled into the shop back in August searching for some books to read. I recommended a couple of my favorites and suggested they try our daily special. They’ve been back at least once a week, usually more, ever since. They try to come on different days as they’ve enjoyed trying each different daily special. Her papa is president of the Savage Menaces MC and her, as she calls him, ol’ man is a patched member too. Rivet doesn’t have an ol’ man, but she acts as though her heart may be taken.
“We’re cravin’ some of that fantastic apple cake you only make on Thursdays,” Minx laughs out.
“You’re in luck! We still have quite a bit left.” I wink at her. Most of our daily specials don’t sell out until the late afternoon unless it’s a Saturday or Sunday. We switch our daily specials every month and when sharlotka is a special on either of those days, we make more and still manage to sell out pretty quick.
“Would it be possible to buy a whole cake?” Rivet asks shocking me. The Russian specials have been popular, but I’ve never had anyone ask to buy a whole cake or a large quantity of any other Russian pastries. We’ve only ever gotten custom cake and cupcake orders. Every once in a while, someone will order a couple of dozen cookies, but cakes are more popular.
“Yeah! Of course. Is it for a special occasion? If you need it for a certain day, I can bake a fresh one the day you need it and you can come by and get it,” I suggest.
“That would be great! Some of the brothers finally got moved into a house, so they’re having a housewarming BBQ and bonfire tomorrow. I can swing by and grab it around three, if that works for you?” Minx tells me. I haven’t been to a bonfire since . . . nevermind that thought. I won’t go there.
“That’s perfect. Would you both like a piece for today?” I grin, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, please.” Minx smiles. “Can we also each have a cafe au lait, please?”
“With french vanilla syrup?” They tried a cafe au lait with french vanilla when they came in last week. It was a chilly morning. Minx had told me she wanted to try something new and asked me to surprise her. Both she and Rivet ended up loving it.
“Of course! Thanks for getting me hooked on this. I might come in every day for one once it’s chilly enough.” Minx laughs.
“And what about him?” I nudge my head in Mouse’s direction. From what Minx told me, he’s what they call a prospect for the MC. He does whatever patched-in members ask of him. He has come with Minx and Rivet every time they come to A Novel Bunch, acting as their bodyguard.
Minx acts frustrated about it most of the time, but I can tell by the gleam in her eyes she’s thankful to have him around. I don’t know what happened to her for her to need a bodyguard, but I can understand her frustration. I have one of my own who sits in my office, watching security cameras while I work.
My papa is Pakhan of the Bratva. For years now, he’s traveled between the states and Russia. He always makes sure my mama and I are well protected while he’s in Russia. He stays for two weeks and then will stay here in Texas for anywhere from two weeks to a month. Ever since I graduated, Mama has been traveling with him more and more. Leaving me under the watchful eyes of my brothers, Viktor and Gleb, and my bodyguard, Yury.
“Black coffee for Mouse. He said he didn’t want anything to eat,” Rivet tells me. I ring up their order and take their payment while Emma makes their drinks. I make a note to make a sharlotka for them tomorrow and to have it ready by two. I get slices of sharlotka for them to have now. Emma gives them their drinks, and I walk around the counter with their cakes, following them to a table close to the romance books.
“Enjoy your sharlotka, ladies.” I set them on the table.
“Thanks, Cali!” Minx says. “Hey, you should come to our BBQ tomorrow. You could bring Emma too.”
“That sounds fantastic, but we already made plans for a girls' night out. She talked me into going dancing.”
“I would definitely rather go dancing,” Rivet sighs and Minx rolls her eyes at her. I chuckle at them.
“Well, maybe one weekend the four of us can go dancing together,” I tell her and she beams.
“Now, that sounds fantastic,” Rivet exclaims.
“Well, I better get back to work. I have some cupcakes to make for a Halloween themed birthday party. We’ll plan something soon!”
We say our farewells and I go back into the kitchen to bake two dozen cupcakes.
3
Buster
Shade and I found a house to rent about a month ago and moved in last weekend. It’s a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house on a couple of acres, and it’s about five minutes from the clubhouse. It’s not that we don’t like st
aying at the clubhouse, but we needed a space of our own. A place to go and unwind with a little more privacy. Clutch and Diesel wanted to stay at the clubhouse. Easier access to the cut bunnies. But we got a house big enough in case they change their minds. We still spend half our time at the clubhouse anyway.
In honor of us finding a house, we chose to have a BBQ and bonfire. It’s getting to be the perfect time of year for bonfires. My favorite time of year. I somehow drew the short straw and am the lucky bastard who gets to do the grocery shopping. Minx was kind enough to make a list for me. Her and Rivet offered to make all the sides for tonight. They said they would be at our house at four o’clock sharp. Shade and I spent all morning cleaning the backyard and preparing wood for the bonfire.
We didn’t have any bonfires in Arizona. We didn’t have the right kind of yard for it. That, and I couldn’t stomach the memories bonfires brought me. I didn’t want to have one tonight, but Minx and Rivet talked to Shade without me around and he was all for it. I knew I’d have to suck it up and deal eventually. Now is as good a time as any.
I finish at the grocery store and make my way back to the house. I pull into the driveway and Rivet’s car is there, telling me she and Minx are already here. I climb out of my car, grab about half the bags of groceries, and take them inside.
“Shade! Go grab the rest of the groceries!” I call out as I walk into the kitchen. “Hey Minx, hey Riv.”
“Hey B. Need us to grab anything?” Minx asks. I set the groceries on the counter and see a cake sitting there.
“No, Shade will grab the rest. What’s this?” I question as I take a closer look at the cake. I recognize this. It’s an . . .
“Apple cake!” Rivet’s voice is laced with excitement, and my stomach drops. Someone in my past used to make apple cakes for me all the time. Only, she called them something else. Something in Russian. They were my favorite dessert. “We found this super cute little bookstore and bakery called A Novel Bunch. The girl who owns the place is Russian and she has such an awesome accent.”
A bookstore and a bakery. There’s only one person I’ve ever met who loved baking and reading enough to want to open a place like that. The only girl to ever have my heart and I fucked it all up. It can’t be her, though. Can it?
“We tried to get her and Emma to come tonight, but they already had plans,” Minx tells me.
“Wait, what did you say her name was?” I ask, studying at them.
“Her name is Cali.” As soon as Minx says it, my heart stops.
“Woah, you alright, bro? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Shade says, walking into the kitchen with the last bags of groceries. Could it be my Cali? I haven’t seen her in five years. I’ve thought about her every day I was gone. I tried not to, but I couldn’t help it. I’ve been beating myself up about how we ended things. How I ended things. If it is her, I doubt she’d want to talk to me, let alone see me.
“Uh, yeah . . . ” I glance at Shade. “Yeah, I’m fine. Can you two manage not to burn the kitchen down while I take a shower?”
“I don’t know how we’ll ever manage without you,” Minx jokes and I chuckle.
“Tell doofus here if you need anything,” I say, hooking my thumb in Shade’s direction. Minx nods and Rivet giggles. Minx is messing with her phone. I’m sure either texting Raze or turning on some music. Sure enough, music starts playing. It’s Halsey, Bad at Love.
I pat Shade on the back. “Good luck, brother.”
He shakes his head and I laugh as the girls belt out song lyrics. This isn’t anything new. This was a regular occurrence with them in Arizona. They’re entertaining, to say the least. I walk to my room, my mind going back to the girl Minx and Rivet were talking about. How much of a coincidence it would be for us to know two different Cali’s, who are both Russian and both wanted to open their own bakeries. Maybe it isn’t a coincidence at all. Maybe she’s the Cali I knew and loved. Only one way to find out for sure. I’ll go with the girls to the bakery next time they go.
The first thing I do when I walk into my room is grab some fresh clothes. Clean jeans, a black t-shirt, socks, black boxer briefs, and my favorite Hooey hat. It’s black with a turquoise bill and logo. I lay my clothes out on my bed and make my way into the bathroom. I turn the water on, closing the curtain and step away. While it’s warming, I strip to my boxer briefs. I rest my hands on the counter, leaning forward and let my head hang.
What the fuck would I say to Cali if I were to see her again? Hey, sorry I’m a complete dumbass and ruined what could have been the greatest thing in my life? I shake my head and hop in the shower. The water is perfect. Hot but not melt your skin off hot. I let it hit my back and shoulders for a minute, hoping it will maybe melt some tension away. I go through my routine of washing my hair and body as quickly as possible, rinse off and shut the water off. I grab a towel without opening the shower curtain fully and dry myself off.
Once I’m dressed, I go check on the girls. I walk into the kitchen and Headphones by Florida Georgia Line is playing. Fucking perfect since it’s been nearly impossible getting Cali out of my head lately. I glance around and Shade isn’t anywhere in sight. The girls are quietly preparing hamburgers and some different side dishes. They’re so engrossed with what they’re doing, they don’t even notice me. I clear my throat, causing them both to jump.
“What the fuck, B? Are you trying to give us a heart attack?” Rivet scolds and I laugh.
“Y’all need to be more aware of your surroundings and I wouldn’t have scared you,” I tell her. “Where did Shade disappear to?”
“His sister called or something,” Minx says. “Check out back.”
“Do y’all need help with anything?” I ask them.
“We’re good. Go check on Shade. He seemed a little off.” Minx smiles at me. I nod at her and go search for Shade. I find him in the backyard, sitting in a lawn chair. He’s not on the phone, but he seems deep in thought.
“Everything okay, brother?” I ask, sitting down next to him.
He sighs. “My sister is going to be the fucking death of me.”
“What happened?”
“She was supposed to come to the BBQ tonight but called to tell me she’s not coming anymore. Said she’s going out with her boyfriend. She won’t bring him here. She’s worried I might kill him or something.” I can’t help but laugh at him and earn myself a glare.
“Now, why would she think that,” I ask him.
“I may have threatened to. No one is good enough for my little sister,” he growls out, making me laugh again. Shade has always been super protective of his sister. If she called him crying, he’d find whoever made her cry and fuck them up, if not kill the bastard. Whoever wins that girl’s heart will have to meet Shade’s approval. I don’t blame him one bit either. I’m the same way when it comes to my little sister. She’s a junior in high school. Ben, my little brother, and I are always warning her off little dipshit dudes at her school.
“She’s a smart girl. If it’s serious, she’ll tell you,” I remind him. “Now, come on. Let’s make sure the wood is ready for the bonfire.”
4
Cali
Minx and Rivet haven’t stopped texting me since they left the shop yesterday. They’ve been begging me and Emma to go to the BBQ tonight. When Minx came to pick up the sharlotka, she was telling Emma to talk me into going and now they’re all three teaming up on me. I’m thinking it would be a good idea. I haven’t hung out with anyone outside of Emma and Bash since the three of us became friends. It might be a good chance to meet a new guy too. Last time I dated someone was about three years ago. He was the first guy I had actually dated since Ryan and I had ended things and needless to say, it didn’t last long.
My heart wasn’t in it. As much as I want to get out there and date, I always end up comparing them to Ryan. We met each other when we were kids. He was my best friend, even when we went down separate paths in high school. We dated other people, but nothing broke our friendship. At s
ome point, something changed between us. The little spark that had always been between us burst into a flame. We spent the majority of our free time together. While I didn’t lose my virginity to him, sex with him was always the best. The chemistry between us was intense.
Last time I saw him, we had gone to a bonfire for the fourth of July together. We had been dating for close to nine months and things had been going great. That is until we started talking about plans for fall. For whatever reason, he’d always tell me he was holding me back or he didn’t want to hold me back. I never did understand what he thought he was holding me back from, but it didn’t matter. That night, we got into a huge argument that ended with him leaving and me never seeing him or talking to him again.
I told everyone we made a mutual decision to break up. I put up a front, pretending I was okay, but inside, I was dying. My heart was shattered. The only person who could see I was hurting was my mama. She suggested I go to visit my babushka in Russia. I did, and I ended up staying for a whole year. Right before I came back, I made the decision to work toward my dream. Now, I have a strong business, amazing friends and family, but no Ryan.
It’s time I move on. No more comparing guys to him. I need to get out there and play the field, have some fun. It’s been too long. Which is why I’m going to tell Emma, Minx, and Rivet we’ll be at the bonfire. With them by my side, I’ll replace bad memories with awesome memories. With Emma sitting next to me, I decide to send a message to our group chat.
To Emma, Minx, and Rivet: You ladies win. Will meet you at the BBQ.
Emma’s phone pings and she glances at it. Her face lights up when she reads my message. At the same time, we get two new messages in the group.
From Minx: REALLY!?!?!?
From Rivet: Yassssss! We’re going to have SO much fun!!
Emma grins at me. “We are so getting you laid tonight.”
