Amber was silent for a beat before she spoke. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Brady. She said nothing to me about you leaving. She’s been weird since the bake-off, though. She was out at the van when I got there, and then suddenly, she just took off and said she didn’t care what you thought about her leaving without you. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her before everything went down. Maybe it’s just the head injury or anesthesia talking? Is she confused?”
“Could be,” I said, my heart loosening a little bit in my chest. “The nurse just left her room. I’m going to go talk to her and see if I can figure out what’s going on.”
“Okay, the police are wrapping everything up here, and then I’m going to wait for Taylor to arrive before I come over.”
“There’s no bread,” I said immediately. “Please apologize to the customers.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure word is out by now about what happened. We’ll be here for the special orders, and the rest doesn’t matter. Just take care of my girl.”
“You got it,” I said, nodding once. “After you get here, I’ll head over to the bakery and get the product made for tomorrow. If I can’t do anything else for her, I can at least keep the business running. That is if she doesn’t fire me when I walk back in that room.”
“She’s not going to, and if she does, I’ll kick her ass when I get there. She loves you, Brady. I don’t know what’s going on, but we’ll get to the bottom of it. I’m half of this business, and I get a say in what goes on in it, too.”
“Okay, thanks, Amber. See you soon.”
I hung up the call and sucked in a breath to steel my nerves and get my head into focus before I walked back into her room. When I stopped in the doorway, she was sitting up higher in the bed and sipping water from the cup the nurse must have given her.
She startled when she saw me and coughed on the water. “I thought you left.”
I shook my phone in my hand. “No, I was updating Amber. She’s almost done with the police, and then she’ll be over,” I said, sitting down next to her in the chair again. “Once she gets here, I’m going to go back to The Fluffy Cupcake and get some product made for tomorrow. There aren’t any special orders for cupcakes, but there are the buns and bread that the restaurants need.”
“What about all the special orders for today?” she fretted, her hand on her forehead. “Amber will have to call them all.”
“They’re done,” I promised her, wanting to touch her but afraid to at the same time. “I stayed late yesterday and finished them. I knew you weren’t feeling well, and I wanted to get you ahead of the game for tonight’s baking. Now I’m really glad I did.”
“You did? Seriously?”
I nodded my agreement. “Just try to relax, Haylee. I’ve got your back just like I always do. Amber and I will keep the bakery running until you’re feeling better.”
“But—but you’re leaving,” she stuttered, her words tripping over her tongue. “You said you were leaving.”
My hand strayed to her forehead against my will and brushed the hair back. “Did you dream that, cupcake? I never said I was going anywhere.”
“I heard you!” she exclaimed, a tear falling down her face. Suddenly, her emotional issues made more sense. She honestly believed that a dream she had was real. “You told someone on the phone at the festival on Friday that your application had been approved and you had two job offers already. I think it was your old boss, and he wanted you to run his bakery.”
My hand froze mid-stroke, and I tipped my head to the side. “Is that why you took off with the van and refused to answer the door?”
“I didn’t need you to keep lying to my face about how much you loved me!” she exclaimed, knocking my arm away. “I heard you tell Mr. Cavanaugh that you can’t date someone like me with no self-esteem!”
“Whoa, Haylee, no. I never said that.”
“Don’t lie to me, Brady! I heard you tell him that!”
I gently rubbed her hip since I knew she couldn’t reach my hand to knock it away. “I think you overheard something with no context, and that messed with your head, Haylee. I did say that to Mr. Cavanaugh—”
“See, I’m not delusional!” she exclaimed.
“Shh, let me finish,” I said patiently. I knew the head injury was making her volatile, but I wouldn’t let her keep thinking I didn’t want to be with her. “I did say those things, but we weren’t talking about you.”
“Who were you talking about then? You said you dated her for a couple of weeks, but you told me you hadn’t dated anyone for a couple of weeks. I’m it. I’m the only one!”
“I stretched the truth on that one a bit. I didn’t want him to think I was a total jackass for dropping Darla halfway through a date.”
“What? Darla?”
I nodded, biting my lip to keep from smiling. “Mr. Cavanaugh was under the impression that I was dating Darla, so he was surprised to see the two of us so friendly during the competition. I guess he caught me giving you that kiss when we won.”
“The whole town caught you,” she said, a chuckle escaping, which was better than tears. “You weren’t exactly subtle.”
“You don’t have to be when you’re kissing your girlfriend, and you’re in love. Make no mistake, I do love you, and you’re still my girlfriend.”
“I was so hurt,” she whispered, her hand rubbing her chest absently. I covered it with mine and held them there together. “You had just asked me to be your girlfriend, and the next day you were telling people you couldn’t be with me anymore.”
My head swung wildly as I wiped away another tear that had escaped down her cheek. “No, sweetheart. That’s not it at all. I want to be with you all the time. The last thirty-six hours have been so hard wondering why you wouldn’t talk to me. Then I find you half-dead on the ground, and I knew I should have made you talk to me. If I hadn’t given up so easily, I would have been there to protect you.”
“You didn’t know I told the committee about the confrontation. I should have predicted Darla would come after me, but I didn’t even think about it. You were right all these years. I should have better lighting back there.”
“I’ll be calling someone to fix that situation as soon as I get back to the bakery,” I agreed. “I’ll never leave you open to an attack like that again, cupcake.” I stroked her hair back, pain evident in my voice as I gazed at her.
“You won’t be here to know,” she said, her voice heavy with sadness. “You said your application was approved, so you’ll be in Milwaukee running a bakery, which,” she added, holding up her hand, “you deserve. You deserve to be the head of a bakery, and you won’t get that at The Fluffy Cupcake.”
“I wish you’d stuck around a few more minutes to have heard the rest of the conversation,” I whispered. “My application was approved for master baker.”
Her brow went down to her nose, and her breath hitched in her chest. “Wait, you passed?”
I nodded, a giant smile on my face. “That was the call I got before the judging. That was my big news. I passed, cupcake!” I couldn’t help the excitement in my voice and how much I wanted to share it with her. “I’ve been dying to tell you, but I refused to do it over text.”
“That’s wonderful, Brady. Congratulations,” she said, her chin wobbling with emotion. “You deserve this. You worked hard and were devoted to the process, and now it has paid off. I’m proud of you. Everything makes more sense now. That’s why you can run a bakery.”
“I can, but I won’t be. You didn’t hear the part where I told Baker Robinson that I couldn’t run his bakery because my whole life was in Lake Pendle now. I found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I’m not leaving her for anything.”
“You’re staying?” she asked, her voice hopeful but desperate at the same time.
“I was never going anywhere to begin with, Haylee. You’re my whole life now. I have every intention of working with you and loving you forever.”
> Tears were falling down her cheeks, and she reached her hand out for me to take. “My heart was shattered in so many pieces when I heard you say those things. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran.”
“Shh,” I whispered, nose-to-nose with her now. “I wish you had just come and talked to me, baby. In the future, don’t run, unless you’re running to me. Promise me.”
She nodded, her chin trembling with fear, anguish, relief, and fatigue. “I promise. I might need you to remind me for another thirty years or so, though.”
“Only thirty?” I teased, kissing her lips carefully since she still had the oxygen tube in her nose. “I was thinking at least fifty or sixty.” I stroked her cheek, her eyelids drooping the longer I did. “Sleep now. When you wake up, I might be at the bakery, but Amber will be here. Don’t get scared because I didn’t leave you. I’m just going to protect our business the same way I’ll always protect you, with all my love and devotion.”
Her lips pulled up in a smile as her eyes closed all the way, and finally, she slept.
Twenty-Five
I glanced down at the six-inch gash on my shoulder after I took the bandage off. There was no redness or signs of infection, so I finished cleaning it and covered it with the special bandage the hospital had sent home with me yesterday. At least I managed to get out of the hospital for my thirtieth birthday.
Last night was not exactly the party I was hoping for, and tonight wouldn’t be either, but that was okay. I was just grateful to be alive. Being attacked by Darla had brought into focus what was important in this life. That red X on my calendar came to mind again, and I chuckled as I shut the light off in the bathroom and walked into the kitchen for my phone. I tapped the calendar, still missing the July page, and tisked my tongue. “You don’t own me anymore.”
It didn’t own me. Brady Pearson owned me, and I was completely okay with it. We owned each other’s hearts and never had I understood how much than over the last couple of days. His devotion to me at the hospital was palpable, and his dedication to my business when he only left my bedside to make sure it stayed running, told me he would always be my better half.
It was almost three in the afternoon, and Brady had been up to check on me several times during the day. He refused to let me go down to the bakery and do anything, so I had to cool my heels up here most of the day. That was okay. My head still bothered me if I did too much, so it was wiser to give it a few more days before I had to work around dangerous equipment again. After so much lazing around, I needed to stretch out my arm, so when Brady called to say he needed me in the bakery for some help with the ordering, I jumped at the chance. It gave me an excuse to check on everything without looking like a worrywart, too. I know Brady and Amber have everything in hand, but it would make it easier to relax if I got to check things out for myself.
I checked my phone, and there was another email from another committee member apologizing for the Darla fiasco, as people had taken to calling it. Truth be told, the fiasco was no one’s fault but hers. I felt bad that others felt like they needed to apologize for her. She could do her own apologizing in court. The district attorney had to decide on charges, but from what I’d been told, she was going to be swimming in hot water for a long time to come.
Once the police took her into custody, after finding her passed out on the floor in her living room, they had to put her in the drunk tank overnight just to get her conscious enough to talk. The knife she stabbed me with was found in her bathtub, which was a very strange place to put a weapon you committed a crime with if you ask me, but that’s Darla.
I suspected she was going to claim a psychotic break or try to blame this on me, but for now, I was safe from her while she remained in jail until bail was set. After that, she wouldn’t be allowed near me, or she’d risk going straight to jail without passing go. Did I doubt she’d try? No, but for her sake, I hoped she kept her distance. Not just because the law wouldn’t be lenient, but because Brady wouldn’t be.
I heard his footfalls on the stairs, and I opened the door, smiling when he stood at the top, his hair freshly washed and styled. He was dressed to the nines in khaki shorts and a button-down shirt.
“Well, hello, birthday girl,” he said, kissing my lips lightly. “You look gorgeous. You’re like a birthday cupcake that’s good enough to eat.”
“You’ve said that every time you’ve checked on me today.”
“And I meant it every time,” he agreed, a smile on his face.
I tugged at the front of his shirt gently. “You’re a little dressed up to do bakery work,” I said, confused.
“True, but the bakery work won’t take long, and then I was hoping to celebrate your birthday. As long as you’re feeling up to it, of course.”
“I would love to,” I assured him, pulling the door closed behind us. “I need to stretch out and move around a little. My arm doesn’t bother me much now, and the incision looked good when I changed the bandage. I’ll just have to be careful of my head. I wish I were able to make your anniversary cupcakes.”
“It’s okay,” he assured me, kissing my lips. “We’ll celebrate my anniversary when you’re feeling up to it. Today, we’re celebrating everything that’s you. Take my arm when we go down, so you don’t fall,” he ordered.
I did as he instructed, letting him help me down the stairs. I would protest, but I knew it would do no good. Besides, he was probably right. Sometimes I still felt dizzy from the concussion, and it wasn’t worth falling again just to be stubborn. Besides, I liked that he wanted to protect me. It made him feel better and gave him a way to put right in his head what happened.
“I owe you my life, Brady,” I blurted out. “I don’t know if I ever said thank you for finding me.”
We stepped onto the ground at the bottom of the stairs, and he paused. “Cupcake, you don’t have to thank me for finding you. I love you, and that’s what you do when you love someone, remember?”
“Right now, when I think something, sometimes it comes out of my mouth before I can stop it,” I explained with embarrassment.
“I know, and I also know I can’t tell you not to think about it because your mind isn’t quite right yet. Once it is, though, I don’t want it to cross your mind again.” He grasped my face and held me to his nose. “I love you so much. I’m beyond thankful we’re here to celebrate this day together.”
“I love you, too,” I promised, kissing his lips to relax him. “You’re really keyed up. I’m sorry for mentioning it.”
He smiled and winked, his shoulders relaxing a little bit. “It’s not your fault. I get that way when I think about losing you. I relive those seconds when I found you on the ground and my heart pounds to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t come in early to talk to you. It will always scare me, and I’ve decided that’s a good thing. The memory will always be there as a reminder that things can’t go unsaid when you love someone.” He shook out his shoulders and cleared his throat. “Okay, let’s forget about it and go say hello to your bestie before we celebrate the big three-oh.”
He opened the side bakery door, and I stepped in, the warmth of the space wrapping me in a hug like it always did. I inhaled deeply and sighed. “God, I love this place.” I heard his chuckle behind me, and I knew he understood. “Did you get everything put together for tomorrow’s orders?” I reached for the cooler handle and walked in to inspect everything. Brady stood behind me and pointed out all the cupcake orders and birthday cakes he’d decorated today.
I turned into his chest. “They’re beautiful. You don’t even need me around here anymore.”
“Don’t even think about leaving me with all these cakes,” he teased, tweaking my nose. “I don’t like decorating. That’s your strength.”
“And these beautiful white and rye bread braids are yours. They’re gorgeous.”
“So are you,” he said, backing me up against a rack and planting a kiss on me that was reminiscent of the first one we shared here a month ago. This time
, it was a little bit more reserved, and he was content to be gentle while still filling me with passion and desire.
“I know I promised not to do that here ever again, but I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“Not at all, Able Baker Brady,” I promised. “As your boss, I’m going to make you take that promise back today. I think if you have a choice between kissing in the cooler and not kissing in the cooler—”
His lips stopped the words coming from my mouth, and I moaned softly in my throat, the sensation reminding me that I hadn’t died out there. I made it to my thirtieth birthday to stand here and be kissed silly by a man who loved me as much as I loved him. Maybe even more, if that was possible. He sure was trying to prove it was.
“Always kiss in the cooler,” he said, lifting his lips off mine. “We better go say hello to Amber before she catches us necking in the cooler.”
“Again,” I added, following him out and closing the door behind me.
Brady took my hand and held it behind his back as we walked into the main bakery. I braced myself, expecting a few of our regulars to be there still. They’d want to make sure I was okay before they left. I had stayed reclusive since I arrived home yesterday for that reason. I had no less than thirty people visit me in the hospital before the nurse finally stopped allowing visitors so I could get some rest. When I stepped around Brady to look for Amber, I froze in my tracks.
The whole place was jam-packed with people who all stood up and whispered, “Surprise!” with their hands waving in the air.
“I told them they would have to be quiet because of your head,” Brady explained, a smirk on his face.
I noticed the banner that said, “Happy 30th birthday, Cupcake!” and started laughing as tears filled my eyes. “Thank you, everyone!” I exclaimed, genuine excitement flowing through me to see all the people who have supported me over the years come together to wish me a happy birthday.
Cupcake (The Fluffy Cupcake Book 1) Page 19
