“It’s the best.” And I successful made it, for now.
~***~
“So, Trey Lockhart huh?” Damon said as I was preparing the bed for the two of us. Damon was going to sleep with me and Aiden had no problem with it.
I was wearing a peach-colored camisole and white pajamas. Damon removed his suit and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. He was barefoot inside my bedroom, and I loved seeing him in my small bedroom. He kind of overwhelmed the place but I just loved seeing him in here with me, though I could still feel how cold he was right now, he hasn’t even touched me after that conversation about Trey.
“Yeah, we met that night I ran away from you. He was the owner of the Lexus I jumped into.” I told him as I arranged the pillows on the bed.
“Oh, he’s there to pick up girls?” He said. His voice was stiff and cold as he was.
I snapped my head at his harsh words, no one could tell something like that about my friends, especially Trey. He did not pick up girls, no matter how notorious of a playboy he was. “No. He was there because he bought something in an old bookstore around the area that sells second hand antique paperbacks.” I replied in the same hostility that he was giving me.
“Then you developed a relationship with him after that, even though that was the time I keep begging you to love me back.”
“My relationship with Trey is different.” I snapped at Damon. He would not bully me. I would not let him. When it came to my friends, I would always be in a defensive mode all the time.
“How different? Haven’t you had sex with him?” His hard tone made me jerk. He never talked to me like this before, and he was pissing me off. Big time.
“If we’re going to talk about my relationship with Trey and you keep talking to me in this way, we better stop this conversation. That was the time when we are not seeing each other, Damon.” I was pissed, no, not pissed, I was so mad at him right now.
“Oh, yeah I remember you told me that you slept with him once. I get it now why he kept on groping you in public.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. He was really making me fume in anger with his attitude. “He was not groping me. We are just comfortable with each other.” I said in between clenched teeth.
“Comfortable my ass.” He scoffed. “Amanda, I know the difference between friend zone hold to lovers grope.”
“If you are going to act like an asshole, just leave.” I snapped again. He was making me snap, I hate him right now.
He blinked as if he was lost, before narrowing those cold blue eyes directly at me. “You’re asking me to leave?”
I had enough of it right now, couldn’t deal with him if he was going to be this hard all the time. I better made him leave before this turned into a very big fight. “Damon, leave.” I closed my eyes and tried my best not to look into his eyes. Then I heard the door slammed shut, really slammed, and I knew now that I was alone.
I sat on the floor, put my face on my hands and cried. I cried and cried, because I could not hold the tears anymore. Fighting with Damon was exhausting, both to my body and my heart. He was one exasperating man, but I love him and I hate fighting with him. However, he has gone all cold as if he did not even have a spare feeling left for me. Where was my sweet loving man?
Then suddenly I felt strong arms around my body, someone was embracing and cradling me in his arms. My brother really knew when to rescue me. I turned to him with my hands still covering my face, leaned into his body, buried my face in his broad firm chest, and inhaled Aiden’s scent. He smelled like home, expensive musky cologne and…
I looked up and saw Damon cradling me in his arms, my face in his chest. He was looking down at me, softly and apologetic. Just like my sweet romantic Damon.
“I thought you left.” I said in an unsteady voice.
“I did.” He looked down at me with remorse in those blue eyes of his. Five minutes ago, they were cold and hard, now they were soft and warm. “But you’re brother stopped me and talked to me about it.”
He leaned and kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry baby.” He murmured and I reached up to cup his cheek. He leaned towards my hand and planted a kiss at the center of my palm. “I’m sorry I made you cry.”
“I hate fighting with you.”
A small sad smile tugged the corner of his lips. “I know. I hate fighting with you too.”
“Are we good?” I asked.
“I should be the one asking that.” He said as he brushed the hair away from my face. “We’re good. Let’s not fight again.”
“Okay.” I smiled at him.
He sighed, kissed the top of my head, before carrying me to the bed, and lay me in the sheets. He lay next to me and I placed my head on his chest. We stayed in that position for a long time in silence. Maybe we were trying to gauge each other as of the moment.
“So tell me about Trey.” Damon broke the deafening silence.
I lifted my head and looked at his face, he looked determined to know about Trey so I told him. I told him all about Trey, my relationship with the man and everything he needed to know. And I fell asleep there in my small bed with Damon, my head on his chest. The last thing I felt was the kiss he planted on the top of my head before drifting off.
~***~
“Good morning baby.” Damon said as he walked around the kitchen barefoot, bare-chested.
Damon embraced me from behind with his hands settling on my flat stomach. I leaned into him and his hard bare chest. God, I love his chest. Then he buried his face on the side of my neck and trailed a kiss up to the spot behind my earlobe. He nipped on my earlobe and I moaned as I tilted my head to the side to give him a better access.
“Gross.” Aiden interrupted.
I looked at him and saw that he was smiling. He seemed to be in a good mood today.
I could not help smiling at him. “Hey twin.”
Damon let go of me and I walked towards my brother and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Good morning, thank you.”
“No problem twin.” He kissed my cheek in return. “I am happy to see you smiling.”
We could not help grinning at each other. Two of the most important man in my life has finally found a common ground. I love them both.
After breakfast, Damon gave me a ride to the bakery. He changed into freshly pressed suit and pants while inside the limousine that his driver brought for him, and I quite have a show. I was in the bakery five minutes before six and Damon walked me to the front entrance of the store, holding my hand while walking.
“Baby, I will be attending a charity event tonight. I want you to come with me.” Damon said as he held open the store’s front door for me.
“But I have work at the diner.” I told him.
“I’ll contact the diner for you. Please? I need you there.” He gave me that wide eye hopeful look and I did not have it in me to break his heart if he was looking at me like that.
“Okay, what’s the dress code?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I had told the shopper to buy something for you to wear.”
“Damon―” I started but he cut me off with a kiss.
“Just let me do this.” He told me affectionately. His eyes were dancing with genuine love for me and they were so beautifully blue.
Here he was again. Splurging money on me as if I was some kind of a prostitute, although I knew I was before. But I hated it when he bought me things, it made me feel cheap. But I couldn’t tell him that was how I felt whenever he bought me something. I just got him, I was not ready to lose him.
“It’s you call.” I said.
“What’s that even meant?” His blue eyes narrowed at me.
I tiptoed and kissed his lips. “I’ll miss you.” I whispered.
“I will pick you up at six.” He smiled at me and kissed me again.
“Okay. Have a nice day at work baby.”
“I love you.” He said, but I just stared at him. He was looking at me as if he was waiting for some kind of a reply.
I couldn’t tell him I love, yet, I have my reasons.
“You’re going to be late, CEO.” I reminded him.
He sighed and gave me a sad smile that broke my heart seeing on his perfect handsome face. No matter how much I wanted to yell that I love him, I couldn’t. That was the only thing I could hold onto in case he chose to leave. Because I was being realistic, I know he would leave and find a better woman that I was. And if I said that I love him, I might not be able to stand up and pick up my pieces in case he decided to head toward the nearest exit.
~***~
“You did a great job, Amanda. I’m sure the costumer will love this.” Susan said as she examined the cake I made.
The costumer said that the theme was garden so I made a single layered cake and decorated it with a garden full of green grass, flowers and butterflies. I even put a female figurine wearing a blue sundress and a mini waterfall on the sides.
“Here. She was asking that you deliver this personally.” Susan said as she held out a post-it for me.
“Me, why?” I said as I took the post-it from her. There was an address written on the note, Susan also handed me a cab fare.
She winked at me. “You’ll see darling. Now go.”
“Okay.” I gave her a look. She was being ridiculous. She was really getting weird.
Eighteen
I rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open as I stood in front of an expensive house in an exclusive subdivision I have never been into. I was holding the big box of cake and was careful in carrying it. I rang the doorbell again, they probably didn’t hear me, and I waited. Then the gates automatically opened and a maid let me in and led me towards where her employer wanted me to wait.
I was ushered in an outside garden. The leaves were changing color because of the change in the weather season. There was a three-foot figurine of a garden gnome on the side and a miniature waterfall. There was a table set and a mini party must be happening here, probably this was the reason why they ordered the cake.
“Amanda Sparks.” A familiar drawl said behind me. I remembered that voice.
I tried to check who the owner of the voice was, though it was not easy to turn around because of the cake in my arms.
“We’ve meet again.” She said. It was Sylvia Daly, the pastry chef and my first costumer. She was the one who ordered the cake?
“Hey Miss Sylvia. You’re the one who ordered the cake? You could make your own if you want.” I teased. Of course, it was better if she ordered from us, it meant more sales.
“I know. But I love the ones that you made.” She was smiling at me.
She loved the one that I made, that must be the reason why Susan personally wanted me to do the cake. Wow.
“Thank you.” I couldn’t help but smile back. Having someone aside from your family loved your pastries was like music to a pastry chef’s ears.
“And so did my associates.” She added.
“Huh?” I blinked at her. What did she mean by that?
“They do love your pastries, remember my take homes? They ate everything, up to the last crumb. And they wanted more.” She said. Wow. Really?
“I’m flattered to hear about that.” I couldn’t help but blush at her nice words to me.
“You can place that right there.” She gestured to the empty table in the middle of the garden. “So why don’t we wait until they arrive?”
“I have to go back to the bakery.” I told her.
“It’s okay, Susan agreed to excuse you for the whole day.” She gave me another kind smile.
Then suddenly a mixture of chattering boomed from the living room. It sounded like there was more than one person, sounded like a big group of associates.
“Oh, here they are.” She gave me a don’t-worry-they-won’t-eat-you smile.
Sylvia Daly’s associates were a group of five people, old and veteran when it came to the restaurant business. Sylvia also invited her head chefs from her different restaurants as well. It was a big crowd and they were overwhelming. They were at the top of their games for crying out loud and I was just a novice baker.
“I love this cake you made, young lady.” One of the associates said as he bit the cake from his fork.
“Yeah, they were perfectly made and the frosting was beautiful and delish.” One of the head chefs said in a thick Italian accent.
“I want something like this for my hotel restaurant.” Another associate added.
I was flooded with flattery and overwhelming words that made me blush up to the tip of my toenails. “Thanks.” The only word I could form from the coherent part of my brain.
Sylvia smiled at me once again. She looked very pleased and happy. “Amanda, we invited you for a reason. We wanted to nourish that talent you have in you. You will be a great pastry chef someday. You have it. All you need to do is to say yes and we will train you.” She told me and everyone kept quiet so they could listen to us.
“Really?” Wow. I couldn’t believe it, was this really happening to me?
“We were very impressed with your pastries and we believe you’re a natural. You didn’t attend a baking class, right?” Sylvia asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t.”
She gave me a lopsided smile and she looked quite young when she did that. “Let us train your talent and you’ll soar high.” She sounded like those advertisements on the TV.
“But I have work.”
“Quit your job. We will pay you to work in our restaurant. Name your salary.” Simple as that.
“Am I dreaming?” I blurted out.
She gave me a smile again, knowing that she would win. “You’re not. All you have to do is say yes and your dream will come true.”
And she did won, because I said yes.
~***~
“Tell me about your day.” Damon said as I got inside his limo. He instantly put his laptop aside the moment I took the seat next to him. Poor laptop, his attention was mine now.
I leaned forward to him and we kissed as if we haven’t seen each other in days. We only pulled away from each other the moment when we needed to take a breath of air.
“I’ll be studying and working in Sylvia Daly’s restaurant. She invited me earlier and offered it to me personally.” I said as I straightened back to my seat.
He draped an arm around my shoulder and tucked me at his side. “Did you say yes?” He murmured.
I looked at him as if he was being ridiculous. “Of course I said yes. Why shouldn’t I?” An opportunity like what Sylvia Daly offered was a once in lifetime shot and I couldn’t let it pass like that.
“Are you going to France?” His brows met in the middle of his forehead.
France? “What are you talking about?”
He shrugged. “It is part of their program. They send their students to train and work there after they were done with their courses here.”
“How did you know about that?”
He gave me a sad lopsided smile. “I’m a businessman. It is my job to know every business on the market.” Then he looked at me with sadness in those blue orbs of his. “Don’t leave me.” He pleaded. He was literally begging with his eyes and my heart was melting.
I reached up to cup his cheek in my palms. I needed to touch him, to reassure him. “I won’t leave you.” I murmured. I wouldn’t leave him. I couldn’t even last a whole day without hearing his voice, now that I finally let myself indulged into this frenzy that was caused by him.
He leaned into my hand and kissed the center of my palm. “Promise?” He said in that voice that melted every core of my body. He suddenly looked so vulnerable and I wanted to wrap my arms around to assure him.
I would never leave him.
He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I don’t know what I will do without you.” He murmured.
Throughout the remaining of the ride back to the apartment he kept me tucked into his body, as if he was afraid that I would run and leave.
We reached the apar
tment a couple of minutes later. My hand intertwined with Damon’s as we walked towards my front porch. The moment I inserted the key in the key hole his grip tightened. I spared him a glance and a dubious look but he kept his face emotionless, blank, and I knew this attitude very well. Behind the flat affect was the fact that he was hiding something, or afraid of something, and it piqued my curiosity to the highest degree further.
“What time do we have to be at the party?” I asked casually.
“Eight.” He replied.
His hold tightened, that at one point I thought he was breaking the bones in my fingers. I pushed open the door and the darkness welcomed me, looked like Aiden’s out tonight. I flipped on the switch and my eyes widened, they were bulging out of the sockets.
This was…absurd.
What was he thinking?
Now I got why he suddenly looked like that. He was afraid of what my reaction would be towards what he has done to my apartment.
Of course, I was pissed.
Damon splurging his money for me has gone outrage. It was like a freaking department store in here. Racks, and when I said racks, what I meant was ten racks, of clothes taking up the small space of my living room. Every article of clothing of different variety, from cocktail dresses to ball gowns, it was all in here. On the far side of the house just near the kitchen were boxes and boxes of shoes and purses. My jaw dropped as I took inventory of everything inside my tiny apartment now turned into a freaking warehouse.
“Have you bought the entire boutique of Neiman Marcus?” I squeaked in pure astonishment and irritation.
He palmed his nape and looked at me. “I don’t know which one you will like to wear to the party. And besides, you can use them to the parties you will be attending in the future.” He sounded like he was not sure about his reason.
“I told you not to splurge anything on me.” I sounded irritated, and boy, I was irritated right. He was way too much over this one.
“I already did.” He sauntered in small steps, as if he was in an encounter with a wild rabid animal. He wrapped me in his arms and made me look in his eyes with his fingers tipping my face up. “I wanted to give you everything Amanda. I am going to give you the world if I can.” Every time we fought, he always found the words to butter me up.
Unlikely To Fall In Love Page 17
