Wrong Number

by Laura Brown

  He got off the bed, taking care of them as though I had handed him a tray of freshly prepped cupcakes. When Jake cared, he cared with all his heart. Somehow, I had managed to get into that small bubble without truly realizing it. The notion stung and soothed at the same time. I pushed the sting away. That was for the future, not now.

  “How’s your hand?” I asked once he finished.

  He made a fist and then stretched his fingers. Words followed, but I couldn’t catch them.

  “What?”

  He came closer to the bed. “A little sore. I’ll be fine.”

  I rolled to my side. “Come here.”

  He sidled up next to me and I took his hand, bringing it to my lips.

  “Better?”

  His eyes heated. “Depends on where else you need to kiss.”

  I laughed even as a sleepy warmth took over my body and let him go. “I’m too damn tired. Maybe sleep will claim me without a fight?”

  He shifted closer. “Need a back rub? Or anything else rubbed?”

  I laughed and my eyes teared. “Sleep. I need sleep.”

  Jake nodded. “Okay then.”

  He hopped up and pulled back the covers. I still had my work clothes on, so I removed them and climbed into his bed wearing only my panties. Jake stripped as well and curled up behind me. His breath tickled my ear, but our legs and hands were entwined, and I couldn’t think of anywhere else I wanted to be. Heat and comfort came from our intimate position, so close to doing more, and yet so perfect as is.

  Sure, sex was great, especially with him, but we could do that tomorrow, or the day after that. A sense of permanence settled in, and I drifted to sleep before I managed to find anything wrong with that notion.

  *

  The next few days were much of the same. Many of the bakers had willingly taken extra work and even though we were all stretched thin, the atmosphere remained light and friendly, more so than when Patrick had been around. Talented or not, and regardless of timing, firing him was the right thing.

  I slept better. Super busy days left little time for my mind to wander. Plus, falling asleep quickly meant I had some extra energy when I woke up before my alarm. Energy I gladly used on Jake.

  The thought of this morning, when I woke him up with my tongue, put a huge smile on my face. My body tightened, but I’d get that out tonight, or tomorrow depending on my energy. He did say he had to repay the favor, even though I told him the three orgasms were payment enough.

  I loaded my tray and headed out front, where Jake waited on some customers. Temptation begged me to rub against him as I went, or caress his ass, but I kept my distance and behaved.

  “Are those new?” a young boy asked as I unloaded.

  I nodded. “Dark chocolate and peanut butter. You don’t have a peanut allergy, do you?”

  The boy shook his head, eyes going wide. He tugged on his mother’s jacket. “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, I want that one.”

  The mother followed his pointer finger, clearly lost, so I pulled one from the back and held it up, telling her the flavor. She placed her hands on her hips. “We’re meeting friends for lunch.”

  The boy bounced. “After lunch. We can get one for Isaac. Please!”

  I worried that I had caused problems, but the mother slowly smiled. “Okay, we’ll get them.”

  The boy yelled and bounced around.

  The mother met my eyes. “Got anything with a kick to help me handle two four-year-olds?”

  I swallowed my laugh. “Not that kind of kick, but I have a cupcake called chocolate seduction.”

  I pointed to the overloaded chocolate catastrophe that might be a bit much but certainly hit the spot.

  “I’ll take two of those as well.”

  As mother and son left, Jake placed an arm around me. “Another happy customer, all thanks to your cupcakes.”

  “They got breads as well.”

  He pressed a quick kiss to my temple. “But that boy swayed his mother so easily because of your work.”

  I laughed, patting his backside with my tray, as I made my way to my station. When I got there, I found Hannah waiting.

  “Your phone rang three times. I wasn’t sure if I needed to answer it or not.”

  I picked up my cell and saw my father had called. My heart leaped into my throat and my pulse stuttered. No message. No text, just three missed calls. Not even thinking, with my hands shaking, I clicked to call him back, heading into the front where it was quieter.

  The phone rang twice before a lot of background noise greeted me. I pressed the phone hard against my ear in some messed-up attempt to hear better. “Dad? What’s wrong?”

  “Avery… I almost called… but wasn’t sure…”

  Crap. I couldn’t make his words out. My eyes stung, his voice had been shaking, that couldn’t have been the connection, could it?

  Before I could think of my next move, the phone was removed from my hands and Jake pulled me into his side.

  “Mr. Bloom?” he said into my phone. “It’s Jake Ruben. Avery wasn’t able to hear you.”

  My phone was loud, because I needed it loud, so Jake held it a bit out. I heard those same background noises and a bit of my father’s voice, but I couldn’t make anything out. I watched Jake’s face, and when his eyebrows lowered, my body wanted to crumble. He moved away, grabbing some paper and quickly wrote something down. “Okay. I got it. I’ll let Avery know. Keep us updated.”

  Then he hung up.

  I wrung my hands together, more nervous than I could ever remember being. Jake came back to me, grasping my shoulders. “Your mom is heading to the hospital.”

  All the blood drained from my head. A tear broke free. “W-what happened?”

  “She has chest and shoulder pain.”

  Oh no. My knees gave out and Jake held me close.

  “A heart attack?” I whispered, my face meshed against his chest.

  “They don’t know. That’s why she’s going to the hospital.” He tipped my head up to him, wiped my eyes. “Go.”

  I yanked back. “But…” I couldn’t leave, not when the bakery was so understaffed. I also couldn’t not be at my mother’s side. I needed to be two places at once and that made me a horrible daughter.

  A different voice spoke. “Go.”

  I turned to find Hannah had followed me. She stepped forward and drew me into a hug, her embrace comforting even as my entire world fell apart. “We’ll find a way to manage. Family comes first. A few less baked goods is nothing to worry about. A family member in the hospital is.”

  I burst into tears and Hannah transferred me to Jake. They exchanged some words, not that I could make anything out. I couldn’t get my head on straight. My mother was on the way to the hospital. I was three hours away. Here I had been daydreaming about Jake and the fun we’d have later on. Meanwhile, my mother could be dying.

  I choked on a sob and cried harder.

  I really was an awful daughter.

  Jake rubbed my back. I pulled myself together and wiped my tears; crying didn’t help anyone. I probably had mascara streaks and flat hair, but I didn’t care. Jake looked at me so intently, dark eyes searching mine.

  “Are you going to be okay? Do you need me to drive you?”

  I sniffled and shook my head.

  “No, you’re needed here.” My hands shook as my thoughts started to come together. “I need to get my stuff, for a few days at least, until I know what’s going on. If…” My voice caught. “If…”

  Jake rubbed my shoulders. “No if. You go. Head home. Your family needs you.”

  Our eyes connected and what felt like a million words traveled between us. Home. He told me to head home. As in my home wasn’t here. I had to go, and we didn’t know how long I’d be gone or what would happen. I had the recipe.

  Jake was letting me go.

  I lifted on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his. I poured my emotions into him, hoping he could make sense of the messed-up jumble in my head and my heart, because
I sure as hell couldn’t. Then I pulled back. My cheeks were wet, and his eyes were glossy. I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, tasting the last remnants of Jake.

  My heart tore. For my mother. For him. For me. But I had to go. I turned and collected my belongings in the back, before sliding into my car. I gripped the wheel. My knuckles turned white as I focused on my breathing.

  Maybe I should have asked him for his help?

  No, I had to do this on my own. I went to my apartment, threw things into a bag without thinking, and got back into my car. Ready to begin my journey home.

  Home. Funny word. Where exactly was home?

  Right now, I knew where I was going. Not home. To my mother.

  At a stoplight I looked at the sky. “Please God, let her be okay. I’m not ready to lose her nagging, not yet.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Jake

  Avery was gone. My good leg bounced and my fingers tapped my thigh as I stared at the empty storefront. Sitting here fucking sucked. The afternoon lull had arrived. I sat, mind on Avery, wanting to check on her, but she didn’t need any distractions while driving. She certainly didn’t need to think it was her father calling with an update.

  Fuck. I ran a hand over my hair. I hadn’t met her mother but had gotten a glimpse of her personality from everything Avery had said. I didn’t want anything to happen to her. I wanted to meet her someday, alive and healthy.

  The what ifs started racing through my head, including what Avery might be greeted with when she arrived. I had half a mind to call the hospital for an update, even had the damn number up on my phone, before I remembered who I was: no one. Just a guy dating the daughter of a woman in the emergency room. No HIPAA policy in the world would allow them to tell me a damn thing.

  Hannah brought a loaded tray out from the kitchen and I grabbed it to help her. Because I had to do something. “How’s it going back there?”

  She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “Busy. Beyond busy. Tornado busy. It was one thing to lose Patrick because he had a light load, but Avery was doing a bit of everything. It’s like losing Mom two point oh. No one blames her. They’re all willing to help, but we’re down three people.”

  She leaned against the wall as I restocked.

  “I hate to say this, but—”

  “No. We’re not calling Mom. We’ll manage. Some way. Do you know anyone who can deliver large coffees?”

  I checked the time. “Carter.”

  “Your friend or not, if he brings me a large, I’ll kiss him full on the mouth.”

  I didn’t bother responding. With all the shit going down, if Carter bailed us out, even with coffee, he deserved the kiss.

  After I sent the text, I resumed tapping my foot. I felt useless, just sitting here while Hannah juggled everything in the kitchen and Avery ran to her mother. I needed to be exactly where I sat. Didn’t change the hollow feeling in my gut. I’d never felt this helpless before.

  No, that wasn’t true. I had. After the fire. When I couldn’t move, lived in pain and watched my mother and sister deal with the aftermath without me. I had vowed to never feel that way again and look at what life had handed me. Another shitstorm with no easy answer.

  My resolve thickened. More reason not to call Mom. If we did, she’d never go away again. No, we had to make it work. After everything she did for us, it was the least we could do.

  The door opened and I readied myself to appear as though the world wasn’t falling apart. Until I caught the man still standing as far away as possible.

  “I didn’t know you’d be working,” Dad said.

  I held out my hands. “If you didn’t want to see me, you could have called.”

  Dad rubbed his hands on his jeans. “No, not that. I always want to see you. I never seem to say the right things.”

  I nodded, not knowing what to say. “Well, Mom’s on vacation and Hannah’s busy, so you’ll have to come back another time.”

  A small smile came over him. “So Nell finally took a vacation?”

  “Yeah, with her new boyfriend.” I might have said that last word as a jab, but point for Dad. He didn’t even flinch.

  “Good. She deserves it.”

  Before I could process that the door opened again. I glanced at it, grateful for the interruption, and wasn’t disappointed.

  “How much will your sister love me for being right around the corner when you messaged me?” Carter asked.

  I squirmed. “Too much.”

  I got off my stool and hobbled to the door. I didn’t want to limp, not around Dad, but the day had taken its toll on me. I called for Hannah and she came running in.

  “My hero!” She grabbed Carter’s neck and planted a smacking kiss on his lips before collecting her coffee. She froze in the process of lifting the cup when she noticed the elephant in the room.

  “Dad?” She stepped around Carter.

  Dad had his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”

  “She doesn’t. She’s grateful for coffee.” Carter ruffled her hair. “Now go be a good little baker.”

  “You mean an overworked baker. I’ll kiss you again if you bring another tomorrow.”

  Carter grinned.

  “Guess I know what I’m doing this week.” He caught my eyes. “Need anything else?”

  I needed a fucking lifeline, but that wasn’t Carter’s job. “Nah, we’re good for now. Just keep Hannah caffeinated.”

  “Can do.” He eyed Dad one more time, before leaving Hannah and me alone with our dad.

  “Overworked?” Dad took a step away from the door. “Because your mother is on vacation?”

  Hannah put one hand on her hip, her eyes steel. “What do you care?”

  Something crossed his face. If he had stayed, I’d probably know what it meant. But since he left, I didn’t. I didn’t know him.

  “I care. That’s why I sent Nell as much money as I could.”

  Hannah and I exchanged a look.

  She sipped her coffee and checked the time. “Okay. You’ve got two minutes. Talk.”

  Dad shuffled his feet. “I couldn’t find a new job when I moved. Not right away, at least. So I took whatever I could get. And the more time that went by, the more removed I became from my career and the more out of date. But I worked hard, long hours, awful conditions, knowing I needed to do something to make it up to my kids.”

  “Why now?” I asked, echoing Hannah’s question from last time.

  “I was offered a transfer. I had hoped I could come back as more than a factory supervisor, but that’s what I am. I’m no baker or hairdresser or anything important. Just a man who messed up and lost everything.”

  “Damn, that was honest,” Hannah mumbled. She checked the clock. “Okay, I don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to get back.” She headed for the kitchen door. “Thanks for telling us.”

  She slipped away and silence stretched out once again.

  “What’s really going on?” Dad asked.

  I scoffed. “What can you do about it?”

  “I worked side by side with your mother when this place first opened. I know most of her recipes, helped create some of them.”

  I studied his face and searched my memory bank for Dad baking. Most of my memories were of Mom, baking here and at home, but one pre-fire memory came to mind. Mom working overtime for Thanksgiving. Dad baking pies and specialty desserts for our celebration at home.

  They had tasted good too. Not as good as Mom’s but good.

  “You made me feel like a failure when I couldn’t walk, like no one would accept me and my ugly scars.”

  It had to be said. I wasn’t expecting it to come out now.

  “I hated myself for doing that to you. I don’t know how else to express myself. Your mom found a way, but I never learned. I’m sorry, son.”

  It wasn’t perfect. Didn’t erase any of the pain or make me see him differently. But it was an answer.

  “We had to fire a baker an
d Avery had to leave for a family emergency.” The last part was hard to get out. I had no claim on her and yet I wanted to be part of her family.

  “And Hannah’s going to pull the weight?” Dad asked.

  I tapped my nose. “What’s worse is Avery was already doing that.”

  A sad smile came over Dad. “So that’s why your mom said she was an honorary Ruben until you figured things out.”

  My gaze shifted to the floor and rubbed my foot over the line between two tiles, Wrong Number’s texts floating to mind. The look of finality she gave me as she left. “Something like that.”

  Dad gestured to the kitchen. “Can I head back, talk to Hannah?”

  “Why?”

  “If I can do something to help my family, anything, even get coffee or run errands, I will.”

  I raised my chin at him, waiting for something to break or let us down. Then I realized even if he did, it was no worse than losing Patrick and Avery. And it would let us know once and for all what to think of the man. I nodded toward the kitchen.

  “Go ahead. But if Hannah says to get the hell out, you get the hell out.” I almost added, you’re good at that, but kept my trap shut.

  “Thanks…son.”

  Dad headed to the back and I wondered what the next punch this messed-up twilight zone would throw at me.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Avery

  I drove faster than I had any right to drive, speeding down the Mass Pike, cursing any traffic or slow pokes I encountered. I turned the radio on, then off, then on again but wasn’t able to get out of my head. My thoughts were split between Mom, the bakery, and Jake.

  I tried calling my father, but either he didn’t answer or I couldn’t get reception. I drove faster, pushing the pedal down, gripping the steering wheel, and praying no cops were around.

  It was dark by the time I made it to the state line, crossing back to my home state. Nothing big marked the area, just a “Welcome to New York” sign. A moment that never carried that much significance, the differences between each state more subtle than anything else. Sometimes you noticed a change in the condition of the roads, that was about it.