Beth and I discuss the terms of her new contract. I have a draft to show her but it can always be altered. I know the work and hours that go into managing the bakery, and it’s no easy feat, but she seems extremely excited for the opportunity. I’ve raised her salary significantly and her eyes bugged when she saw it. The responsibility that comes with managing is greater, but I know she’ll do just fine. She already does it in the afternoons when I leave and she closes up. I have no doubt in my mind that she’s the perfect person for this job.
Beth suggests Lacy to help her in the early mornings with the baking. “She’s really good in the kitchen and I think she’d be willing to come in earlier and leave by early afternoon. I also know her schedule is more flexible.”
“That’s perfect. Thanks.” We agree on that, and I will talk to Lacy tomorrow. I’ll be meeting with my staff to tell them about the changes happening and I will also introduce Beth as the manager. I’ll take that opportunity to discuss new schedules, if necessary.
After we finish looking over the contract and sorting through different details, we pop open the bottle of champagne and toast. We spend the rest of the evening packing things I have around the house; picture frames, lamps, small keepsakes, and battling my kitchen. After most pots and pans are put in boxes, my plates carefully wrapped and packed, and my utensils put away, we call it a night.
At this moment I am grateful I have never hoarded things because packing is a true bitch. I look around my house and feel nostalgia fall over me. My coffee table is empty and the shelves that hang on my wall as well. Pictures frames of my childhood and later years already wrapped up and ready to start over in a new place where I’ll create memories to add to those. My walls in the living area are bare, the marks where frames and wall art hung are a different shade from the rest of the paint, a subtleness that reminds me that there once was a part of me there.
I grab my phone and send a text.
Me: Started packing tonight…Beth helped. Can’t wait to see u soon. xo
My room remained untouched, but I know I’ll dive into it tomorrow. I need to just pack up and not procrastinate. I set my phone on my bedside table and go into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I’ll be going into the bakery early in the morning. When I lay in bed, I see a text from Parker.
Parker: love u babe. I know this is a change…I’m here for u
I smile at his understanding and close my eyes, imagining his arms wrapped around me.
I stir in bed and groan when my alarm clock goes off. It’s been a few days since I’ve been up this early and my body is already not used to it. Getting up, I waddle to the kitchen to make a strong cup of coffee. While the coffee brews, I groggily go over the conversation I’ll be having with my staff this morning. I’m happy I’ll be baking for a few hours before I need to do that. It always relaxes me and helps me focus on what I need to do. Baking brings clarity and I can see things from different perspectives when I need to think.
I get dressed while I drink my coffee, throwing on a pair of jeans and a sweater. The weather is cold, especially this early in the morning. I put on my boots before heading out and mentally prepare today’s menu.
Lost in the world of flour and sugar, I imagine my life in Atlanta. I want to look at locations for a new bakery once I’m settled. I’m ready to expand, and I know it will be an amazing experience for me to have a place in a bigger city, but I also want to keep the charm of Sweet Delights.
“Hey!” Beth walks into the bakery an hour after me and puts on her apron. “Ready to talk to the guys today?”
“I am.” I smile at her and continue mixing the ingredients for the muffins. We fall into our rhythm, each one of us working around the other to finish the pastries we’re serving today. Once my employees get here, we gather for our daily meeting and I tell them what’s on the menu. Most of the time it’s the same things, but there are always some additions to it. After we discuss that, I jump right in.
“I also need to talk to y’all about some changes that will be occurring very soon.” I look at their faces, taking in their expressions. “I will be moving to Atlanta by the end of this week. It was a spur of the moment decision, but one I needed to make for myself. Parker got an amazing opportunity and I’m going with him. I’m sad to leave and I’ll miss you all very much, but the heart wants what it wants, right?” I chuckle nervously.
“I’m keeping the bakery and Beth will manage it. Whatever you need, I’m confident that she will guide you in the right direction. I’ll visit as often as possible. I want to thank you all for being so amazing to work with. You know that you’re more than employees, you’ve become a second family and that means a lot to me.”
“We think this is great for you. We notice how happy Parker makes you and it would suck to lose that over something that can be worked through. We’ll miss you, but this is something you need to do and we understand that,” Lacy says, speaking for all of them. I hug them all and tell them to get to work before I start crying.
“Lacy,” I call out.
“Yeah?” She turns and walks towards me.
“I was wondering if you’d like to switch your schedule and come in the mornings to help Beth with the baking and food prep. You would come in at six a.m. and leave a little earlier.”
“That would be so cool! I would love to be in the kitchen.”
“Awesome! Thanks!” I tell her to come in tomorrow morning to begin training and we get back to work.
My phone rings with the familiar words from Miranda Lambert’s song, and I answer breathlessly. “Hello?”
“How dare you!”
“Ummm…”
“You’re moving to Atlanta and weren’t going to tell me?”
I chuckle and try to calm Emily down. “Em, hold on…”
“No! I feel betrayed.”
“You’re overreacting.” My phone beeps with an incoming call. “Hold that thought, don’t hang up.”
I switch the call over. “You!”
“Uhhh….” Parker’s voice is guilty in understanding.
“You told Em!”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling. I take it she beat me to it. I just ran into her and she mentioned something about me looking chipper. It kinda slipped. I can’t hide my excitement.”
“She is sooo pissed. I have her on the other line. I wanted to tell her in person.”
“I know. Sorry.”
“Ugh, I’ll deal with her. So you’re that excited about me moving?”
“Oh, yeah. I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”
“Well, Em might not let that happen. I’ll call you back, let me switch back over to her.”
“Good luck,” he says and hangs up.
I switch the call back to her and prepare for her. “Listen Em, I know I didn’t tell you. I wanted to tell you in person. I was driving home Sunday and my body just turned the car around. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but that I needed to do it.”
Emily sighs on the other side of the call. “I’m still mad at you.”
“I know,” I cringe. I don’t blame her. If I found out about her moving to Atlanta through someone else I would have been heartbroken, but this is different because I’m moving to where she is. “But I’ll be so much closer to you!” I try to smooth this out.
“You will! Where are you going to live?”
We get lost in our conversation for a long time while I continue to pack up my house. I tell her I’ll need her help finding an apartment and that perks her up. We make plans for the weekend, and she offers some suggestions about different neighborhoods. She is ecstatic about the idea of my opening a second bakery. I think that gives her a sense of security; that I won’t be leaving Atlanta any time soon. I don’t plan to as long as Parker is there.
These last three days passed by swiftly. Saying bye to my grandmother was the hardest, and I broke down in front of her. She patted my back and encouraged me to follow my heart, which was a straight arrow to where Parker is.
>
The drive to Georgia has felt surreal. The last time I made this drive I was going to visit my boyfriend, my heart was sad at the reality of our relationship, but determined to make it work, or at least I told myself that. Now this trip is a life changing one, a new beginning in my life.
The miles could not have passed by any slower. The same way the last few days flew, this drive was eternal. My destination is a hot Georgia man with the body of a baseball player and the authority of a coach. Can’t wait!
When I finally pull into a parking spot in Parker’s apartment complex, my stomach turns with nerves for the future. Excited, I jump out of my jeep and see him coming towards me before I even turn the corner towards his building. I break into a wide smile and run towards him. He picks me up and kisses me hard, his tongue greeting me passionately.
“You’re here,” he says almost in disbelief.
“I’m here.” I kiss him again and inhale his fresh scent. I missed him.
We unpack my car and carry everything into his apartment. “I’ve taken over,” I kid and Parker hugs me from behind.
“That’s fine by me.” I wrap my arms over his and lean back into his body. “I made some space in the closet for your clothes. Just for now until you find a place. You won’t have to live out of boxes.”
“Thanks.” I turn to look at him, my head cocked to the side, a warm smile on my lips.
“Anything for you. My parents are really excited you’re here, too. It may have slipped when I spoke to my mom a few days ago.” I shake my head and laugh. He really couldn’t keep this to himself. “They think we should go over and spend a day there with them now that we’re so close.
“That would be great. We can go before you leave to spring training.”
“Yeah…about that. I know it will be difficult, but–”
I kiss him, shutting him up, and tangle my hands around his neck. “Later.” I kiss him again, reaching up on the tip of my toes, getting better access to his mouth. Parker’s arms lift me up and my legs wrap around him. He walks us to the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and prepares to have his way with me.
“This place is great,” I tell Emily.
“I thought you might like it.” Emily, Parker and I came to look at apartments. It shouldn’t surprise me that Emily had a few appointments lined up for when I arrived. She didn’t even give me a full day in Atlanta before dragging me out to look at places. Of course, this bummed Parker out. He was hoping to have me at his place longer.
“It’s in Atlanta, but you’re not in the craziness of the city. I know you like the calmness from the smaller city, so this is the best of both worlds. You’re close enough to Parker and I’m a short drive away as well.”
She has thought it all out. The apartment is beautiful. It’s definitely smaller than my house, but that’s okay. It is also more modern, but has its own charm. The fireplace in the living room has the new world quirk that matches the rest of the space. The one thing that draws my attention is the kitchen with its openness to the rest of the living space and updated appliances. The granite countertops are a dream and match flawlessly with the rest of the home.
“Do you like it?” I whisper to Parker. His smile reassures me. I know he hoped for us to live together, but we also need to grow as individuals and get accustomed to our new city, even if Parker had already lived here once.
“I do, but the one who has to love it is you.” I bite my lip and smile. He laughs and says, “Baby, if this is what you want, I’m happy. I want you to love your new home enough to never want to leave, unless you’re moving in with me.”
I told the realtor I had one more place to see before the day ended, but I was really interested. I didn’t want to cross out my options, but I also didn’t want to lose this place. After checking out the last apartment of many, I was exhausted but sure that the apartment I loved is the one for me.
I make an appointment to meet with the realtor and owners on Monday to review the lease and fill out the application form. The apartment will be available for the first of February so it works out perfectly. That still gives me time to spend with Parker in his place and to get settled in before he leaves at the end of February. Looking for a location for the bakery isn’t as much of a rush. I want to make sure I’m comfortable here before diving into that.
“Where are we going?” Parker has been driving for twenty minutes north of Atlanta and I have no idea where we are or how to get back home if I needed to.
He smiles at me with a quick glance. “Geocaching.”
“Huh? Geo what? Are we going to explore rocks or something?”
Parker laughs. “Geocaching. You’ll love it. It’s like a treasure hunt. You input the coordinates of where you want to start in the app and it guides you. You look for the caches and sign the log. People leave trinkets in there, so you can swap, grabbing one and leaving one of your own. I packed some for us to trade.”
I look at him confused and laugh. “Okay.”
“Trust me. It will be fun.”
“I’m up for anything new. Is it outside then?”
“Yeah. We’ll go to a state park up by Alpharetta. I know it’s kinda cold, but it isn’t terrible.”
“That’s fine by me.” I have no idea what Geocaching is or what it will look like, but the idea of some type of scavenger hunt in the forest with Parker is enticing.
“I think I found one!” I point to an army green box with some stickers on it.
“Yup. Good job.” Parker kisses me before squatting down to open the box. We’ve been at this for almost an hour and I have to admit that it is a lot of fun. There are boxes and other shapes of caches hidden throughout for us to find. We’ve run into other people on the same mission as us and greeted them as we have continued to move, following the GPS on the Geocaching app. The things people come up with for recreational fun.
Parker opens the box and finds different items in it. He scoops out the small notebook and signs his name before handing it to me. I sign mine and look through the things stored in there. I pick up a toy baseball player and admire it. “Trading,” I announce and put in the cupcake keychain Parker had gotten for us as a tradable item.
“Good choice.” He kisses my temple and we continue with our hands laced together.
I have to admit that this has been a really cool experience. I had no idea this existed and I am actually excited to do it again. Despite the wet ground and cool wind, it wasn’t uncomfortable to be outdoors and I’m happy we have found something else to do out in nature regardless of the season.
After exhausting ourselves in the treasure hunt, we head to the center of Alpharetta and grab an early dinner at a brewery.
“Today was fun. Thanks!”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Even if you were skeptical at first.”
“Confused, not skeptical.” I smile at him and intertwine our fingers together.
“Hmm…Well, we’ll do it again.”
“Yes!” I take a sip of my beer and my back rests comfortably into the chair.
“I’m meeting the realtor tomorrow to fill out the application for the apartment at eleven a.m.”
“That’s awesome! Come by the field after you’re done if you want. We can have lunch.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I do get a lunch break,” he chuckles. I have no idea how his schedule works and I know he is still not sure until he gets out there and starts working.
“I’ll call you when I’m done. At least you get me for another two weeks.”
“And I plan on making it very worth your while before you move into your own place.”
Parker and I had spent the last few weeks when we were in Alabama, either him sleeping over at my house or me in his apartment. It will be kind of weird to have my own place in Atlanta, but I think it is necessary.
“I can’t wait,” I wink at him and drink my beer.
The sun has fully set by the time we reach Parker’s apartment and I am looking forward t
o a hot shower. I walk in and begin to strip before I make it to Parker’s room. My shirt comes over my head and drops on the floor carelessly, my skin prickling from the cold outside and the warmth of the apartment. I reach behind my back to my bra and unhook it, throwing it backwards. Parker groans and I smile. Silence surrounds us as I shimmy out of my pants, leaving my underwear on.
As I pull the elastic band off from my ponytail, I run my hands through my hair and massage my scalp. “Hmmm…” I tantalize Parker, who is still somewhere behind me. When I peek over my shoulder, his smoldering eyes have lost their blue hue and are dark with desire. I lick my bottom lip and smile, winking at him.
His steps take a deliberate stride and I giggle and walk into the bedroom, picking up my speed as my heart accelerates in my chest. I lose my underwear and jump in the shower with the warm stream coming down on me. I don’t need to wait long before Parker has pulled open the shower door and walks in, fully naked and tempting.
Still no words have been spoken and I don’t think they will be for some time. I run my wet hand down Parker’s stomach, following the indentations of muscle and wetting his skin. Before I reach his growing erection, he pushes me against the wall, his hands around my wrists and tongue invading my mouth. I moan into the kiss, hyperaware of his skin on mine, and feel his cock harden between us. I push into him, arching my back from the wall, and try to free my hands. Parker releases them and brings his own hands around my back, pulling me towards him.
I snake my hands up to his neck and wrap them around him, playing with the loose ends of hair dripping with water. His tongue flicks over mine, causing me to moan and my core to clench. I wrap my leg around his, wanting to get even closer. He pushes into me, his erection pressed against my belly, the base of his cock slightly rubbing against my clit. I raise my leg higher around him, opening up my pussy, wanting to feel that sensation amplified.
Sweet on Wilde Page 24
