Frosted Sweets (A Taste of Love Series Book 1)

by A. M. Willard

  A quick switch of my music, and I start getting the pans down and gather all the ingredients I need. I already know I’ll be here late, so I pop my head out front to let Jaime know that if she needs me to holler. That’s when I notice Amy ordering a few items and step out front.

  “Hey Amy, how are you today?”

  “I’m good. I’m glad to see our favorite baker is better.”

  “Yes, I am. Sorry for the drama the other night.”

  “No worries. I hate to say I enjoyed my evening at your expense, but I did.”

  “Is Jayden with you?”

  “No, he’s back at the office. He sent me with his order,” she says as she looks at the box in front of her.

  “Hold on, will you give this to him, please?” I hand her one of the snowflake cupcakes that have been on the menu ever since Jayden and I made them that first night.

  “Sure, thanks. See ya later,” Amy says as she waves goodbye.

  I brush off the fact that Jayden didn’t join her, but then again, he does have work to do. I just wish I’d heard from him by now. The way things ended yesterday, I’m a little worried he might brush me off as a lost cause. I made my peace with Simon today, and I pray that I never have to deal with him again. If I stopped to think about him and everything he’s said, I’d know that I’m not through with him. When Simon wants something, he will go to great lengths to capture it. I just might be the one on the other end of that pole, as he tried to sink the hook in and drag me to shore. Lucky for me, I know how to swim and refuse to be caught by him again. I was lucky enough to be thrown back to sea, and now I have my sights on new bait.

  Jayden doesn’t even know that he hooked me, but I can’t wait for him to reel me in. I want what I daydreamed about yesterday. I want the lazy Sundays with me curled into his side. I want what he makes me feel. That’s the surprising thing about this. I don’t think he even knows he does this to me. I’ve been a mess every time he’s been around me, well, except for the night we baked together. That night we made the frosted cupcakes, and ever since that night everyone else has been outside my bubble.

  A part of me wants to pick up the phone and beg him to come here and just watch me today. Then the other part of me says to make him work for it.

  This is everything that’s going through my head as I try to focus on the task at hand. The day goes by so fast as I lose myself in here, that I don’t even realize I haven’t seen Zara. I wipe my hands and go out front to search for her.

  That’s when I notice she’s at the back table talking with Hatcher. I start to walk over and Jaime grabs my shoulder. “I’d give them a little space,” she says and walks off.

  I go back to the counter and look over the glass showcases full of my goodies. I lean down to count my stock and figure out what I need to restock later.

  “Hey, pretty baker. Whatcha doing down there?” I hear and slowly come up with a smile the size of Texas.

  “Counting. What are you doing?”

  “Well there was a special delivery today that consisted of one magical cupcake, and I couldn’t have just one. I had to stop by to see if someone has any more of them.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me, which only makes me laugh.

  “I do, come on.” I wave him around to follow me to the kitchen.

  “Wow, you’ve been busy today,” he says as he examines the space. This causes me to be a little embarrassed as I take in the mess that I have.

  I shrug it off. “It’s that time of year. I’m usually slammed around the holidays.” I hand him a cupcake from the racks. He doesn’t wait to answer or say a word as he starts to unfold the paper around the cake section and takes a huge bite.

  “I think this gets better and better with each bite.”

  “Have a seat,” I say as I shake my head at him and point him to the stool he occupied before. I slide over a cooled cake and start to slice the top section from it, then look up at him watching me. “How was your day?”

  “Busy, you?”

  I glance around the kitchen and then back to him with a look that says, Really, do you not see the mess I’ve created? “So, I’d like to talk about yesterday, well … I mean, if you have time,” I say as I start to spread the whipped frosting over the bottom section of the cake.

  “Look, Morgan, I get it. You guys have history and it’s hard to let someone like you go. You don’t have to explain anything to me. I just wanted to come by and say we can be friends. And I needed another cupcake.” He stands and wipes his hands against each other to knock off the crumbs.

  I’m standing there with wide eyes trying to figure out why I can’t respond. Am I in shock that he can just throw away those moments we’ve shared? Yes, that has to be it.

  “Morgan,” Zara yells from the door, “I’ve called an emergency girls’ meeting tonight. We leave in five.”

  “Thanks for the cupcake. I’ll see you around,” Jayden says as he leaves through the same door Zara just left from.

  One, Zara never calls for emergency meetings.

  Two, did Jayden just dump me before we could even start something?

  Three, I look down at the half-finished cake and move to put it up until I can come back and work on it later.

  “WHAT’S THIS GREAT BIG emergency?” Frankie asks as she slides into the booth at Sushi Zen.

  “I’ll wait until Natasha gets here.” Zara sips her water and I can feel the tension radiating from her body.

  “What’s new with you and that handsome man, Morgan?”

  “I think he dumped me today … But we’ll talk about that after we figure out what’s going on with cranky pants over here.” I point in Zara’s direction and get knocked back by the death glare she has aimed at me.

  Frankie and I exchange a look and then at the same time glance around the half-empty restaurant as we wait for Natasha to arrive. Just as I go to say something, I laugh as she comes barreling through the place in a huff and plops down, briefcase and all. This is maybe the second time I have ever seen her so flustered and out of breath. Mental note to approach this after we deal with Zara.

  “Zara, I hope you know I love you because I was dealing with getting my car back. Morgan, I might need you to accompany me when we leave here. This mechanic has a death wish,” Natasha says as she gets comfortable and signals for the waiter.

  “Sure, I only have about a dozen more orders to complete tonight, but I’ll help.”

  Frankie pipes up and looks at Zara. “Okay, spill it. What the hell is going on?”

  I watch Zara fidget in her seat as she plays with the butter knife, flipping it over and over as she’s trying to figure out a way to start her conversation. With a loud sigh, she begins. “You all know that Hatcher and I have been seeing each other. The thing is, it just didn’t start recently. It’s been going on behind all your backs for at least a year.” She stops and holds up her hand to stop us from saying anything. “It wasn’t until the last few months that things heated up between us, and I mean he turned the oven on so hot that I thought I would melt. The day Morgan caught us was the first day I told him I loved him back.” Zara stops for a moment and takes a gulp of water and sets it back down. That’s when I notice her hands shaking.

  “Zara, are you okay? What’s going on? Did you guys break up?” I ask as I place my hand on top of hers for comfort.

  “No, it’s nothing like that. I missed my period and went to the doctor. See, we are always safe, but that day in the bakery we weren’t. Apparently it only takes once and guess who got knocked up?” She points to her chest.

  “Oh … My … God …” Frankie says, making us all whip our heads around to her. “Our Zara hasn’t only been naughty, but she just got rooted.”

  “Zara, this is great. I take it Hatcher knows?” I ask while Natasha sits back and examines the situation. She’s kicked in the whole lawyer mode now. I can see that little twitch in the corner of her eye.

  “He does, and he’s more than excited. He’s already asked me to marry him before and I
have refused. Hatcher started in again today at the bakery, but I told him no. Just because his sperm decided to take a left turn and throw a party doesn’t mean I have to slide that stupid ring on my finger. I refuse to do that.”

  “First off,” I say, “it’s not a stupid ring when it comes from someone who loves you for you. Plus you’re starting a family. Don’t you want the whole package?”

  Frankie cuts in, “You’re mad at him, aren’t you? That’s why you look like someone just killed your dog.”

  “Mad?” I rebut against Frankie. “Why would she be upset? It’s not like she’s a child and it was a one night stand.”

  “Look, guys, I don’t know what I am, okay. I’m not ready for any of this. Hell, I work for Morgan and my life is so upside down. What am I going to do with a kid? I don’t even like them.”

  “She has a point, you know,” Natasha says. “Have you seen Zara with infants? I have, and it’s scary.” My leg flips out to kick her. We are here to support our friend, not make her feel bad.

  “When are you due?” Frankie questions.

  “They said around September eighteenth. We’ll know more in a few weeks. Guys, what am I going to do about Hatcher? He wants us to tell my parents on Christmas Eve, and then he wants me to move in with him and all of this is going so fast. My parents are going to freak.”

  “I don’t think they’ll flip. Did they know you two were dating? You’ll figure out the living arrangements soon,” I say.

  “I like living by myself, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that next step, yet. They knew I was seeing someone, and they’ve met him before. I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Do you love him? I mean, he’s my friend and I know I wouldn’t trust just anyone with you. I totally approve of this,” I say, beaming with excitement as I’m mentally already planning her baby shower and cake. I notice that Natasha and Frankie aren’t saying anything and wonder why. I take a moment to look back at them and see that Frankie is holding back tears, and our Natasha is mentally drawing up papers in her head.

  “Frankie, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m dating Brody, who’s best friends with Hatcher and didn’t know this. Plus, I think I might love him but he’s so reserved and not outgoing. Then here we are listening to Zara, and she’s taking the next step in adulthood. I just always thought it would be you first.”

  “Does anyone else have any more surprises for me tonight?” I ask, looking in Natasha’s direction.

  “Nothing from me, except I might need a lawyer to get me out of jail when I murder this mechanic.”

  “What’s the deal with that?” Frankie asks.

  “Nothing really, other than he still has my baby and the part is on backorder. He refuses to call me back when I leave messages, so that forces me to go to the shop. Then every time I step foot inside that grease-smelling place, he asks me to go to dinner.”

  “Is he cute?” Zara questions, wiggling her eyebrows and that makes me smile as I think she just came back. The three of us are giving her something else to take her mind off of Hatcher.

  The fact that she’s stressed about her and Hatcher isn’t good for the baby. I know in time she will come around and accept the changes, but Zara works at her own speed. It doesn’t surprise me that they have been hiding their relationship from us all. I really can’t even be upset, as they are superb at hiding it.

  “He’s okay. I could see him being Frankie’s type,” Natasha says.

  “And just what is my kind?”

  “He’s tall, covered in tattoos, demanding, and god his mouth is dirty,” Natasha says and I swear I hear a change in her voice. It’s almost as if, when she said dirty, her voice went in all directions.

  “Sounds dreamy, but I think he has the hots for our business suit wearing lawyer. You know you should try it out. Take him up on the offer and see what he comes up with. Nothing wrong with a dirty mouth, and I would think he’s great with his hands,” Frankie says, earning her a tap from Natasha’s elbow.

  “I’m now excited to venture to his place of employment with you this evening.” I smile.

  Frankie looks back over at Zara. “What’s the plan, sweetheart? You know we will always support you, but I think you need to give Hatcher a chance. I mean, Morgan’s known him forever and has never said a bad word about him. Well, other than the whole taking advantage of her kitchen thing.”

  “I don’t have a plan, other than I have a few days before I have to spill it to my parents. I wish you all could be with me. I swear I feel like I’m a sixteen-year-old girl about to tell her parents she screwed up, but I’m twenty-eight, single, and about to bring a child into this world.”

  “Well, if I could get out of going with my family for the holidays, I would be right there with you,” Frankie says while the rest of us shake our heads in agreement.

  “You know my mother would flip a gasket if I cancel. It’s bad enough she’s still upset that I canceled the wedding.”

  “That, I don’t envy. I think I’d rather tell my parents about the baby than deal with yours and a non-existent wedding. Does she still think you and Simon are going to work through it?”

  “She and Simon both believe we are, but I told him different today,” I explain as I go through our conversation from yesterday and this morning. I also go into the whole Jayden thing.

  “I say give Jayden his space,” Frankie says. “I mean, you’re still trying to get rid of the complete asshole, and then you never know what will happen. If he’s the one, then things will work out. Focus on yourself for once.”

  I know she’s right. I need to push all thoughts of Simon and Jayden from my head. The bakery closes for a week from Christmas Day to New Year’s, and I plan to clean the place from top to bottom and regroup.

  “That’s what I’ll do. Plus, the shop will be closed for a week and I need to do inventory, clean, and stock. Now that I’m down one person for lifting, I’ll need that whole week.”

  “Sorry, Morgan, but I can help count and you should see if Jaime can help.”

  “No, she needs the week off and you need to rest. I think it will be good for me. I need to know how to do things alone. Plus, I’m sure Hatcher will have you occupied.”

  The conversation keeps flowing about the upcoming holiday and all I can focus on is the fact that this will be my new life. Each one of us has something else to do, and I’ll need to occupy myself. Guess this is what happens when you plan your honeymoon and then don’t go. Natasha is going skiing with friends from work. Frankie leaves tomorrow to go Helena, Georgia, to be with family in their cabin. Zara has Hatcher and her family. Me? I have my overbearing mother, my shop, and nothing else.

  This could go down as the dullest week of my life. No friends, no lover, no customers, nothing but me and my thoughts.

  I can do this. You’re a strong woman and know how to function, Morgan, I say to myself, needing the mental pick-me-up.

  As the dinner ends, we all hug and say our goodbyes. This will be the last night we all see each other for a week. I know we will talk on Christmas, but still, I’m going to miss my friends. I told Zara to take tomorrow off and start her holiday early, as I have Jaime scheduled. Natasha said she was too tired to go deal with her car and would let it go until after the holidays. Tomorrow will consist of me baking and handing out orders.

  After we depart, I head to work so I can finish up the last few cakes from the day. I wish I could just pick up the phone and dial Jayden’s number. The need for him to occupy the space next to me is so high that I’m not sure if I’ll be able to just let go. I should be ashamed of the fact that I don’t desire Simon’s energy near me, but he’s always put off an “evil aura,” as Zara would call it. I’m beyond excited for Hatcher and Zara, and then a little sad. Just like my friends, I’d always thought I would be the first to marry, have kids, and get that picket fence that we all dream of growing up. Now, I get to watch and experience it through one of my best friends.

  THANK
GOD THE CHRISTMAS season is over. I don’t think I could have handled one more moment with either my family or the quietness at the bakery. I have to say, I’m pretty impressed with how I occupied my time. This place has never looked better than it does right now. I went on a spending spree and purchased about a hundred new containers for storage and decked them all out with labels. The poor guy at Staples didn’t know what to think when I bought the whole rack of replacement label tape. I even went as far as labeling behind the counter out front. Zara has a habit of not putting things back where they belong. Now, all she has to do is look for the label marked “cups” to know where they need to go.

  Last year I hired a crew to come in and do a deep cleaning of the floors, walls, and light fixtures. With all the extra time on my hands, I decided I should be the one to do it this year. The health department has nothing on me, you could literally eat off the floor. As I flip the open sign on, I take great pride in the work that I’ve done in a week. While everyone was celebrating and enjoying time with family and friends, I locked myself up inside these walls. It sounds depressing, but it wasn’t. I had the time to do some soul searching and limited my daydreaming of Jayden to a minimum. My whole focus was on me, and only me. The first few days were a little unproductive, as I had to figure out what I wanted to do. Which, in the end, only had me searching the internet for ideas. Hint to the new labeling and container system I have.

  New Year’s Eve I spent my time here obsessed with putting the kitchen back together. My mom had given me some new towels and pot holders, and replenished my wooden spoon collection for Christmas. Now, they are all in their proper place. I toasted at midnight and made my round of phone calls to my friends. I even wrote down a new resolution for myself. I’ve declared that I am special and that I’m the one who holds the key to my dreams. I’m going to focus on me, the new one that I started to create last month, before I got side-tracked by a guy.