Your Loving Husband,
Zeke
When I looked up at Bastian, he beamed a grin I’d never seen on him, not since he moved to Belle Musique in the fourth grade. It transformed his entire face, a thought which allowed me to think of something other than Zeke’s beautiful words. “What does this mean?”
Instead of speaking Bastian handed me another envelop that was much thicker than the last. “It means that you are now the proud owner of one of the most lucrative pieces of real estate in town.”
“No.” I shook my head not because I didn’t want it but because I couldn’t believe it. It was completely unbelievable, wasn’t it? “He didn’t…he couldn’t have…,” I was too shocked to think, much less speak in complete sentences.
“He did. And he had me set up a company, MadMax Holdings, so that you can accept rent payments without the entire town knowing your business. Zeke’s words, not mine.”
For some reason, hearing Bastian say his name, to confirm my suspicions, made my breath catch in my chest. Zeke. “He bought me a building.” A whole block, in fact.
“Yes, Maddie. We’ve covered that.” I glared at Bastian but he was unfazed and only smiled in response. Before he pulled out another envelop. A thick yellow envelop that killed the smile and the hope that had nearly bubbled over just moments before.
It took a moment to unravel the cotton thread around the tabs but my shaky fingers got the job done and I pulled the papers out with a gasp. Divorce papers. My shoulders sank as reality set in and I didn’t know why. Divorce was inevitable and if he hadn’t done it, I would have. But seeing the words ‘dissolution of marriage’ hit me hard. It was another failure in my life.
Another mistake.
I let the papers fall to the counter and looked up at Bastian. “Thank you, Bastian. I’ll take a look at the papers and them to you soon.”
“Read it,” he insisted sharply.
“You’re not my lawyer, Bastian.”
“I know,” he sighed and raked a hand through his hair, a move completely uncharacteristic of him. “Just read it. Please.”
There was a folded piece of blue notebook paper clipped to the legal document and I didn’t need to guess the handwriting.
I don’t want this, Maddie. Not at all. I love you. I know this is the most terrible way in the world to tell you for the first time but it’s true. I am madly in love you Maddie and I know I don’t deserve you—or Max—but I want to deserve you. Both of you.
But if you don’t love me back, if you can live without me then I will learn to live with the ache of living without you.
P.S. I had Aunt Mae draw up the divorce papers just in case. I did tell you I didn’t deserve you, right?
The last part made me laugh as tears fell down my cheeks.
“So, we’re all good here?”
I nodded at Bastian with a smile. “We’re good. Thank you, Bastian.”
With a short nod, he turned on his fancy Italian leather shoes and left the shop, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
And my tears.
And hope.
I picked up the phone and dialed. “Yeah?”
“Vivi, I need you to come watch the shop for an hour.”
She paused for several long seconds. “Ty and I will be right there.”
Zeke
“Thanks for stoppin’ in to Zeke’s Joint, see you again soon.” I waved at a mixed group of office workers who’d enjoyed an early lunch in the beer garden. Everyone was taking advantage of the last few days of warm weather before autumn officially began.
I let out a deep breath and leaned against the counter, letting the swirl of the wood grain distract me enough to soothe my frazzled nerves. Bastian Livingstone would have already delivered the papers to her which meant she was either plotting my death or…I didn’t want to think about the alternative. I’d spent the past twenty-four hours thinking about whether this was the right approach or not.
Who in the hell told a woman he loved her for the first time in a letter? Me, that’s who. I just-,
“Hey Boss, heads up!”
Nate’s voice pulled me out of my doubts and thoughts and I looked up. “What?”
He nodded towards the entrance and I looked that way to find the most spectacular sight around. Maddie, looking girl next door sexy in a pair of jeans that hugged those delicious curves and a soft emerald green blouse that hung off one shoulder with matching sneakers. But her brown eyes were blazing, with anger or love, I couldn’t be sure.
Until she started walking, not stomping, towards me. “Zeke Riley, we have to talk.”
Maybe it was just my perception but it seemed like the entire restaurant fell silent and turned to watch the show. “We do?”
“You know damn well we do,” she said and shook the papers in her hand. “You wanna do it out here or let the busybodies guess what’s about to happen?” Her lips twitched but I knew there was no way to tell if that was mischief or affection.
I nodded for her to follow me to the back, hoping she would follow but I knew she did because her sexy floral scent wrapped around me down the hall and into my office. “Maddie, let me-,”
“No! You be quiet because I’m talking right now.”
Okay, so she was angry. I snapped my mouth shut and zipped it for good measure.
“What the hell is this? You bought me a building and handed me divorce papers, Zeke. Talk about the king of mixed messages.” She began to pace and I wish I could say I was a better man, but the sight of her curved ass in those jeans was mighty distracting.
“I left notes,” I added quietly and she turned to glare at me.
“Explain yourself. Now.”
This was it. The final part of the grand gesture Nash advised and it would determine if this conversation ended with those sweet lips on mine or her signature on those divorce papers. “Are you ready to listen.”
Hands fisted on her hips, skin slightly flushed, she nodded.
“I didn’t know how else to tell you that I’m in love with you Maddie. I know it’s hard to believe because I was such a gigantic ass in New York, but it’s true.” I stood and walked to her, resting my hands on her shoulders so she could see the sincerity in my eyes. “I’m sorry. So sorry, Maddie. I wish I could tell you why I did that but I can’t except that being around my family makes me crazy. Turns me into someone I hate.”
“Zeke.” My name came out so soft it was barely above a whisper and when she cupped my cheek, rubbing her thumb along my jawline.
“Maddie, its true. I know I don’t deserve you but I love you and I want you. I want a real life, a real marriage with you. I want you and me and Max to be a family.”
“You mean that, Zeke?”
“With my whole heart. With everything deep inside of me.” Hope shone in her deep brown eyes, shards of gold lining her eyes like lightning. “I love you Maddie Trenton.”
She grinned. “I love you too, Zeke Riley.”
Her words were just the band-aid I needed to make my heart whole again and I felt the tension leave my body. “Say it again.”
She laughed. No, she giggled, and it was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. “I love you too, Zeke Riley.”
I pulled away from her and went to the safe, pulling it open to retrieve the box that had been delivered by armed courier yesterday morning. “Maddie, my love, I know we did everything ass backwards. Sex before dating. Marriage before love. But now that we have all the pieces of the puzzle, what do you say we smash’em together to make our own picture of happiness?” I pulled the ring from the black box and showed off the rows of sparkling diamonds in three interlocking white gold ribbons. “It’s not technically a wedding ring but I thought it was perfect for you.”
She gasped. “Zeke, its gorgeous.”
“No, you’re gorgeous Maddie. This ring is just the closest thing I could find to match your perfection.”
“I’m not perfect,” she insisted.
“Maybe not. But your sweet curves and perfect for me. Th
e way you hum a sexy little song when you eat is perfect for me. The way you encourage me to be better without making me feel like I’m wrong, is perfect for me. Watching you raise a little man has shown me what a real man is and I plan to spend every day until I die being that man for you.”
“Oh, Zeke. What a beautiful thing to say!” Tears pooled in her eyes and I couldn’t help stealing a quick kiss from those plump lips.
“It’s true, Maddie. Now put me out of my misery and say you want a life with me.”
“I don’t want a life with you, Zeke. I want forever. Let’s smash those pieces together until we get our own version of perfect.”
I loved this woman, and when she jumped into my arms and smashed her lips against mine, I knew we would find that elusive perfection everyday in a million different ways. And this kiss, both sweet and hot, was the most perfect part of my day so far. “Sweet Maddie.”
She grinned with mischief shining in her eyes. “Sweet Maddie isn’t feeling all that sweet right now, Zeke.”
I stepped back and locked the door. “Then let naughty Maddie show up to help us celebrate the first day of our brand new forever.”
With a sassy smile, she tugged her shirt over her head and threw it at me. “She’s here, now what are you gonna do about it?”
I stalked to her and picked her up in my arms, and spent the next hour showing her exactly what I planned to do about it.
Forever.
THE END
Have you read Vivi & Nash’s story yet Dear Reader?
Check them out in the following excerpt of Accidentally Hitched!
Accidentally Bound
Trish
Getting up early in the morning, every morning, sucks. A lot.
A strange statement to make for a coffee shop and bakery owner, but there you have it. I, Trish Danvers, am not a morning person. Or an early riser, at least not without seven different alarms set all around my little house just to make sure I got up early enough to start baking the day’s pastries.
Today I was up and already walking to my shop, La Belle Bean, on Belle Musique’s equivalent to Main Street, and it was barely four o’clock in the morning. Ungodly, I know. But I needed the extra time because I had to frost and decorate five dozen cupcakes for the Chamber of Commerce luncheon today. A luncheon I should be attending, but begged off because I couldn’t take the time away from the shop. Everyone needed coffee, or tea, and they chose La Belle Bean because of my delicious pastries, the gossip and the sense of community found within.
Yeah, my place was amazing. And now that I served a small selection of gourmet sandwiches on fresh-made bread for lunch, business was booming. It felt good, and I knew my Aunt Becca would be proud she’d left her business in good hands.
Of course, I had to put my own touch on the place, so a few years ago I got rid of the French country kitchen style and turned it into an adorable little shop with pastel colors. It was girly, with the lavender awning and a handwritten cursive white logo. Inside, the pink and sea green gingham tablecloths with matching branded boxes and bags only made it more feminine, along with the pastel colored mugs that bore the shop’s name along with funny quotes about coffee. It was a dream come true, and best of all, it was all mine.
Since the shop wouldn’t open for another couple hours, I locked the front door behind me and left the dining area dark as I made my way to the pride and joy of my shop, the industrial grade kitchen. Complete with four oversized ovens, stainless steel appliances, large mixers and everything a proper pastry chef could ever want. Not that I was a proper pastry chef, I didn’t go to culinary school or anything. My training came from Aunt Becca, who’d imparted all of her wisdom—baking and business—onto me from the age of ten.
I remember vividly, spending hours beside her at the home I now lived in, or here in this very kitchen, doing just what I did now. Smoothing a thick buttercream frosting over the top in an elegant ‘s’ formation. “Remember to always use a light touch, Trishy,” she’d always say in that soft melodic voice of hers.
On days like this, I couldn’t help but think of her. Though I called her Aunt Becca she was more of a mom to me, taking me in when I was just three years old after my mom died from the cancer no knew she had, and raising me like I was hers.
Every day I worked hard to make her proud. And I knew these cupcakes, all original recipes, had achieved that.
Frosting cupcakes was one of my favorite jobs even though it didn’t require much skill. It helped clear my mind. I’d come up with some of my best ideas for expanding the shop or creating new recipes while doing this mundane task. And by the time each cupcake bore either the Belle Musique flag or the town crest, I was fully awake with a pot of coffee brewing in the corner. Maybe it was the second pot.
Another hour later, and the shop doors were open, but things were quiet as I filled the display case with glazed donuts to start, adding chocolate, sprinkles and jelly and custard filled donuts to the rest of the trays. Cranberry orange muffins with shaved white chocolate went in next, along with banana walnut and blueberry pecan. The baking didn’t stop until around eleven, when I was sure I’d have enough to make it through the late afternoon sugar rush. Then I got started on the breads for sandwiches.
“Hey Boss, how’s it going?” Molly appeared, bright-eyed and full of the kind of energy only a twenty year old could possess. She was beautiful in an unconventional way with cat-like hazel eyes that matched high cheekbones and full lips, capped off with a sleek black bob that made her look more worldly than anyone else in this small southern town.
“It’s going, Molly. Baguettes are in the ovens on the right, rolls on the left.” My kitchen ran like a well-oiled machine, mostly due to my iron fisted control on every aspect of the business for the past few years, but also because Molly followed orders perfectly and made my work life easy. Efficient.
“I saw the specials on the board, so if you do one of each, I’ll take care of them.” At my confused frown her hazel gaze slid to the giant digital clock on the kitchen wall. “You need to get to the community center with the cupcakes,” she reminded me.
“Right. Well I’ll get to that. Thanks, Molly.”
“Anytime,” she said and disappeared into the front of the shop. I loaded up the cart filled with cupcakes and slid it into the lavender La Belle Bean van before double checking my appearance in the mirror. My blond hair was still, mostly, in the ponytail I’d put it in this morning with a few wisps that had broken free during my hectic morning. The denim skirt and sea green t-shirt with the logo splashed across the front looked…as good as it possibly could after a morning of baking. I swiped the smudged mascara from under my lower lashes, and added a quick slick of gloss over my lips and headed out.
There was no one in town to impress, since I’d grown up with all the available men in town. “Whatever,” I grumbled and set out for the community center which was just two blocks away. I could have walked, but even though it was only April, the Louisiana heat would easily melt the frosting, and my van was air conditioned.
The luncheon hadn’t officially begun yet, but the large room reserved for the luncheon was already packed with all the business owners in town, from the bank president, to the souvenir kiosk owner, and every entrepreneur in between. They were grouped in small circles that reminded me too much of high school. Where did a successful pastry shop owner belong in this group? I didn’t really know, but I figured providing the dessert for the occasion was perfect marketing.
Then I spotted him. The bane of my existence for the past six months. Mason Sullivan.
New guy in town.
Tattoo artist.
Dark and brooding hottie.
Next door neighbor.
And total pain in my ass.
He stood laughing with Zeke, who was married to my friend Maddie. Zeke was proof that once in a great while, a leopard did change his spots. He’d gone from playboy to family man the moment he’d fallen for the sweetheart boutique owner.
&nbs
p; It was enough to give a girl hope.
Not me, but some hopeful girl out there with stars in her eyes and a belief that Prince Charming, White Knights and other veritable good guys were out there. Though Zeke was a good guy, and I had faith that he and Maddie would go the distance, I didn’t have as much faith in my own future.
“Trish, what did you bring?” In the time it took me to unload the first tray of cupcakes, Zeke had stopped beside me.
I laughed at his boyish eagerness. “Good to see you too, Zeke.”
With one of his patented charming smiles, he pulled me into his side for a half-hug. “It’s always good to see you Trish, but the only thing that gets me more excited than your cupcakes is my wife.” He said the words so easily these days, which made me even happier for Maddie, but also caused a pang of longing I refused to acknowledge.
I stepped back and smoothed a hand over my t-shirt with a polite smile, ignoring the desire to have someone speak of me as openly and as lovingly as Zeke spoke of wife.
“You should stop in and get a few of my new Irish cream filled donuts. Maddie can’t get enough of’em.”
“Save me a dozen if you can,” he said at the same time he plucked a chocolate brandy ganache from the table and walked away, humming while he ate. That right there, was music to my ears.
“Got one for me?” I knew that voice. Somehow silky smooth and gravelly at the same time. Totally sexy and completely wasted on the owner. I turned and barely held in a groan at the handsome man in front of me. Mason was tall with broad shoulders, a thick crop of wavy chestnut hair that always looked slightly disheveled and laughing green eyes that went from jade to forest green in a heartbeat. To add to his bad boy appeal, he had a sleeve of colorful tattoos that, yeah, intrigued me. His long muscled legs wore a pair of jeans like nobody’s business. To cap off his uniform, his black t-shirt tugged across his broad shoulders and wide chest. All in all, he had a starring role in my dirtiest fantasies for the past six months.
Accidentally On Purpose: An Accidental Marriage Boxset Page 33
