Thirty-Eight Days

by Len Webster

"Right, well, thanks for letting me walk and bake with you, Clara. I had fun. It was lovely meeting you, Stevie." Liam glanced down at Stevie with what looked like a lustful smile.

  Game lost.

  "Wait! Before you go,” Clara said. She went back to the cupcakes and placed four of the ones she just iced in a small box and tied a ribbon over it.

  "Here," she said, giving Liam the box. They were friends. That's all. The fact that she thought she could have wanted more was ridiculous. Clara knew her attitude changed, but having Stevie around was an eye-opener. Liam was always the player.

  "How much do I owe you?" Liam asked as he reached for his wallet.

  "No, it's on the house. You helped make them and got the shop sorted. I've never been ready this early. Thank you." Clara smiled; a hint of disappointment settled in her.

  Clara Lawrence… always so luckless in love and romance.

  "Okay, thanks. I'll see you later, Stevie," he said, letting her name hang in the air.

  "See you, Clara," was all he said as he walked out the door.

  I guess he doesn't like me at all…

  “I wanted to rip his clothes off and have him naked in this store," Stevie said, slicing through Clara's thoughts.

  "What?"

  "I'd just appreciate his nakedness. I wouldn't have sex with him in the middle of the shop. I'd just stand there and admire him. He is one hot piece of ass! I approve of him,” Stevie said matter-of-factly. Clara’s brows met in confusion.

  "You approve of?"

  "Liam."

  "Liam?"

  "For Pete's sakes, Clara. I might have to call you Lollipop Annie soon, because you just stole that right off her. I approve of Liam for you!"

  For me?

  "But you and him…”

  "He seems too good for me. I know Liam O'Connor, by reputation of course. He needs a girl like you." Stevie winked as she sipped her latte.

  "A girl like me?"

  "Look, I don't want to go into detail, but just trust me, Clara," Stevie said as she placed her glass back on the counter. Clara wasn't sure what to think.

  "You can have him, Stevie; honestly, he’s all yours,” Clara confessed as she adjusted her apron.

  "I'm not going anywhere near Liam. I'll corrupt him. He wouldn't be able to handle me." Stevie shrugged.

  The sound of the bell rang through the shop as the door opened.

  "Hi! I'm sorry I'm late," Annie flustered out as she entered the bakery.

  "Where the hell have you been?" Stevie shot Annie an icy look.

  "A meeting," Annie said, not looking at either one of them.

  "A meeting for the virgin protection society?" Stevie replied mockingly.

  "I'm not that uptight!"

  "Might as well put your prudeness to use. Gather up all your devotees and assemble. Be a proper party. But seriously, where have you been, and why was I on time?" Stevie asked, annoyed.

  "I told you, a meeting! And I'm not religious like that. Drop it, Stevie!"

  "Don't be shy. It's just us. We know you were having hot sex. You’re flustered! That must have been one hell of a meeting!"

  Annie glared at Stevie. "I wasn't having sex. I was at a meeting, Stevie." Annie's tone was stern.

  "Which one Alcoholics Anonymous, or Sex Addicts Anonymous? You've been a bad girl, Saint Annie."

  Clara knew she had to stop them both before things turned ugly.

  "Stevie, she said she was at a meeting. Why would she lie?" Clara said, defending Annie. A bright smile developed on Annie’s face. Clara wasn't sure, but for a moment she thought she saw guilt in Annie’s eyes.

  "Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm not here to interrogate you, Annie. We can do that later! By the way, I want all the saucy details of you and Jarred. But we’re here to interrogate Clara," Stevie said before her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No! I do not want the details of Jarred!" Stevie’s father had married Jarred’s mother when they were kids. Even though they weren’t blood related, they still treated each other like they were.

  Clara let out a laugh. “Glad you cleared that up, Stevie. I don’t even want details of Jarred and Annie’s sex life.”

  Stevie rolled her eyes and escorted them to the table next to the window closest to the entrance.

  "Actually, last night Jarred and I broke up."

  "What the hell? Annie, we’re here for Clara. Now, you spring this shit on me. I'm sorry, Clara, this will have to wait."

  Clara nodded; she was glad the attention was off her.

  "He got drunk last night and tried to hook up with another girl from Melbourne Uni," Annie said as her tears started to spill.

  "Oh, Annie, I'm sorry. Boys are awful!" Clara said as she rubbed Annie's back.

  "He didn't kiss her, but I told him that it was time we ended things, you know, space. Maybe I was asking too much of him." Clara could relate, but then again she was worse off; her boyfriend slept with someone else. Numerous times.

  “Okay, side bar. Annie, I'll beat the shit out of my stepbrother later, okay? Can we please move on to Clara and a very hot piece of ass named Liam?"

  "Who's Liam?" Annie probed as she wiped the last tear away.

  "He's my neighbour, but it's nothing. Liam had nothing to do with what happened last night. That was Noel," Clara clarified.

  "Noel?" Stevie spat out. "You’ve been very busy, Clara. Who’s this Noel?"

  "My brother's best friend,” Clara stated. She watched a smile develop on Annie’s face.

  “Is Noel why you didn’t come last night?” Annie asked.

  Clara sighed. At least she could unload. They were her closest things to friends. She would tell them everything.

  "Kinda, it all started when Noel arrived at my door," Clara trailed. It took her fifteen minutes to explain the last few days with Noel, subtracting the fact that he was naked, and even adding Liam in there, too. She watched Annie's face sadden and Stevie's face tense. When she finished, she took in a deserving, deep breath and mentally noted the need for a cup of tea.

  "It must be so bloody easy to have a penis! Noel thinking he has a right to tell you off. What a dick! So quick to pass judgment, and he knows nothing!" Stevie went off, making Clara smile. Ever since that night, Stevie protected her.

  "It's fine. I'm sorry I didn't come last night," Clara said, smiling at Stevie for her support.

  "I actually think Noel’s right," Annie said, twiddling her fingers.

  What?

  "Excuse me, Saint Annie? What the hell? You breaking up with Jarred has made your common sense fizz out. Noel was wrong, and his comments were out of line," Stevie argued. Clara sat there stunned.

  "No, he was protecting Clara. I'm sure of it."

  Protecting me?

  "Say what you want, Stevie. I believe Noel was right. Clara, give him another chance." Annie’s voice was stern. Clara was completely dumbfounded that Annie had sided with Noel. A sense of betrayl pierced her chest. One of her only friends was a Noel supporter, and it stung Clara.

  "Annie, it's not that simple," Clara started to clarify.

  "Actually it is. You’re just making this harder than it needs to be."

  Clara and Stevie looked at each other. Annie had really lost her mind if she was defending Nolan Parker.

  Standing across the road from the bakery, Noel saw Clara chatting with her friends at a table near the window. They spoke for a few more minutes before her friends left the bakery. He looked both ways, and when it was clear he crossed the road. His heart started to race and his body started to fidget. He was walking into his version of hell, the one where Clara hated him for his stupid actions. He arrived at the white shop’s front door and took in a breath of air to calm him. When he felt confident that he could face Clara, he opened the door.

  The sound of the bell rung in his ear; he watched as the same man he saw through the glass shop window walked out of the kitchen and smiled at Noel.

  "Good morning, welcome to The Little Bakery. How can I help you?" the man as
ked, holding a tray of deliciously decorated cupcakes.

  Uhh, what the hell do I say?

  “Actually, sir, I'm here to grovel for Clara’s forgiveness and apologise for last night," Noel said as he placed his hands on the counter. He hoped he hadn’t shot himself in the foot for being so up-front. The man raised his eyebrow at Noel, looked him up and down, and then smiled.

  "I like you; you don't seem like a coward like the other one. It's Danny, and I'll send her out. How about you take a seat. What's your name?" he asked as he placed the cupcakes in the display glass.

  "It's Noel, and thanks," he replied and walked over to the back of the store and near the window. The heat reflecting from the glass continued to warm the skin of his arm.

  He kept his eyes locked on the counter for when Clara would come out. Danny made eye contact with him and just smiled before returning to the kitchen to presumably fetch Clara.

  Noel wasn't even sure if she would speak to him, let alone give him the chance to apologise. He had to prepare himself for when he would be thrown out of the store.

  Movement near the counter sparked his interest. Coming out of the door was Clara. She wore a tight, white button blouse with a red skirt and a waist apron. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail showcasing her long hair with loose strands at the side of her face.

  God, she's beautiful.

  The thought replaced the others that haunted him. Clara was beautiful. He didn't need anyone to ever confirm that to him. Clara held a tray with a cup and a single cupcake on it. Their eyes made contact; hers flashed with fear as she winced at the sight of him. Her knuckles turned white from gripping the tray. She didn't want to see him.

  Clara breathed in sharply and looked around the shop floor; he was the only one there. She seemed to look around for a way of escape, but she had nowhere to go. Clara looked pained as she walked towards him. Her eyes grew sadder, and that was something he would never forgive, hurting Clara the way he did.

  When Clara reached his table, she looked at him, searching for something in his eyes. When she seemed like she found it, she sighed. She placed the tray on Noel's table; Danny had ordered for him. He watched as Clara opened her mouth to talk, her eyes not leaving his. Noel would find out why she said he was wrong, even if she didn’t want him to. He had to know. It was killing him.

  "We never had sex," Clara said softly, sounding like a pain-filled whisper.

  "What?" Noel blurted out, his eyes growing wide and looking at Clara's. Truth reflected in her gaze; she wasn't kidding. The innocence in Clara shone through.

  "Darren and I. We. Never. Had. Sex. That's why he slept with her," Clara answered as she took the seat in front of him. Noel was shocked to his core. He should stop her before she said something she didn't want to confess.

  "He cheated on me because I am an inaccessible, uptight, and selfish virgin, Noel," she said without a blink in her stare. His mouth dropped; he only knew one thing, and he was definitely wrong. He understood it all now. Everything last night was wrong, and everything he said was wrong. Sleeping with Darren and making love to Darren, it was all wrong.

  Clara Lawrence is as pure as they come: a virgin.

  "Virgin!" he spat out in disbelief. Clara frowned and sat there glaring at him. She simply nodded, her lips pressed in a fine line. "But how?" he thought out loud. He couldn't control his curiosity. He was in shock.

  She isn't? Not Clara. She isn't. It's not possible. She’s beautiful and sexy as hell and…a virgin.

  "By not having sex," she replied, raising an eyebrow. He still couldn't believe she was talking to him after last night, let alone telling him her intimate details.

  "But you were with him for almost a year or something?"

  "Doesn't mean we had sex." Clara shrugged as she picked at Noel's cupcake.

  “I, uhh, don't understand. You're lying." He raised his eyebrow at her.

  "Why would I lie?" She let out a short laugh. "It's simple.” Clara sighed. “I did not have intercourse. Ever. Therefore I am one," she further added.

  Relief was overtaking his body. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact that Clara understood him, or the fact that Darren wasn’t her first sexual experience. He was thankful that her ex-boyfriend didn’t take that first experience away from her.

  She deserves someone to love her, make love to her, and not sleep with her to conquer her. That’s what Clara needs in her life.

  It surprised him that he wasn’t even thinking about himself possibly being intimate with Clara. He could wish, but he was never going to be worthy of her. Noel couldn’t deliver the things she deserved. Clara’s virginity didn’t make her; he would care for her, virgin or not.

  "Why are you telling me this?" he asked as he stared at her.

  Clara’s fingers tapped on the table as she seemed to be gathering her thoughts. She looked up at him as she took a deep breath in. "Because last night..." she started to reply, but the look on her face caused him incredible discomfort. She was the last person he wanted to hurt, yet he did.

  "I'm sorry." Noel let out a remorseful sigh, staring at the table.

  "Don't be.” He flinched at the sound of her easy forgiveness and looked up at her. “You were right, except for the whole Darren and me sleeping with each other part."

  Confusion etched on his face. "I was right?" he asked. He sat there and stared at Clara’s facial features. He never noticed the small, faint mole on her cheek. It suited her.

  "Look, Noel, I hate that you were, but I was foolish with Darren. Last night I was foolish for thinking I could make him miss me. He has her. She's the substitute that outranked the original,” she explained. Clara’s fingers stopped their tapping.

  "Don't!" Noel blurted out. She had to know she was worth it. Worth more than most men could give her. No one could ever outrank her. Darren was a selfish bastard. He never deserved her. Noel had to tell Clara of her worth. "Don't you sell yourself short like that, Clara. I want to explain myself," he said as the sound of the front doorbell filled the store. He watched as Clara’s face turn to the sound and she let out a sigh.

  "Later? Morning shift’s started." Clara nodded at customers entering the store.

  He looked over at them and then back at her. "I’ll wait," he replied as he settled in his seat.

  "You'll wait?" she asked with a shocked expression taking over her face.

  "Yes, I came here to grovel, and if it means waiting the day, then, I’ll wait." He eyed her and watched as a short laugh escaped her lips.

  "Grovel? I'd love that, but it's not necessary," Clara said as she stood up and got out of her chair. She looked over at the crowd of customers and back at him.

  "It gets busy on Wednesday. Are you sure you want to wait?" Clara asked. She adjusted the ties of her waist apron firmly, giving him a proper glimpse of the shape of her hips and waist.

  "I’m more than happy to," he replied as he removed his eyes off her body. He would have to start refraining himself from staring at her like that. Noel didn’t want her to think that he only looked at her in that way because she was a virgin. He cared for Clara, more than he was willing to comprehend or vocally admit.

  Can’t look. Damn it, Noel! Just remember who she’s related to!

  Noel was surprised at how busy the bakery could get. He had heard from his rowing partner that it was the place to stay away from. Only because Rob couldn’t control his sweet tooth and he didn’t want to add any more unnecessary weight when it came to rowing. He waited three hours for Clara, not that he was getting bored or tired. He liked seeing her sweep the loose strands of hair behind her ear when it fell across her face.

  There was something about the way Clara looked when she served her customers: she was content. This was what she liked to do. It relaxed her and it made her happy. It made him smile when she would look over at his table and grin at him. Butterflies would try to escape his body, lifting him from his seat. A ridiculous and stupid feeling that overcame him, but he couldn’t control himself.


  His favourite part of waiting was being able to admire Clara’s natural beauty. When she came by to give him his coffee and cupcakes, he smelt her floral perfume. The scent of magnolias and gardenias intoxicated him, enveloping his system; he would never get over her smell. The fragance of her was something he was going to want for a long time to come.

  Damn, she smells as sweet as she actually is.

  For the past three hours, he found himself being more and more drawn to her, and it was excruciating to feel the way he did. She deserved someone else to have these feelings for her, not him. The sight of her sitting in front of him woke him from his daydream. Noel watched as she sighed and wiped her forehead. Clara gave him a beautiful smile that was utterly alluring. His lips instantly twitched.

  That damn smile is dangerous to any man.

  “Why are you forgiving me?" Noel asked, preparing himself for the answers he wouldn’t like.

  "Have I forgiven you?" Clara removed her apron and placed it on the table.

  "Oh," Noel let out as he stared at her apron.

  Her laugh broke through to him. "I'm kidding, Noel. I understand." The way her lips curved upwards made him a little weak.

  Those lips are a temptation that I’ll never taste.

  "You do? Why?" he asked, pleasantly surprised.

  "Because this annoying, little voice tells me you were protecting me. If I had gone out last night, I would have drunk my body mass in alcohol. I would have gone home with any guy who gave me the slightest attention. And I…” She paused and balled her hands. "I don't want my first time to be a drunken one-night stand. So in some messed-up way, I have to thank you. I don't need your explanation. I understand. Look, I know I've let Alex down. I don’t mean to add more stress to his life but I do. He never liked Darren from the start and I didn’t listen,” she said with a sad, off-in-the-distance stare.

  I never gave getting to know her a chance. Hell, I want to get to know Clara. I want to know what makes her happy and what makes her bloody smile. I shouldn’t want to, but I do.

  "Let's play twenty-one questions?" Noel asked, getting her attention. He watched Clara turn and the surprise appear on her face. She wasn’t expecting his proposal.