Sometime during the night Max vanished again, leaving me alone when I woke up. I tried to tell myself it was just because he had to work, but that nagging voice in the back of my mind reminded me that he wasn’t my boyfriend. He was just a guy I was sleeping with.
When he was in the mood.
I went through my day trying not to worry about Max. When his plow passed my window I stayed in the kitchen with the lights off out front so he wouldn’t stop. At least that’s what I told myself. He wouldn’t have stopped anyway and I knew it. But he would be in later.
By Saturday Max was a regular again. He hadn’t spent the night again, but I knew he was helping his sister and I couldn’t complain. I knew how hard it was to start up a bakery and it had to be nice for her to have someone around to help out.
In between baking I decorated for Christmas, trying to get into the spirit, for the sake of my customers, if nothing else. The O’Neills came in at nine-thirty, as always, holding hands. “Good morning,” I said, hopefully with enough cheer that they didn’t catch how disappointed I was that Max wasn’t there before them.
“Good morning, dear. How are you?”
“I’m doing great, thanks. How are you guys this morning?”
Mrs. O’Neill shook her head and I worried something was wrong with her or someone in the family. I glanced at Mr. O’Neill, but his expression didn’t clue me in. “I meant how are you about the new cupcake place opening across the street. In that site you were looking at, I believe. Can you imagine? Skinny cupcakes? What’s the point in eating them if they’re healthy?”
Prickles of terror crept up my neck, and I barely suppressed a shiver. I’d never made healthy cupcakes because I felt the same way Mrs. O’Neill did, but I’d had customers come in and request healthier versions of what I had. If there was a place out there doing exactly that I might be in trouble.
So much for my customers sticking with me even though I would be gone for a month.
“What other cupcake place are you talking about Mrs. O’Neill?”
“Across the street. That new strip-mall that’s opening soon. There are finally signs up at some of the storefronts. One says SkinnyCakes. I looked them up on my computer and it says they make baked goods with healthy ingredients, like that gluten-free stuff and applesauce and sugar substitutes. I can’t imagine any of that stuff tasting good, but people seem to want it. Doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Dread filled my gut as she talked. Blood roared in my ears, drowning out the other sounds in the bakery, including the bell above the door signaling another customer had entered. Mrs. O’Neill wasn’t aware of my growing discomfort. Everything I’d worked so hard for was going to drift away because people wanted to be skinny. SkinnyCakes. What the hell kind of name was that for a bakery? I’m sure it was owned by some anorexic model type who wouldn’t know what good food tasted like if it was shoved down her throat.
“I haven’t seen it. It’ll be okay though. I found a new site.”
“Oh, that’s great Charlie. When will you be there?”
I sighed. “That’s the only problem. I’ll be shut down for a month. I tried to get the owner here to let me stay, but they said no. And my new place isn’t available until the end of January. The previous renter is relocating but he’s got the least through January and it’s going to take him a while to get into his new site.”
“Well, it’s going to be a long, cold month without your coffee and goodies to keep us warm. Are you going to be catering that month?”
I took a deep breath. I still didn’t have a good answer for that question. I had to find a kitchen to rent to bake for the anniversary party I had coming up, and I had no idea where to find an industrial kitchen with mixers and ovens big enough to bake 200 cupcakes. “I’m still trying to sort that out. I will if I can.”
“Well, we might have to hire you to bake for us weekly so we don’t go into withdrawal in the meantime. I’m not sure we can survive without your breakfast,” Mr. O’Neill teased.
“Thanks, Mr. O’Neill.”
Mrs. O’Neill patted my hand and moved to their table in the corner. My eyes followed them and realized Lexi was leaning against the counter toward the end.
“How are you?” Lexi asked as she settled into a stool at the counter and looked around. She nodded, looking pleased with my decorations.
I poured her a cup of coffee in a black mug that read ‘I don’t give a sip’ and set a plate in front of her with two chocolate mousse cupcakes.
“I’m good,” I said brightly, walking away to do something, anything to avoid her gaze.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m great. Things are moving forward. Did you see the new bakery too? Is that why you’re here?”
Lexi stopped my constant motion by grabbing my wrist. “I didn’t, but that’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. Max.”
Just his name made me pause and my heart skipped. I didn’t want to talk about Max. Yeah, I liked him, but I worried I was starting to like him a bit too much.
“He hurt you, didn’t he?” Lexi asked sympathetically.
I looked up at her and knew she saw it in my eyes. I couldn’t hide the truth from Lexi. We’d been friends for way too long and there wasn’t anything she couldn’t see.
“He didn’t do anything.”
“That the problem, though, isn’t it? He spent the night Tuesday. Have you heard from him?”
“He’s in here every day, Lex. He hasn’t spent the night again, but he’s here.”
“Really?”
I nodded and raised my eyebrows at her as if to tell her to back off.
“So what’s with the face?”
I took a deep breath, wishing she hadn’t been the one to walk in when the O’Neills were there. I needed a chance to process what they’d told me. “There’s a new bakery opening across the street. In that site I looked at a few weeks ago. Mrs. O’Neill said it looks like they’re almost ready to open.”
“There are other bakeries in town. Why does this one bother you?”
I pursed my lips and glanced around as though I was going to reveal some big secret. “It’s called SkinnyCakes. They make healthy versions of baked goods.”
“So?”
“Do you know how many customers ask me if I have anything gluten free or sugar free or dairy free? Do you know how many people don’t buy anything when I tell them I don’t?”
“That’s not why you opened this place. Isn’t that the whole reason for the name?”
I smiled. “I know.”
“Are you sure? Because it sounds like you forgot what we said to all those people who doubted you. All those people who thought a bakery was too risky. Who thought you should offer more on your menu than cupcakes. What did we say we would say to them?”
I grinned, thinking back to the night Lexi and I got drunk and planned my future business. No extras. No variety. No fluff. Just cupcakes. “Bite Me!”
“Exactly,” Lexi agreed. “Bite Me! And that’s not going to change just because there’s someone trying to make cupcakes healthy. Now, forget about that place and tell me more about where you’re moving to and what we can do to help.”
Lexi knew I needed the subject change and I was more than happy to go that way. I felt myself getting excited all over again as I told her about the huge open space and how many tables I could have. I shared my ideas for the kitchen and gushed over the apartment upstairs.
Just when I was telling her about the other locations in the lot the door opened and Max walked through. His eyes met mine and I saw the desire in them before they flashed to Lexi.
He had the decency to look ashamed but didn’t leave. He took another step inside, letting the door close behind him. Without looking away from me he walked to the register, waiting to order.
Lexi squeezed my hand and snapped me out of my trance. I offered her a weak smile then walked to where Max was waiting. “Can I help you?”
“I think I’ll take the usual,” Max said with a smile. “Since there are other people here.”
My body heated up with his simple flirtation. I could still feel him hard between my legs like he was the last time we were caught making out on the counter. “Yeah, well, maybe we can get together when there aren’t so many people around.”
“Let me take you out. Tonight. Tomorrow. Whenever.”
“Why don’t you meet my friend, Lexi, and I’ll think about it?”
Max smiled and winked at me. He paid for his coffee and cupcakes then took the seat next to Lexi as I went in the back to get his coffee. I took my time knowing Lexi would be reading him the riot act while I was gone. I couldn’t have been more shocked when I walked back out front and saw Lexi throw her head back laughing at something Max said.
“What did I miss?” I asked, not willing to be left out.
“Max was just telling me about some of Abby’s contractors. Those people sound horrible. No wonder you’ve been doing so much for her.”
“You haven’t told me about Abby’s store. Where is it?”
Max shifted, seeming uncomfortable. “Oh, it’s not far from here.”
“What does she do?” Lexi asked.
“It’s similar to here, but different stuff. She has some pastries and breakfast quiches. She’s also planning cakes and different desserts, with a few sandwiches. She thinks her big sellers will be her cakes though.”
“You two should get together. I bet you could trade recipes and get along really well,” Lexi gushed. “How cool is it that you do such similar things? No wonder Max likes you so much,” Lexi mused before slapping her hand over her mouth.
My eyes flashed from Lexi to Max and I wondered what made her change her mind about him so quickly. Something passed between them but neither of them spoke again. Lexi’s pleading eyes stopped me from asking her more, and Max’s sweet look made me forget all about Lexi.
“Anyway, you were telling me about the other stores in the shopping center.”
“What shopping center?” Max asked.
“Oh, Charlie finally found a place to move to. She only has a couple weeks left here before she has to be out, but she’ll be out of business for a month.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah,” I answered. “I was looking for a while. I love the new place, but I hate that I’ll be closed for a month.”
“Hey!” Lexi said brightly. “You should see if you can borrow Abby’s kitchen to do that one order. Do you think she’d be willing?” Lexi turned her attention to Max.
He paused. Why didn’t he answer right away? What was there to think about? Did he not want his sister to know about me? Was he that ashamed of me?
“Uh, I don’t know. I can ask her.”
“It’s okay,” I stammered, feeling hurt and confused. “I’ll figure something out.”
“Anyway,” Lexi said brightly. “I guess I should head out. Mike should be out Christmas shopping by now and I need to go snoop a little.”
I laughed, knowing she was telling the truth. Lexi didn’t handle surprises well and was always trying to figure out what her gifts were before she opened them. I felt bad for Mike, but he was a good sport about it. He learned early on to wrap all her gifts in huge boxes that she couldn’t figure out, forcing her to change tactics. He still hadn’t figured out that she tried to find where he hid gifts before he had a chance to box and wrap them.
“By the way, the place looks good,” Lexi said with a wink. She nodded up to the mistletoe I had above the door and the tree in the corner then walked out with a shit-eating grin.
Max followed her gaze to the front door and spotted the mistletoe. “I truly hope you don’t get a kiss from everyone who comes through that door.”
I laughed and shook my head. “It’s more of a joke than anything. Besides, I haven’t gotten a kiss from anyone who came in today so I guess it’s not working.”
“Then I think we need to change that,” Max said as he leaned toward me. He beckoned me with one finger. As we got closer Max sucked in a deep breath then whispered, “I’ll talk to Abby.”
I nodded less than a second before his lips brushed mine, softly. His kiss wasn’t demanding or controlling. Instead it was questioning, asking permission. With every touch of his lips against mine I gave him what he was asking for, granting him all the access to me he could want.
Max’s hand slid to my cheek, gently tilting my head as his tongue teased my lips. I opened for him and he glided into my mouth, still not in a hurry. His kiss was long and slow and sweet. I quickly got lost in him, his kiss drawing me into another world. One where I wasn’t afraid of letting him in, where we could be together, where there weren’t secrets.
The kiss ended too soon for me, but since we were at Bite Me! it had to end. Max pulled back reluctantly and rested his forehead against mine. He kissed my nose and I felt his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. It was good to know he was as affected as I was by what should have been a simple kiss.
“Tonight. What time do you finish? I’m taking you out. No more excuses.” He offered a humbled half-smile since all the excuses came from him.
“I close at eight. Today is my late day.” Kendall didn’t work weekends so I was there from open to close. It made for a long day and by the end of Saturday I was usually ready to collapse. Even the temptation of Max wasn’t enough to boost my excitement.
“Shit, you’re not going to want to go out, are you? What if I promise you we’ll go somewhere low key and you can dress casual and someone else will wait on you for a change?”
The excitement in his voice and the hopeful look on his face were enough to make me give in. I knew I couldn’t say no to those puppy dog brown eyes and that dimple. Not to mention the man who brought them to life. And who brought me to life.
“I’ll be here at eight-thirty. Unless there’s something I can do to help you clean up?”
“Why would you want to clean up?”
“I’d do anything for you, Charlotte. I’ll be here just before eight and you can put me to work while you relax or change or shower or whatever you need to do to get ready to go. And if you want to go to dinner in what you’re wearing right now… I have no problem with that but I probably won’t be able to take my hands and lips off you when you smell like cupcakes. Then again, it won’t matter.”
I blushed, imagining Max’s hands and lips on me all night long. He caught the look on my face and his eyes darkened, the pulse in his neck fluttering. He licked his lips and took a deep breath.
“Okay, I’m getting out of here before I lock that door and drag you upstairs. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
I smiled and followed him to the door. He stopped right under the mistletoe and winked at me before leaning in to kiss me again. A rough, demanding kiss swept me off my feet and made my knees weak. He circled my waist with his arms and held me up as he ravaged my mouth, promising an amazing night.
He stepped back, letting go of me way too soon. “You’re like a drug for me. Something that makes me feel like I can do anything. I couldn’t quit you even if I wanted to.” He paused and looked down into my eyes. “Eight o’clock.”
I nodded and watched as he walked out the door. I couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the afternoon, especially when he sent me a text saying, ‘Four hours, thirty-nine minutes, and sixteen seconds until I see you again.’
Could he be any sweeter?