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Xavier bade the real estate agent goodbye and crossed another building off the list of possibilities. They hadn't been searching long, but discouragement was beginning to set in.
Respecting Ashley's request for space, he hadn't even driven by the bakery in the week since the competition. But thanks to a phone call from Katie, he knew that he didn't have a lot of time. Bliss was definitely closing for good, and Ashley's future seemed up in the air.
The clock was ticking and he was almost out of plays.
Beside him, Shane, his willing accomplice in the search, pulled up the real estate app. "There are a few new listings. Two are a little outside your budget."
He'd still be paying the bulk of the purchase himself, but having the fifty grand from his teammates would help a lot. "Let's add them to the list."
"Don't worry. We'll find something." Shane clapped him on the back. His gaze narrowed and his features tightened as he peered down the street. Xavier turned toward the source of Shane's displeasure.
Mario walked toward them with a tall woman. She smiled and went past them, and typed a code onto the door's lock box to obtain the key. "I'll meet you inside."
Mario's brows drew together. "What are you guys doing here?"
Discomfort itched between Xavier's shoulders. "We were looking at the space."
"Why?"
Shane shifted a step in front of Xavier. "It's not any of your business."
"No, but I can guess well enough. I thought you weren't helping people out anymore, Xavier. Unless that just applied to me."
The growl that came out of Shane was warning that if Mario kept talking, he'd end up having a conversation with Shane's fist. "You piece of—"
"Enough." Xavier clamped his hand on Shane's shoulder. "Mario, you know... You could be grateful that I helped you out before. Why can't that be enough?"
Cheeks red, Mario shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away.
Xavier moved until he stood in front of Shane. "I'm not done. You've treated me like shit since I said I wouldn't fund your new idea. You told me how well you're doing, so you don't actually need my help. But someone else does, and it's someone I can see myself having a future with."
"It's the baker you were in the competition with, isn't it?"
"Actually, yeah. Before you make some snide comment about how she's only after my money, she's not. Not a chance. She's the most genuine person I've ever met."
Mario rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "That wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to say that she seemed really nice. I overhead a lot of her conversation with your brothers at the 5k, and I saw the way you two looked at each other during the competition. I hope you'll be happy together. You deserve someone amazing."
He gaped at the man. Unexpected, to say the least. "Oh."
Mario shuffled forward a step and sent a wary look at Shane. Then he turned to Xavier, shoulders curled in and eyes full of sorrow. "I apologize for my behavior. Having your help would have made the second location happen without any worry at all on my part, and that wasn't right. I shouldn't have put you in that position. I shouldn't have asked in the first place. And I shouldn't have acted the way I did afterward."
It was time to put the past behind him. He missed his friend. Xavier extended his hand. "Apology accepted."
Mario returned the shake, enclosing Xavier's hand in both of his. "I know it'll take a while to regain your trust. I'll do whatever it takes. If you'll let me."
He nodded. "I'd like for us to be friends again."
Mario glanced at the building. "I'd better get in there. If you have time later, stop by the café. The coffee's on me. We can sit in the back and I can help you look for viable locations for your friend. In scouting for my second location, I've done a lot of research. I'm happy to share it, and finally do something for you."
That, right there, mended all wounds. "I'd like that."
With a wave, Mario was gone.
Shane watched him walk inside with raised brows. "Wow. I'm glad he apologized."
"Me too."
His phone rang, serenading the sidewalk with a blast of hard rock. Xavier pulled it out of his pocket. The Pro Football Daily producer's number popped up on his screen. "Hello?"
"Xavier, I'm glad I caught you. My wife and I watched the baking competition. Hell of a thing that happened in the final round. Up until then, we thought you and Ashley would win it all."
"It was my fault. I let Ashley down." No matter what people said, he'd never think otherwise.
"Ashley is the reason I'm calling. Because of what she said in the interview after round one, when she talked about why you missed your train that day. We want to schedule you for a segment. It's not co-hosting, but at least an appearance to make up for the one missed, and it'll show us a bit of what you can do. Why don't you see if Ashley wants to come on too? And bring some cupcakes. We all loved the box you sent us."
"Wow. That's great. I'm definitely interested. And I'll talk to Ashley." Even if she didn't want to talk to him or see him right now, the opportunity might help her.
After another minute of exchanging niceties and thanks for the chance, he ended the call and turned to Shane. "Two good things just happened. Let's see if we can make it three."
He wasn't losing Ashley without a fight.
* * *
Ashley stood in her apartment, surrounded by boxes. Packing up her life had been an emotional experience, weighed down by feelings of failure. She'd lost. A stupid slip and stumble, and she'd let her sister down. She'd let herself down too. But even worse, losing the bakery was like losing her mother all over again.
Loud footsteps announced Katie's arrival. "Are you sure you're okay with me going back to Chicago?"
"For the millionth time, yes." She wasn't ready to say goodbye to Katie, but she'd never hold her sister back. She tucked her keys into her pocket and picked up one of Katie's suitcases. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to the airport?"
"I'm fine," Katie assured her. "My ride will be here any minute."
They walked downstairs and around to the front of the building. Workers were already inside the bakery, dismantling her mother's dream. The Bliss Bakery logo had been scraped off the door. In its place, Blackstone's Bakery, in black and gold, gleamed. Losing her space to them, for them to use as a storage facility, dug the knife into her heart even deeper.
Katie hugged her hard. "I'll call you when I land. And you better call me if you need to talk."
"Will do. I have a few more apartments to look at later today. I'll let you know how everything goes. Worst case, I'll end up doing your couch-surfing in Chicago plan."
She still didn't know what she'd do work-wise. Baking was in her blood, but the bakeries she'd contacted weren't hiring. Pasting a smile on her face for her sister's benefit, she waved as Katie climbed into a vehicle bearing the car service's logo and watched the car until it melted into the traffic.
Deep dog barks—semi-familiar and growing louder—came from the opposite end of the block. She turned her head toward the sound. Rocky raced toward her, Xavier jogging at his side. She hadn’t seen him, nor spoken to him in the two weeks since the competition had ended. He’d respected her request for space.
The dog pulled against the leash, whining for her. Her heart softened. She crouched and ruffled his hair. "Hey there, big guy. I'm glad you didn't break through your leash this time."
She glanced up at his owner. Xavier extended his hand and helped her stand. "Hey."
"Hi." She nearly collided with his chest and jerked back, stumbling as she backed into the dog. "What are you doing here?"
His hands on her arms, grasping above her elbows, steadied her. "I needed to talk to you."
She regarded him, the way his hair ruffled in the breeze, the lines fanning around his pensive gaze, and the birds, the wind, the noise, everything in the city seemed to still, magnifying the silence between them.
He spied the fresh logo on the door. "I'm so sorry."
She dropped her gaze and stared at his worn sneakers. "I can't change what happened, and I know that getting upset over it doesn't help. But, I can't believe it's really gone." Saying the words out loud made them seem so real and so final. Suddenly cold, she shivered and crossed her arms over her chest.
His hands slowly journeyed from her elbows to her shoulders, and he gathered her into his arms. She relaxed into his embrace, soaking up comfort. The severity of how much she'd missed him hit her square in the chest. After a long moment, he eased back. "Maybe it's not gone."
Her gaze dashed up the length of his body and met emerald green determination. "What do you mean?"
Xavier caught the end of her ponytail in his fingers and leaned in, toying with the strands. "I had an idea. There's a small shop near my family's gym. It's on the same block. I thought that you could start over there. Lots of foot traffic, and it's on a busy street. It's close to a school. The bus stops right there too. I think it's a great location."
"I don't have the money to do that—"
"You still want to bake, right?"
"Well, yeah."
"Then come take a ride with me."
"Why?"
"Because Rocky and I missed you, and it's a nice day for a drive." He laced their fingers together and gently tugged. "Come on. I parked behind the building but had to run Rocky around the block a few times to wear off some of his energy."
"All right." The sunlight of his smile warmed her immediately. In the bright and cloudless day, with him by her side, her situation didn't seem quite as bleak. Her mind spun with what to say. She'd missed him. But what did she really have to offer him?
Getting away from the demolition was a good idea. She hopped into the car, happy that Rocky didn't attempt to sit in her lap. "You're going to show me the store, aren't you?"
He raised a brow and pulled onto the street. "How's your sister?"
"Worried about me, but still on her way to the airport. Her class starts soon."
"So, you're alone."
She shrugged and looked out the window. She'd been alone before, and she'd managed. Alone didn't have to mean lonely, except in her case, it did. "How's your family? Your dad?"
"He froze pieces of his birthday cake and gave some to the neighbors. He said to thank you for making him the most popular guy on the block."
"He's sweet."
They soon pulled up in front of a small, blank storefront sandwiched between a bank and a liquor store. Sure enough, his family's gym was at the end of the street. He gave her an enigmatic smile and opened his door. Sighing, she climbed out of the car. She'd humor him and peek in the shop's window. But no way could she even begin to think of a store again. No money meant no money.
He held the dog's leash secure in one hand and grasped hers with his other. "It doesn't hurt to look, right?"
"Fine. We can look in the window."
"Or we could go inside." He released her hand and dug into his pocket and produced a key. "What do you say?"
Before she could say anything, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. At a loss for words, she stepped into the space.
Light from the huge front window poured into the room, highlighting the bright white walls, shiny wooden floor, and sparkling display cases. It wasn't a shop like he'd said. It was already set up as a bakery.
She turned to him. "I don't understand. Why do you have a key?"
His smile grew wider. "Don't you want to see the kitchen?"
"Xavier." She placed her hand on his arm. "What is going on?"
"This might not be the original Bliss Bakery, but this one can be whatever you want it to be. It's yours. You don't have to worry about rent. I bought it."
Shaking her head, she backed up a step. "You can't buy me a bakery. You don't owe me anything. I can't accept it. You need to save your money for your future after football."
"It's not just me. I had some help. Remember that side bet my teammates and I had going? Tyson told us how mean Blackstone was to him throughout the competition. The guys as a unit decided to give that money to your new beginning instead. Everyone was on Team Ashley from the start."
"I can't believe it. They did that? But why?"
"Because you're important to me. Because you spent so much time taking care of your mom. Because for once, you should get to do something that's just for you and not have to worry so much about how to make it happen."
Tears stung her eyes. She lowered her gaze, unable to look him in the eye, trying to get a grip on her emotions. "I could never begin to repay you for this."
His finger raised her chin until she hadn't a choice but to look at him. "Forget that. This is a gift. I wanted to help you because I care about you. But more than that, I need you, Ashley."
"You don't have to feel obligated. I don't want your pity—"
"Pity?" His hands grabbed her shoulders. "Does this look like pity to you?" Strong fingers flexed and tightened their hold.
Ashley froze as his forceful gaze bore into her own. "I—"
"Listen, I went into that competition not expecting anything other than to have a good time with my teammates and hopefully win money for my foundation. But instead, I met a sweet, incredible woman with a heart as big as this city. You get me. We get each other. We both know what it's like to lose someone close to us. We both know how important family is. We both know that we'd do anything we could if it would help someone we loved."
She blinked, surprised and unprepared for his passionate outburst. "Xavier."
"You're a kind, caring person." His grip relaxed, softening into a caress and his voice deepened, pouring over her like warm caramel. "It's like I met you and something just clicked. My whole world got brighter and better."
The tension, the lines of worry had faded, in their place was a lightness she hadn't seen before, like sunshine after a storm. "I don't know what to say."
"Say you'll stay in my life. I can't lose you."
"I don't want to lose you, either. But I don't know what I have to offer you."
"Your heart. Your time. Your company." He punctuated each suggestion by pressing a kiss to the back of her hand.
She held him close and glanced around the store. "I'd gladly give you as much of them as you want. But this seems like so much."
"It's a family business. For you, your sister. My family will be in here all the time. My teammates, too. And me. Maybe I've been chasing the wrong dream for after my playing days. Spending time with you has shown me that."
With every word he spoke, her smile spread wider. "You want to bake with me?"
"I really like the idea of us building something together. If you'll have me."
Warmth radiated as happiness overflowed. "If I'll have you? No if about it. Just don't make a mess in my kitchen."
"I'm already picturing decorating you in frosting and slowly licking it off."
Ashley swayed toward him and the promise in his voice. "No one has ever done anything like this for me."
"You deserve it." He brushed his hand through her hair. "So, you'll say yes? You'll let me help you get going here? There's an apartment upstairs, so you have a place to stay."
The future was bright and sparkling with possibilities. "This seems too good to be true."
"It is true. I'm in this for the long haul." With a gentle hand and tender gaze, he cupped her cheek. "I love you, Ashley."
Staggered by his admission, Ashley clutched his shirt. Afraid she was dreaming, she bit the inside of her lip. Pain registered, as real as the man standing before her. Thrilled, she slipped her arms around his neck, locking them together. "I love you, too."
Arms banding around her, he briefly closed his eyes, then lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers. For a long moment, Ashley held on, allowing herself to dream. Visions of happy times spent in this new space, of crafting new recipes, of love and laughter, family and friends. Her mother's legacy would continue.
Xavier drew in a breath. He angled his head back and smiled. "I promise I'll do my best to make you happy."
"We'll make each other happy." Gazing into his eyes, she shifted onto her toes and met his waiting lips. "I can't wait to see what we create together."
