AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m considering the sweet treats as an olive branch, an apology of sorts because I took things too far with him. I used him in a way that devalued what we previously had, and he made it more than clear last night that he was no longer interested. He didn’t wrap his hand around my throat. He didn’t demand I pull his boxers off after I convinced him to take his shoes and pants off.
I feel like I violated him in some way.
We’re supposed to be friends, yet we’re no longer friends at all.
We don’t do the friend thing any longer.
I don’t wait at the bar for him. He didn’t join me last night for dinner with my parents. He has made up more excuses in the last two weeks about having to work that it’s been a little obvious that he doesn’t want to spend time with me. I have no clue why he showed up last night. Maybe he wanted something from me and then changed his mind, but that’s not something we do. He’s normally very considerate of the fact that I have to get up so early in the morning to prep the bakery for opening.
Despite knowing that we’ll never be able to get back what we once had, I also know I can’t just leave things as they are. After waking up to awkwardness this morning, that included Cash not being able to look me in the eye, I decided that I still have to fight for whatever dregs of our friendship we might be able to salvage.
I nearly drop the cupcakes while trying to wrangle the lock on the front door of the bakery. Wouldn’t that be a sign of how things are going?
My car is asphalt hot when I drop down inside, forcing me to roll down my windows and turn up the air conditioner. Only during the summers here in Texas do I wish I lived anywhere else but here. I don’t want to get away from the town so much as I just want to pick the whole thing up and move it a thousand miles north where it stays a little cooler.
With the awkwardness that I know is coming, I let the fantasy of living in a place where no one knows me settle inside a little too easily.
The police station is only a couple blocks down the road, but my own need for safety has me backing out into the right lane rather than whipping my car around to face the other direction. This has me going three full blocks before turning back onto Main Street to pull in front of the police station.
There’s no point in sitting in the car because the massive paned glass window provides those inside the front office with a complete view of the street.
I wave to Chandler from my car as he stands up from behind the desk he was sitting at when I pull up.
My frown is unmistakable when I climb out and grab the cupcakes.
“I was hoping you were bringing us something,” he says, opening the front door to the department for me, as I stand to my full height and nudge the door shut with my hip.
“Just don’t judge me based on the way this heat is making the icing droop.”
“I’ll still eat them,” he says, licking his lips as he looks at the cupcakes through the cellophane window of the box. “I’ll let Cash know that you’re here. I’m sure he and Eastyn would love one of these.”
In my head I tell myself that I don’t have time to stop him before he knocks on Cash’s office door, but the mention of someone else makes me too curious. I peer around Chandler’s body when he pushes the office door open.
The dark set of wavy, brown hair tells me I was wrong in my hopes that Eastyn was a guy’s name.
The woman turns in her chair, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Chandler, before swinging past him to meet mine. Her expression doesn’t change, but for some reason, I hate her immediately.
First off, I don’t recognize her, and being an outsider already has the power to get my hackles up. This town has already lost too much to people who think they can come here unchecked.
Secondly, why in the world would they need privacy in his office? Chandler would have access to any reports written about her, so there’s no point in trying to have such a private conversation.
When my eyes dart in Cash’s direction, my heart threatens to break into a million tiny pieces. He’s not looking at me. He’s looking at her, a soft smile on his face.
“Adalynn brought cupcakes,” Chandler says, throwing his thumb back over his shoulder to indicate me.
Cash’s eyes are still slow to leave the woman sitting across from me.
My mind races with memories. Is she an old flame? Have they been dating? Did he come over last night to tell me that he can no longer donate his sperm to my cause because he’s finally found someone he wants to date? Did I ruin it with my tears and desperation?
I hold my head a little higher, a smile I’ve perfected over the years in place. From the corner of my eye, I catch the falter in Cash’s smile when he looks in my direction.
“They’re just some leftovers,” I explain. “I can see you’re busy.”
“Adalynn,” Cash says as I turn away. “Come meet Eastyn Hart. She’s going to be our new office manager.”
My heart races with the urgency to run from here and never darken this door as long as I live, but common courtesy has me facing them once again and walking toward the woman, with my hand out.
“Adalynn Tate,” I tell her, hating that my hand is even remotely sweaty as she shakes it.
