“Summer?” she says my name again, her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”
I shove some flyaway strands of hair behind my ear as I walk toward her. I check both ways before crossing the street and stop in front ofher. “I don’t know,” I respond with a shrug. That’s the best I can do.
She purses her lips before giving me a small smile. “Come inside.” She doesn’t wait for a response, just turns on her heel and waltzes back into the bakery.
I follow along behind her, and the smell of baked goods is significantly stronger here, causing my stomach to riot in protest that I haven’t already grabbed the nearest piece of bread and stuffed it into my face.
I rub the back of my neck while Juliet turns to me and leans against the counter, crossing her arms as she waits for me to explain my sudden appearance at her place of work.
I look around the bakery, too anxious to meet her inquiring gaze. The walls are a light shade of blue, the color of the sky right as the sun disappears but before the stars start to show. The hardwood floors are a pale, sun-bleached brown; there’s a mural on one wall depicting beautiful waves crashing against golden sand beneath a breathtaking starry night, with a crescent moon high in the corner. I don’t remember the mural being there when Asher and I visited.
“That’s beautiful,” I murmur.
She glances toward the painting before looking back at me. “Thanks, a friend painted it.”
Her calm, dark brown eyes meet mine, waiting patiently. The sunlight filters in through the window and makes them look like melted chocolate. Despite how beautiful I think her eyes are, she holds me in her gaze with steadfast intensity. She blinks, adding to my nerves.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I just moved here, and I don’t know anyone, but for some reason I wanted to come see you. I know that that’s crazy, but I felt like I knew you just a little bit, and driving twenty minutes out of the way to be around someone that I even remotely knew sounded more appealing than sitting alone in my new shitty apartment.” I ramble.
“You want a cupcake?” Juliet asks, her voice soft and sweet, just like powdered sugar. There’s nothing but kindness shining in her chocolate brown eyes. No judgment, no disapproval. Nothing but kindness.
“Yes,” I answer.
If I can’t see him, I just want to be near someone who might remind me of him. This is the closest I’ll get to Asher Stirling.
Juliet rounds the counter, standing behind the display case. “What’s your poison?” she questions as she slides the glass door open.
I look over the dozen different assortments of cupcake flavors, chewing on my lower lip as I debate which one sounds good. Knowing Juliet’s baking, I bet any of these flavors would heal my soul.
“Here,” Juliet offers, deciding for me. “Try this one, it’s something new I’ve been trying.”
Juliet hands me a cupcake with caramelized sugar on top instead of regular frosting. I carefully unwrap the treat. Juliet nervously straightens her apron while she waits for me to take the first bite.
And when I do…
Mother of God. This cupcake is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
The sugar topping breaks apart, and my teeth sink into sweet custard before finally reaching the moist, vanilla cake. And when I chew, I realize that there is some kind of raspberry filling in the middle that makes me want to eat a hundred more cupcakes. As all the flavors rush into a beautiful symphony along my taste buds, I realize she made crème brûlée cupcakes.
“Juliet,” I say, completely serious, mouth still half-full as I hide my chewing behind my hand. “These might be better than sex.”
“Considering the last sex you had was with my brother, I’d prefer we compare it to something else,” she laughs.
I shake my head, already stuffing another bite into my mouth. “No. There’s nothing else my brain can compare it to right now.”
She giggles again and closes the display case after swiping a cupcake for herself. She walks me to the corner of the shop, where cute navy armchairs sit around small tables that look like driftwood that washed up on the beach. We both plop down, enjoying the sweets in comfortable silence.
“Why are you here, Summer?” Juliet finally inquires after both of our wrappers are empty on the table in front of us.
My mouth suddenly feels dry, and I want to blame it on the cupcake, but I know it’s not that. “I, um, I transferred,” I stutter out. “I’m going to finish up my graduate program at Monterey Bay Institute of Psychology.”
Juliet purses her lips, but I can tell by the way her eyes cloud over that the news isn’t surprising, but it is disappointing. “Asher told me about the pictures,” she says by way of explanation.
“Ah,” I sigh with an awkward nod. “Not my finest moment.” I laugh, but it comes off sounding incredibly self-deprecating. “I really didn’t mean to get him in trouble, Juliet, I swear.”
She leans forward and places her hand on mine. “I didn’t think you did,” she replies kindly. “I know how much both of you care for each other. It sounds like maybe someone else just wasn’t one of your biggest fans.”
An image of Matt’s face flashes in my mind, bringing my anger back to the surface. If it weren’t for him, Asher and I would still be together in Seattle, and I wouldn’t be deeper in debt and having to retake courses I’ve already completed.
