He was silent for a minute before he gave me a smile that was real and fragile, stripped of its usual sharp edges. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest. “Me too.”
I leaned toward him and he leaned in as well, and we kissed.
It wasn’t anything like the passionate kisses we normally shared, full of heat and sharp edges, and it didn’t last long, but it meant something. It meant apology accepted. It meant understanding. It meant choosing a new beginning. And then, when it was over, Chase grinned and leaned in for a second hungrier kiss, and we both jumped like scalded cats when someone knocked on the window.
Tyler had his face pressed against it, one hand cupped around his eyes. “Hey, guys?” he said, his voice muffled by the glass. “Not to cockblock, but are you coming into work any time soon?”
I cracked the window an inch. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute. Go start the ovens.”
Tyler looked between us and his brow creased. “Wait. Are you guys gonna be one of those on-again, off-again couples? Because if you are, I’m gonna need a group chat with updates, just so I’m kept in the loop.”
It was a fair question, and I was still considering how to answer when Chase cleared his throat and said, “We’re not.” His hand tightened on mine for a second.
Tyler’s gaze cut to me for confirmation, and I nodded. “We’re good.”
“Great,” Tyler said. He slapped the roof of the truck. “See you inside.”
Once he’d gone, Chase said, “We’re not going to be one of those couples.”
He said it like he was reassuring himself. Maybe reassuring me too. And I believed him, because Chase might have been scared but he was also brave as hell, and anyone would be a fool to bet against that.
It was a good day.
“Extra peanut butter cookies today, boss?” Tyler asked as he cut the rolls of dough for the oven. “Chase’s favorite.”
“Shut up,” I said, but of course he made extra.
Chase was in a good mood too, even with the customers. I came out to reload the display case just as he was waving a few of them off with a smile.
“Were those people from the church you hate?” I asked. There was no mistaking the Laura Ashley knockoffs.
He nodded as he wiped down the tray of the espresso machine.
“Wow, and you let them buy stuff? I thought you banned them.”
Chase shrugged. “Well, since they made sure to tell me that they wouldn’t tell Wilder’s asshole dad they’d been here, I figured they deserved a second chance.” I was about to say something about how didn’t we all, and he and I were proof of that, when he gave an evil smirk and said, “We’re bringing them down from the inside, one cupcake at a time. I’m gonna need you to put rainbow frosting on everything you can,” he said. “Can you imagine that fucker’s face when he busts one of them eating a gay cake from this bakery? I want him to have an aneurysm.”
Which was also a sentiment I could get behind, actually.
“I will gay up any cakes you want, Chase,” I said, leaving him grinning as I went back to the kitchen.
Tyler and I talked the usual shit we did as we worked, and the hours passed quickly. When it was time for Chase’s lunch break, Tyler took over out front, and Chase crowded me up against the wall of the walk-in and kissed me until we were both breathless. Kissing Chase felt both familiar and exciting. I could have kissed him for hours, except he needed to eat. I pushed him gently away.
“Hey,” I said as I leaned back against a bag of flour. “Wanna do something tonight?”
Chase grinned, and there was a wicked edge to it. “You could fuck me.”
I laughed. “I was thinking dinner with my family. Sam’s making gnocchi, but fair warning, she’s never made it before.”
“What’s gnocchi?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.
“It’s like potato dumplings,” I said. “It’s Italian.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. Whatever.”
There was the old Chase, shit scared of being invited to be a part of my family for the evening and pretending he wasn’t. But I’d take his “I guess” and “whatever” over a refusal any time. Because he had still agreed to come, and if he had to pretend it wasn’t a big deal for him so that he could protect whatever feelings he was having about it, then that was okay.
