Page 16 of Heartbreaker

“Hello, so my daughter loves the chocolate bark with the popping candy in it,” he tells Taylor.

The little girl looks at me. “You know that’s my favourite too.” I give her a smile.

“It’s my Uncle Jacky’s too. He always eats mine,” she says looking at the door as another customer walks in.

“Do they have any sweetheart?” The woman asks giving the man a kiss on the cheek.

What is going on? I rewind all the times I’ve seen them together to see where I went wrong with everything, then my eyes look down at her stomach.

“Congratulations.” I turn to the little girl. “Are you excited to be a big sister?” I ask her.

“Yes, I want them to be girls, but Uncle Jacky wants one of them to be a boy.” She smiles, and I can’t help but smile with her.

“Double congratulations to you then.” I wrap some of the bark in paper and place it in the bag. “Would you like anything else?” I ask them.

“Some of the hot chocolate powder.” The woman walks to the show case and looks through them.

The man looks at me and smiles. “I can see it, but you're not his normal type,” he says, then looks at his daughter who whispers something in his ear, and he starts laughing.

“Whose type?” I ask. In my head it's all coming together, but I really don’t want to make the same mistake again.

“My brother. I think you’ve met him. The gay one with the daughter,” he says and starts laughing.

His wife comes back over and hits him in the shoulder. “Don’t be mean, it was a very easy mistake, you two are very friendly, and then with the news and you getting drunk and you know you’re Mr ‘I Love Everyone’ when you're drunk,” she tells him with a grin and a nudge to the belly. She turns to me. “Hello I’m Sadie and this is Jake, Jackson’s brother.” She points to her husband.

“Very nice to meet you.” I look down at the tub of hot chocolate. “I’m sorry, it was…” I stop talking because at this very moment, I have no words, I’m so embarrassed that I don’t want to look at them.

“I think it’s hilarious.” Jake starts laughing again.

“Ignore him,” Sadie says. “I do.” And she winks at me.

I give them both a smile and place the bag on the counter, and I can hear Taylor laughing quietly behind me. She is not going to let me hear the end of this.

Grabbing the bag Jake smiles. “Hope to see you around, Ashley,” he says, and they all leave.

As soon as the door shuts, Taylor bursts out laughing. I turn, and she is half on the floor, holding her stomach. “That was brilliant. Oh my God, I can’t even begin to tell you how funny this is,” she says as her knees hit the floor from laughing.

Grabbing a chocolate heart, I throw it at her. “Shut up,” I tell her. She is completely unmoved by my withering glare, in fact she laughs harder.

Turning around I serve the customer that has walked in, and Taylor finally stops laughing. I really thought he was gay, how wrong was I?

“I think someone deserves a date,” Taylor says waving the phone in front of me.

Taking the phone from her, I walk to the other side of the counter, and scroll to his name and send a message.

Ashley: So, you’re not gay.

Jackson: Like I said. So now do I get that date?

Ashley: Anywhere I want?

Jackson: As long as I get to go with you :)

Ashley: We are going to the park festival on Friday, would you like to join me?

Jackson: Yes, would love too.

I put the phone back in my pocket and walk into the back room before Taylor can start asking questions. Why do I feel guilty? I’m not dating Sexy Singer, I don’t even know what he looks like, but… I take my phone out.

Sexy Singer: Remember that guy I told you about? Well I agreed to go on a date with him on Friday, but I don’t know if it’s the right things to do while talking to you too.