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“I don’t think she was too happy about finding me here.” Sofia retreats from my lap. “Maybe I should go.”
“You don’t even want to discuss the fact that I told her we were in a relationship?” I snap running my hands through my hair and stare at Sofia who looks close to tears. She rapidly blinks them away so I try and control my temper. “I’m sorry, okay? Monica with her few words managed to ruin the morning and upset you. I get that, I really am sorry.” I take hold of her shoulders and wait till she meets my gaze. “I wasn’t lying to her when I said I was in a relationship with you. That’s what I want with you.”
“I didn’t think you wanted to put a name to it.”
“Putting a name to it makes it real and scary as fuck.” I shudder and smile. “But hearing the way Monica treated you when she knew you were with me, opened my eyes. I don’t want anyone else to mistake what we are doing. I need them to know that you’re mine and I don’t share.” I take a chance and leaning in, press a brief kiss to her lips. “Let’s get dressed and pick up breakfast to eat at your place.” I wrap an arm around her waist and lead her away. “I don’t want my sister ruining today for either of us.”
I sigh in relief when Sofia wraps her arms around my middle and rests her head on my shoulder as we move toward the bedroom. “I’d like to spend the day with you away from here and anyone who might have a problem with us being together.”
“I’m not sure what is going on with Monica, but I’ll find out because I know she likes you. She wouldn’t be singing your praises to everyone otherwise.” I kiss her on the forehead.
I’m in a relationship. I kind of like the sound of that even if I have to fight not to panic at the thought. I can do a relationship with Sofia, and try not to think of all the reasons why not, which have nothing to do with my beautiful girl, but everything to do with me. Sofia is like a breath of fresh air and after having Monica and her snide comment this morning, I realize I’ll do anything to keep her that way.
9
Sofia
Whistling away while I work, I admire the five layers of cakes to be put together soon for Monica Fletcher’s wedding. This is going to be my most amazing work and I’m excited to get started. Monica has been cooler toward me since the morning she’d found me wrapped around her brother in the kitchen.
Shane had dismissed it as a one off because Monica had only just woken up, but I don’t know. Something tells me that the girl is jealous that her brother has a girlfriend. I smile at the title. I’m his girlfriend. We’d spent the weekend together at my place and in the end it had been amazing. We’d talked, danced, laughed, watched movies, and made love repeatedly. I hadn’t wanted it to end, but unfortunately it had ended with Monday morning calling.
Shane had kissed me early this morning and headed home to shower and change into a business suit because he had a meeting downtown that he had to be presentable for. I much prefer him ruffled rather than neat as a pin.
Sighing again, I continue boxing the small cakes I have to take to the new building downtown for a large meeting they have this morning. I’d briefly wondered whether or not it was the same meeting Shane had to attend, but I don’t think it is. It would be nice to see him again even though we’d only parted a few hours ago.
“Oh, I see you’ve finished,” Marissa says, excitedly. “I don’t suppose there are any to spare.”
Chuckling, I pull out a plate with four miniature cream cakes on. “I saved you these.”
“I need these after the hangover this morning.” She pops one with a strawberry on top into her mouth, moaning and chewing. “The best decision I ever made was to give you a job.” She smiles. “This bakery wouldn’t be as popular as it is now if it wasn’t for you. I’m well aware of that. Maybe, we’ll talk after the wedding cake for the Fletcher’s has been revealed.”
“Don’t say that. You’ll make me nervous.”
She laughs. “Never. When it comes to you and your creations, I know there is nothing to worry about, and so do you. Your confidence is what a lot of pastry chefs don’t have when they’re fresh out of college. But you, your confidence in what you make is what makes it so good, and why people rely on you because they know you won’t let them down.”
“I think you need to be hung over more often, I love the praise,” I tease.
“Oh, shut up.” She sighs, eating another cake. “You know I’m only speaking the truth, but I think I’ll avoid asking about the SUV parked outside Friday and why the windows steamed up.” Marissa chuckles. My cheeks heat so much that I feel like I have a fever.
Grabbing and wetting a cloth in cold water, I dab at my cheeks hoping like heck she didn’t see what we actually did in Shane’s car. Shuddering, I pick up the three boxes of cakes and make my way out to the back of the store and into the bakery’s small van. We’re only a small work force, as in Marissa, the owner, and I. For large occasions then we have occasional staff. They’re college students who always welcome the work. Six of these workers will be helping at the wedding this weekend.
It doesn’t take me long to get to the building in town and once parked, I gingerly take the boxes from the large fridge part of the van. They’re fairly light in weight, more bulky than anything.
I’m directed to one side of the meeting room, which isn’t easy to get through with the boxes. There are a lot of people in suits and ladies in cocktail dresses milling around with champagne glasses in their hands.
It isn’t until I’ve emptied the last box of cakes onto a serving plate that I spot Shane out of the corner of my eye. I smile as I focus on him and admire him in his suit, the pale blue shirt sharp against his tanned skin. He hasn’t seen me yet and I’m glad of that when I notice the woman beside him. Veronica. She has her arm slipped through his and her other hand clings to his bicep.
My heart flips as I try not to jump to conclusions and accuse him of leaving me to take her to this function, instead of asking me along with him. Most people in the room seem to have a partner with them, which makes my head spin, and wonder.
Beneath my jacket I have on a pretty flowered dress, so at least I’m not going to stick out like a sore thumb. I need for Shane to see me, and his reaction will tell me whether or not I’m jumping to the wrong conclusion.
Moving closer through the throng of people, I come up on Shane’s opposite side to where the other woman is standing, and slipping in beside him, I reach up and kiss his cheek. “I can’t believe we’re at the same place,” I whisper into his ear, letting my hand caress down his back.
He chokes and swiftly puts space between us. “Sofia? What are you doing?”
“Shane, who is this woman, and why is she kissing you?” Veronica glares daggers at me.
“I don’t know why she’s kissing me.” Shane refuses to meet my gaze so he doesn’t see the hurt he’s just caused with his words.
