AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, shit,” Lauren groaned against Sylvie’s insatiable mouth. “I could get used to that.”
Sylvie grinned, her racing heart agreeing with Lauren.
“Come on in before Officer Friendly finds us again,” Lauren joked. “How was your stop to the airport? Amazing job on getting that spot, by the way. I think every bakery in South Florida put in a bid.”
“Yeah, but they weren’t willing to overpay as much as we were,” Sylvie admitted, setting the box on the large sterling silver work table in the kitchen.
Washing her hands, Lauren glanced over her shoulder. “How much are you paying in rent?”
“Let’s just say it’s our highest volume location, but the margins are razor thin.” Sylvie opened the box and pulled out a chocolate croissant. “It’s done wonders for our social media presence, though.”
Lauren dried her hands before accepting the pastry. “Hey, at least you finally have a social media presence.”
Sylvie slid onto a stool. “You have no idea the knock-out, drag-out fight that was in my house. My parents were so against tainting the brand. They make me look like an anarchist.” She chuckled. “At least it wasn’t as big an argument as joining delivery services.”
“Oh, my parents were against that too, until I showed them the numbers. We have to compete. Modernize or die.” Lauren sat as she took a bite of the best croissant in the state. “Oh my God, that’s amazing. Where is this from?” She closed the lid on the box to see the bakery’s name.
The harrowing drive downtown had been worth it, Sylvie decided with a satisfied grin. “What until you try the quiche. You’re going to lose your mind.”
As they chatted about business, Sylvie was struck by a sudden and horrifying fear. She wiped her mouth with a napkin as she glared at Lauren. “Is this all an elaborate scheme to worm information out of me? Steal my secrets?”
Lauren paused in the middle of chewing her artichoke and sun-dried tomato quiche. Her dark eyes filled with a combination of horror and hesitant amusement. She swallowed. “You’re kidding, right?”
Sylvie tilted her head as she pondered whether she was serious or not. “I don’t know.” She narrowed her eyes as if she could detect deceit if she strained hard enough. “What are your intentions?”
Lauren’s face hardened. “Sylvia—”
“Okay—”
“Do you seriously think I’m faking this with you? For what?” Lauren’s neck flushed with color. “How long do we have to do this?”
Sylvie winced. “Okay. Okay. I’m sorry, okay? It’s hard to let go of old patterns.”
Lauren dropped her shoulders and watched Sylvie as if trying to piece together her thoughts. “We’re going to have to do this, aren’t we?”
“Do what?”
“Talk this out.” Lauren crossed one leg over the other and leaned back against the metal table. “Let’s do this. Let out all your tightly wound Sylvie thoughts.”
“How long have you thought I was tightly wound?” Sylvie replied, trying to sound offended.
“I can’t remember. Did we meet in kindergarten or pre-k?” Lauren smirked. “Come on,” she reached out and took Sylvie’s hand. “Talk to me. Let out all your worries and we’ll tackle them one at a time.”
A smile formed of it’s own accord on Sylvie’s mouth. “Why are you talking to me like you’re a crisis negotiator and I’m surrounded at a bank holdup gone wrong?”
“You said it, not me,” Lauren responded playfully. “Now, for real. Let’s hash this out so we can get over it. I want to be with you. I want to date you. Get to know all sides of you. And I get that you might not believe that because of how crappy we’ve been to each other in the past.”
“How do you know I’m not messing with you, huh? What if this is a long con and I’m going to laugh in your face in the end?” Sylvie’s heart dropped into her stomach as she realized she’d given voice to her deepest fear. Her fear of being a fool.
“I don’t know that, Sylvie. I guess you could be doing that.” She slid off the stool and stood between Sylvie’s parted thighs. “All I can do is trust you.” She ran her fingers through Sylvie’s hair. “What I do know is that when I kiss you. . . it doesn’t feel like a lie. It feels like the most real thing I’ve experienced in my entire life.”
Speechless, Sylvie’s chest expanded to bursting. She reached up, taking Lauren’s face gently in her hands. “That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Lauren smiled softly. “Well, it’s the truth.”
With a racing heart and trembling hands, Sylvie nodded. “I think I almost believe you.”
Lines creased into the skin around Lauren’s eyes as her smile brightened. It was contagious, sending Sylvie’s heart soaring as she tilted her chin up.
