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“There’s my favorite girl. I was beginning to worry that you had found another bakery and I’d have to eat that chocolate sprinkle cupcake all by myself.”
“Aunt Winnie had to pick me up from school because Daddy had meetings. Can I have chocolate milk with my cupcake?” She beamed hopefully at me and her aunt.
“Absolutely, in fact that sounds delicious. I think I’ll have one, too.” Winnie winked at her niece.
“Why don’t you go grab a table and I’ll come over with your milk and cupcakes?” I rose to my feet and went back behind the counter to grab their snacks. I paused as another customer came in, but Benji shooed me away and I threw him a grateful smile.
Placing the plates down in front of them, I took the chair next to Daisy and smiled as she immediately dug in, sprinkles flying everywhere. A glance at Winnie showed that half of her cupcake was already gone as well. “Slow down, you two, I don’t want you getting sick.”
“Oh my God, it’s so good,” crumbs fell out of Winnie’s mouth as her eyes rolled back in her head.
It never got old for me, watching people enjoy the food I made. Winnie finished before Daisy and sat back, rubbing her hand over the bump that strained against her t-shirt.
Having my bakery was a dream come true but my deepest desire was to have a family of my own. To love someone unconditionally and to be loved just as strongly. I knew that a lot of people my age didn’t feel the same way, but they hadn’t grown up the way I had either. There was no love in that dirty trailer, it had never been a home.
Daisy’s sweet, messy face helped me shake off the dark thoughts. “Here,” I grabbed a napkin off the table, “let me help you, honey.”
I wiped chocolate frosting from her cheeks and lips before whispering conspiratorially, “I bet if you go ask Benji, he’ll let you help behind the counter.” She squealed in delight and ran from the table. Benji adored Daisy as much as I did and he immediately pulled over a stool so that she could reach the counter to talk to the customers.
“You’re really good with her,” Winnie said, causing my attention to return to her.
“Daisy’s special, I like spending time with her.”
“She is and she likes spending time with you, too. When I picked her up today, she made me promise that I’d bring her here. Telling me how she couldn’t possibly miss her snack date with Lily.”
“That girl does love her sweets.”
“She does, but I think she wanted to see you more. Daisy talks about you all the time. My brother doesn’t date, you know.”
I frowned at the sudden change of subject. I liked knowing that Grayson wasn’t going out with women every night, but at the same time disappointment flooded me. A small part of me had held onto the hope that he would ask me out one day. I’d never been on a date before and whenever I pictured one now, it was Grayson showing up at my door.
“Let me clarify, Daisy’s his whole world,” she continued. “When he found out he had a kid on the way, he devoted his life to taking care of her and making her happy. Daisy’s mother has never been in the picture and he didn’t want to risk another woman abandoning her in the same way. I’ve never seen him flirt and I’ve certainly never seen him purposely have his daughter spend time with anyone outside of our family. Yet he brings her here every day.”
Her head tilted to the side and she pursed her lips, tapping her index finger against them. My nose scrunched in confusion.
Winnie threw her hands up in the air, “I’m saying that I think my big, dumb brother likes you. I haven’t forgotten the two of you making out in front of us on our spa day, so I’d like to know why we aren’t going on double dates yet?” She crossed her arms and rested them on her belly, a scowl marring her face.
“I-I don’t know? We aren’t together, Winnie. Nothing has happened between us since that day, I think it was just a heat of the moment thing.” Winnie had no idea what had actually taken place at the spa between me and Grayson and there was no way I was going to tell her that he had done more than kiss me. “He brings Daisy here in the afternoons to get a treat, that’s all.”
“My brother isn’t a ‘heat of the moment’ kind of guy, Lily. He plans, he makes lists, he prepares for a million different outcomes, he…” she stopped mid-sentence and jumped out of her chair faster than I thought a woman that pregnant could. “I’m sorry, I just remembered I had something I needed to do. Daisy, time to go, sweet potato!”
Daisy came running over and gave me a hug goodbye as Winnie shooed her out of the door quickly. I stared at the door for the second time that day, my mind spinning, wondering what had just caused Winnie to leave so urgently.
I thought about what she’d said the rest of the afternoon as Benji and I cleaned up and made preparations for tomorrow. If Grayson liked me as Winnie had mentioned, then why the hell wasn’t he doing something about it? The more I thought, the more irritated I became. Benji had asked why I hadn’t made a move but I wanted to know why Grayson hadn’t.
Once I locked up and Benji was headed home, I found myself stomping next door to the Falls Security office. I was going to get my answers and I was getting them right now.
8
GRAY
Ihung up the phone slightly harder than necessary and massaged my forehead, trying to will away the headache that was brewing.
A knock on my office door had me reluctantly opening my eyes to find Kane walking in and taking a seat on the sofa that lined one wall of my office. “I’m guessing by the look on your face that the call with Special Agent Greggs didn’t go well.”
I laughed humorlessly; Special Agent David Greggs was a fucking asshole. But he was an asshole who was in charge of the interagency task force that we were assisting. He resented the hell out of us because we were hired by his bosses and he was just narcissistic enough that he didn’t think he needed the help.
“That’s an understatement. He informed me that by the time the search warrant was issued, the house had already been vacated and wiped down. We’re back at square one.”
