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“Yes. I like women.” I smirk. Is Lainey really trying to flirt with me?
“That’s cool.” I don’t ask her if she’s into women. It’s obvious by the way she’s acting but I don’t say that.
“I s-should get back behind the counter.”
“There’s no one looking for help,” I point out.
“D-do you want me to stay?”
“Your company is nice.” I smile.
“Thank you, but really I should, um, get back,” Lainey says nervously.
“Okay.” I nod.
Lainey looks like she’s going to say something, perhaps ask me something, but then thinks better of it and closes her mouth. She drops her dishes off and heads back behind the counter just before a large rush comes in. I can’t help it, I decide to start drawing her. Fuck, there is just something about her and how unknowingly beautiful she is that makes me want to capture her. Immortalize her in my art even if no one but me is ever going to see it. I take out my Apple Pencil and get drawing. When my hand eventually begins to cramp, I decide to call it a day. I’ve been here until almost closing anyway. I wave goodbye to Lainey and head to my car that’s been parked out front all day long.
Before pulling out, I stop to stretch out my hand and pick the music for the drive home. Although I live close by, I want a nice few songs to listen to and not be stuck on some random playlist. I’m picking the music when I see a guy hanging out by the front entrance of Cinnamon Roll Saviors. He’s got this hoodie and ball cap on that makes him look like Joe fromYou. Which is creeping me out more because the way he’s peering into the bakery instead of just going inside is freaking me out. I decide to wait a few minutes and see what he’s doing before I leave. Lainey is the last one in the bakery with only that old man reading his newspaper. I reach for my phone and accidentally hit my brights, shining in the guys face and causing Lainey to look out too. He quickly scurries away down the block as I turn off my brights. Lainey looks confused for a moment and then goes back to what she’s doing so I decide she’s safe for me to get going. I don’t want to seem like a stalker here on my own. So I take off in the direction of home and try not to think about the beautiful barista and how melty she makes me feel inside.
CHAPTER5
LAINEY
I am exhaustedafter my shift today. It was like a never ending line of customers that all seemed to want whatever we were out of. It was frustrating and exhausting to say the least. The most exciting part of my day was my daily five minute encounter with Carter. Something about her walking in, ordering coffee and a pastry, always seems to make my morning. Jen says I was majorly crushing on her, but I still am confused about it. I have never felt this way about another woman before. It’s not like I haven’t noticed women’s beauty, but this goes beyond how beautiful Carter is. It is like we have this connection. But it is also probably one sided because no matter how much I flirt with her, she never seems to make a move. I know, I know, I could make the first move. But the thought of doing so makes my stomach shrink.
“Are you home yet? I have to go walk Milo,” Jen says on the other end of the phone. Fuck, I forgot she was still there.
“Yeah, I’m opening my front door right now.” Ever since I had seen that weird figure outside the bakery, I’ve been calling Jen on my way home. She stays on with me until I get inside and then we say goodbye. She hangs up to go walk her puppy, Milo, and I flick on all the lights in my apartment.
I live alone, which can get kind of lonely, but I work too many hours to think about getting a pet and am too raw from Steve to think about being in a relationship. Would Carter want to be in a relationship anyway? She strikes me as more of a one night stand kind of person. Something about her doesn’t scream relationships, but maybe I am wrong. I mean, I barely know her outside her coffee order.
There’s a knock at the front door, and I use the Ring camera app on my phone to see who it is. I almost jump out of my skin when I see that it’s Steve. I think about pretending I’m not home, but as soon as I think that he’s calling through the door, “I see your car Lainey, I know you’re home. Just open the door.”
I still feel unsafe around him, but I don’t want him to hang out there all night. I mean I have neighbors after all. I call Jen back but she doesn’t pick up, probably out for her walk with Milo. I don’t blame her for not bringing her phone with her. There’s another pounding on the door.
“Come on, Lainey!” He sounds angry, and the last thing I want to do is wait for him to get even angrier.
“What is it?” I call through the door.
“I’m not talking through the damn door, Lainey, just open up.” He sounds calmer so I take a deep breath, grab my key, and open the door just enough for me to slip outside. I close the front door behind me and he looks at me confused.
“You’re not going to invite me in?”
“No, we can discuss anything you want to say out here.” The truth is Idohave nosey neighbors and if he wants to talk, we can talk where they can hear and see everything.
“Fine. I came to say that this little break we took is over. I want you back and I’m tired of playing these games with you.”
“It’s not a game and it wasn’t a break,we broke up,” I clarify.
“I don’t think that we did.”
“That’s funny because I think that we did.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Come on, it was a stupid fight. You said things you didn’t mean, I did things I didn’t mean.”
“Youhitme, Steve.” I whisper the word like it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Probably because it does. It’s not a sentence I ever expected to have to say out loud.
“Again with this nonsense! No, I didn’t.” He growls. Here he is, gaslighting me again. Only this time I am not falling for it. I know what happened and I’m not going to let it go.
