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"Merde," I whisper, feeling the heat radiating from more than just the stove. It's not just Etienne who stirs this storm inside me, though. There's also Bastien, his protectiveness a balm to my frayed nerves, his touch as gentle as a lover's caress.
"Two men..." I muse aloud, the notion both thrilling and terrifying. Can one heart truly hold love for two? And if so, is there room enough for all the complications that come with such a thing?
In the midst of my musings, the sizzle of the beignets pulls me back to reality. I flip them in the oil, their golden brown crusts glistening beneath the kitchen lights. The bakery is my haven, and for now, it keeps the chaos at bay. But for how long?
"There are more important things in life than...than two men," I admonish myself again, watching the beignets puff up like little pillows of heaven. "Like beignets and bread and pastries."
And so, with flour-dusted hands and a heavy heart, I continue to bake. The beignets pile high on the counter, but my thoughts remain entwined with Bastien and Etienne, their presence as intoxicating as the sugar-sweet air that surrounds me.
My heart races as I imagine a life with both Bastien and Etienne, two men whose love could be as consuming as the flames that dance on the stovetop. Is it possible? Could I truly hold onto them both without breaking?
As if to answer my silent question, the bells above the bakery door chime, their sweet melody snapping me back to reality.
"Bonjour," I call out automatically, turning from the stove to see who's entered my sanctuary.
"Hello, Lisette," comes an unexpected voice, one that carries the weight of years spent apart. My Uncle Jules stands in the doorway, his eyes filled with worry and pain. It's been so long since he left New Orleans, escaping this world of danger to forge a new path.
"U-uncle?" I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
"Chère fille, we need to talk," he says, his voice trembling with emotion. He steps inside, and I can see the tension in him, as if he's been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for far too long. He is not my father, but he and my aunt raised me after my parents were killed. He looks around at the bakery for a moment, as if lost in memories. My aunt ran it for decades before she willed it to me.
It was the one thing they ever argued about. Uncle Jules wanted to leave New Orleans, to escape somewhere safe. My aunt could never leave the bakery. She left it to me when she died. He begged me to sell.
Something must be wrong if he’s come back to town. He never returns, ever.
"About what?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest. Is he here to take me away from this life, from the men whose love has ensnared my heart?
"Your safety, Lisette," he replies, his gaze never leaving mine. "I've heard things... about your involvement with the mafia, with the Badeaux and LeBoeuf families. I don't want what happened to your best friend to happen to you."
I swallow hard, memories of my lost friend flooding my thoughts. The pain is still raw, still fresh. But I can't abandon my home, my bakery, everything I've worked so hard for.
"New Orleans is my home," I say with determination. "This bakery, it's my life."
"Please, Lisette," he implores, desperation in his eyes. "Leave this place. Come with me. I can protect you."
"Can you?" I ask, tears welling up in my eyes. "Can you protect my heart too?"
"Your heart?" he echoes, confusion etched on his face.
"Oui," I whisper, a tear slipping down my cheek. "I've fallen for two men, and I don't know how to choose between them. But I can't leave them behind. I can't abandon the love they've shown me, no matter how dangerous it may be."
"Chère fille," he murmurs, pulling me into a tight embrace. His warmth surrounds me, but it cannot quell the storm raging within my heart. "No, that is not a problem I can solve. I just want you to be safe."
"Je sais," I reply, my voice muffled by his chest. "But sometimes safety comes at a price. And I'm not willing to pay that price anymore."
As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms, I know there's no turning back. My heart belongs to Bastien and Etienne, and I must face whatever dangers lie ahead alongside them.
"No," I assert, trembling like the flickering flame of a candle. "I won't leave my home, my bakery...my heart."
"Chérie, the mafia is dangerous," Jules pleads, his eyes filled with fear. "They will destroy everything you hold dear. They've already taken so much from us."
"I know," I admit, my voice strained as I fight back tears. "But I can't run away. I have to stand my ground and protect what's mine."
"Even if it costs you your life?" he asks, pain lacing his words.
"Oui," I whisper, swallowing hard. "I've made my choice, and I won't let them win."
Jules regards me with sadness, his shoulders drooping in resignation. He pulls me into a final embrace before leaving the bakery, the door closing behind him with a hollow echo. I sink to the floor, my sobs filling the empty space around me, drowning in the confusion that engulfs me.
