chance, Frankie. Geez, you’re uptight.”
“I am not!”
“Look, it’s my job to say things you don’t want to hear. So here it goes; you haven’t even tried to have a meaningful relationship since Hawke. You just look for quick fixes with hunky guys. That would be fine, but I know you aren’t happy.”
“Says who?”
“I can just tell,” Marie said. “I’m not telling you to pledge forever with the next guy in your bed, but at least have an open mind to it.”
I knew she was right even though I wouldn’t admit it.
“The four of us should do something together. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
“That’s sad you have to make that promise.” I glared at her as I spoke.
“Hey, you embarrass me all the time in front of Axel.”
“He’s my brother—it’s different.”
“Whatever.” She threw a fry at me.
I threw the fry back at her. “Whatever to you.”
She sipped her lemonade then a grin stretched on her lips. “So…how big is his package?”
“Oh my god. I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask that.”
“What?” she asked. “I’m just curious.”
“It’s very nice. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“Nicer than Hawke’s?”
My smile immediately fell at the mention of Hawke. I didn’t compare other guys to him. In fact, I refused to let myself think about him at all. Those memories were sacred to me. The nights we spent together were full of passion and love, nothing like what I had now. Nothing compared to that, and I refused to tarnish those memories with trash.
***
I was in the cake kitchen when there was a knock on the glass front doors. I put down my decorating tools and washed the buttercream frosting from my hands before I headed to the front.
It was 5:30 a.m. and the sun hadn’t even risen. It was still dark outside, and the lights from the city glowed like everything was on fire. When I reached the door, a man was standing near the glass. He wore running shorts and a t-shirt. It was difficult to distinguish his features, but he had the body of a Roman soldier.
“We’re closed.” I pointed to the sign hanging in the window.
He stepped back slightly so his face was visible. “It’s me.” Hawke smiled as his headphones hung around his neck. The wire moved into his pocket where his phone lay.
“Oh.” I didn’t realize it was him. I unlocked the door and opened it. “Sorry, it’s dark out there.”
“It’s okay.” He walked inside. “I know I’m tall, dark, and dangerous.” A teasing smile was on his lips.
I missed that smile . “And terrifying. If I saw you down a dark alley, I’d run.”
“You should run toward me,” he said. “Because I can protect you from truly terrifying things.” His eyes honed in on my face before he turned and examined the bakery. “It’s quiet.”
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the empty chairs in the lobby. “But don’t get used to it. In half an hour, it’ll sound like the most popular club in town.”
He chuckled. “Most businesses would kill to have your popularity.”
“And I’m not complaining,” I said quickly. “My ears are.”
He examined the lobby and the different pictures on the wall. There was a collage of photos of me and my parents, Yaya, Axel, and one of Hawke. He and I were sitting in my kitchen, and we had cupcake batter all over our faces. Marie took the picture when we least expected it, so it was candid.
Hawke stared at it for nearly two minutes.
It was an awkward situation. I could have thrown away every memory I had with Hawke and started over, but I didn’t want to forget what we had. To me, he wasn’t just another boyfriend.
He was the one.
“I can take it down if it bothers you…”
He slowly turned to me, a distant look in his eyes. “It doesn’t bother me at all.”
“I mean…you named this place. You’re important in its history.”
He nodded slightly. “And that’s a huge honor…The Muffin
“I am not!”
“Look, it’s my job to say things you don’t want to hear. So here it goes; you haven’t even tried to have a meaningful relationship since Hawke. You just look for quick fixes with hunky guys. That would be fine, but I know you aren’t happy.”
“Says who?”
“I can just tell,” Marie said. “I’m not telling you to pledge forever with the next guy in your bed, but at least have an open mind to it.”
I knew she was right even though I wouldn’t admit it.
“The four of us should do something together. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
“That’s sad you have to make that promise.” I glared at her as I spoke.
“Hey, you embarrass me all the time in front of Axel.”
“He’s my brother—it’s different.”
“Whatever.” She threw a fry at me.
I threw the fry back at her. “Whatever to you.”
She sipped her lemonade then a grin stretched on her lips. “So…how big is his package?”
“Oh my god. I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask that.”
“What?” she asked. “I’m just curious.”
“It’s very nice. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“Nicer than Hawke’s?”
My smile immediately fell at the mention of Hawke. I didn’t compare other guys to him. In fact, I refused to let myself think about him at all. Those memories were sacred to me. The nights we spent together were full of passion and love, nothing like what I had now. Nothing compared to that, and I refused to tarnish those memories with trash.
***
I was in the cake kitchen when there was a knock on the glass front doors. I put down my decorating tools and washed the buttercream frosting from my hands before I headed to the front.
It was 5:30 a.m. and the sun hadn’t even risen. It was still dark outside, and the lights from the city glowed like everything was on fire. When I reached the door, a man was standing near the glass. He wore running shorts and a t-shirt. It was difficult to distinguish his features, but he had the body of a Roman soldier.
“We’re closed.” I pointed to the sign hanging in the window.
He stepped back slightly so his face was visible. “It’s me.” Hawke smiled as his headphones hung around his neck. The wire moved into his pocket where his phone lay.
“Oh.” I didn’t realize it was him. I unlocked the door and opened it. “Sorry, it’s dark out there.”
“It’s okay.” He walked inside. “I know I’m tall, dark, and dangerous.” A teasing smile was on his lips.
I missed that smile . “And terrifying. If I saw you down a dark alley, I’d run.”
“You should run toward me,” he said. “Because I can protect you from truly terrifying things.” His eyes honed in on my face before he turned and examined the bakery. “It’s quiet.”
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the empty chairs in the lobby. “But don’t get used to it. In half an hour, it’ll sound like the most popular club in town.”
He chuckled. “Most businesses would kill to have your popularity.”
“And I’m not complaining,” I said quickly. “My ears are.”
He examined the lobby and the different pictures on the wall. There was a collage of photos of me and my parents, Yaya, Axel, and one of Hawke. He and I were sitting in my kitchen, and we had cupcake batter all over our faces. Marie took the picture when we least expected it, so it was candid.
Hawke stared at it for nearly two minutes.
It was an awkward situation. I could have thrown away every memory I had with Hawke and started over, but I didn’t want to forget what we had. To me, he wasn’t just another boyfriend.
He was the one.
“I can take it down if it bothers you…”
He slowly turned to me, a distant look in his eyes. “It doesn’t bother me at all.”
“I mean…you named this place. You’re important in its history.”
He nodded slightly. “And that’s a huge honor…The Muffin
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