13. Aubrey
Chapter thirteen
Aubrey
The Apples family.
Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the bakery just as the delivery truck parks.
The driver nods when he sees me, and I return the acknowledgment with a tight smile.
I really wasn’t planning on dealing with him today.
I leave him to unload the supplies as I head inside but stop short when I spot a brunette behind the counter.
“Tavie? Why are you here? You’re not on the schedule until later today.” I frown, walking slowly behind the counter when she finishes up with a customer beside Jake, another employee.
“Sasha asked me to take over her shift. She’s apparently ‘sick’,” Octavia informs me, air quoting the word as she turns around to prepare a coffee for a new client.
Jake scoffs. “Yeah, sick from partying too hard last night. I follow the girl on Instagram; she was out clubbing all night.”
“Are you kidding me?” I throw my purse down on the counter, fishing out my phone. “How many times have you covered her shift this week?” Because I know it’s not the first.
“Three,” she answers while finishing with her client, then rests a hip against the edge of the counter.
“And this past month?”
“Umm, I don’t know. Maybe fifteen.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.
I know Octavia doesn’t mind the extra hours, since she needs the money for her mom, but this is just ridiculous. She’s done at least fifteen double shifts just this month. There’s nothing healthy about that and I won’t allow it any longer.
“Make that twenty more like,” Jake mutters under his breath.
“All right that’s it.” I pull up Sasha’s contact information and tap out a message, since I know she won’t answer my call. She’s one of those employees you can’t count on, but without a valid reason, I couldn’t just fire her.
When I’m done letting her know that she’s no longer an employee at One Sweet Tooth at a Time and can come into my office next week to get her final pay, I turn my attention back to Octavia. “How do you feel about taking over the day shift, Tavie? No more late nights.”
Her eyes widen and I see the excitement gleaming through them. “Really!?”
“Yup. I’ll give you tomorrow night off to recuperate from your double, but starting the next, you’re now taking over the morning shifts with Jake.” I nod, making my decision final. Seems Shane is getting his wish much sooner than planned.
“Hell yeah!” she exclaims as she turns and high-fives Jake who seems happy by the change. “But wait, what about Sasha?”
“Sasha no longer works here as of right now.”
“Damn, boss. You’re on fire!” Octavia laughs as she greets another customer.
Yeah apparently, I’m not the sweet, innocent, pushover manager anymore either. I really am improving. Good for me.
I’m still a good manager to begin with, or else I don’t think my boss would have given me the job. I’ll admit I was nervous at first, the shy me wasn’t sure I’d be up for bossing people around. But when it comes to the bakery, I’m in my element and a new side of me comes out.
“But what about you? You gonna do the evenings on your own?” Tavie asks with a concerned frown as her eyes quickly drop to my belly.
“No, actually I was planning on working during the day instead. Apparently, my boyfriend’s best friend thinks it’s not safe for me to work nights anymore.” I give my head a little shake of annoyance.
She laughs. “Is that the broody billionaire?”
I tell Octavia pretty much everything. She’s also the only one from the bakery aside from Clara who knows about my pregnancy.
“The one and only,” I deadpan as I head toward my office for a moment, needing to go over the schedule and make the necessary changes, as well as find two employees to cover the evenings.
Julian had a point about working alone at night, and I won’t put my employees in that situation. I could always hire new ones, but that takes more time that I don’t have right now.
Forty-five minutes later, I’ve found three employees who are looking for extra hours and are willing to take up the evening shifts, and I’ve just finished checking the delivery and signing it off.
“At least nothing’s missing this time,” Octavia says as she begins to place the supplies in the kitchen.
“Or in triple like last time,” Jake adds, carrying a big box filled with folded-up bakery boxes.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.”
Having extra flour is fine—we’re a bakery, we use it daily to an ungodly amount. But when it’s perishable goods that I know we won’t use before they’re no longer considered fresh, not so much.
Clara thought hiring a company that delivered basically everything was the best way to go, it would save us money and make it easier to deal with. But it’s proving the contrary, and I’m starting to think going with individual dispensers will be a much better option.
“All right, are you guys good to finish up here? It’s Shane’s birthday and I’m meeting his family for the first time,” I ask, checking the time on my phone.
“Yeah, we’re good, boss. Go have fun with your man and tell him happy birthday for me!” Octavia beams as she goes back to the counter to serve the two customers that walked in.
I wave goodbye and head to my car. Once inside the security of the cab, I go through my messages quickly. I invited all my friends over tonight for Shane, and they all RSVP’d yes, except for two. My brother and Emma. My heart tightens at the thought.
Emma and I still talk regularly, but I can tell there’s a bit of strain between us. I understand it, she’s in a tight position given that Greyson is her husband. She wants to respect him and his decisions but also our friendship.
I pull up my brother’s number and press dial.
It rings a few times then goes to voicemail.
I take a deep breath, biting my thumb as I try to call him again.
This time it rings once before he sends me to voicemail.
I feel the tears rising in my eyes as I pull my phone away and type out a text to him.
Me
Greyson, can we talk please? I’m sorry, okay? Please just let me explain.
His message comes back immediately.
Grey
No.
And the tears fall as I bury my face in my hands while still holding my phone.
I’ve never gone this long without talking to my brother.
We never fought as kids. We were always friends even with our seven-year difference.
I don’t know how to do this. My heart hurts, my lungs, my throat, my stomach…
everything hurts. I can’t imagine living my life without my brother in it, just the thought makes it hard to breathe.
My phone rings and I quickly look at it, wiping away my tears to see the screen better. My heart surges with hope that it might be Greyson, but dips slightly when I see that it’s Em.
I take a second to breathe before answering. “Hi…” I know she can hear my crying through the phone so there’s no point in hiding it.
“Oh, baby Brey… God, I wish I could fix this. I hate this for you, for both of you. I’ve tried to talk to him, to make him understand, but he won’t even listen to me. I’m so sorry, Aubrey,” she says with deep sympathy.
I sniff, wiping my eyes some more. “No, it’s okay. Don’t fight with my brother for me. I’ve caused enough problems. I don’t want to cause one in your marriage, too.”
“Stop it, Brey. You’re my friend. You were my friend before Greyson and I happened.
As much as my loyalty is to him, it’s also to you.
I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try to convince him about tonight.
I’ll do my best, I swear.” She’s quiet for a moment.
“It’s going to be okay, Aubrey. He won’t stay mad forever. ”
A sob breaks free. “I don’t know what to do, Em. This hurts so much… I never wanted this to happen…”
“I know, baby. I know… Just stay strong, okay? Everything’s going to fix itself, that I can promise you. If I have to kick my husband in the nuts to get his head out of his ass, I will.”
I let out a wet chuckle at her comment. “Thank you, Em. You’re the best sister I could have asked for.”
She takes on a softer tone. “So are you, Aubrey. You’re doing nothing wrong, remember that for me, okay? You’re a good sister, the best. Greyson will see that.”
We end the call shortly after and I take a few minutes to collect myself before heading home. The only real home I have left...
I arrive at the house with only thirty minutes to spare before Shane’s family is set to arrive.
I find him in the gym, quickly kiss him on the cheek, and tell him I’m going to get ready.
I take the quickest shower of my life, without wetting my hair since I had already washed it this morning, then head to my closet while my curling iron heats at the vanity in my huge walk-in.
I decide on a simple knee-length halter-neck dress with a flared skirt.
The color is a beautiful turquoise, almost identical to Shane’s eyes.
Then I curl my hair with fifteen minutes left on the clock.
Once I’m satisfied, I lather on some of my peach-scented cream at lightning speed then slip into a pair of white stilettos. There, done.
When I exit the closet, Shane is just stepping through the doors to our bedroom, dripping with sweat. My eyes widen as he casually walks to the bathroom like he has all the time in the world.
I race after him, my veins quickly filling with anxiety. “Shane! What are you doing!? They’re going to be here any minute and you aren’t even ready! I can’t greet them on my own!”
He smirks as he undresses while facing me, exposing his tempting length that seems to grow harder the more I look at it. I give my head a subtle shake and return my gaze to his eyes where he now wears a cocky grin. “Sure you can.”
It takes me a moment to understand what he’s saying, but when I do, my eyes widen and my face heats with a rapidly spreading blush. “No, I can’t. Shane, please don’t do this to me,” I beg with fear in my eyes. “I’m already stressing over meeting them, don’t make me greet them on my own.”