Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Marlowe
“Oh shit.” My best friend and business partner, Genevieve, whispered from beside me and when I looked at her, she was as white as a ghost. A hot flash of panic ran through me from head to toe.
I turned my head in the direction she was looking and suddenly, my legs felt like spaghetti. My mouth went dry, and blood rushed through my ears as they flushed hot along with the rest of my face.
Steeler stood in the doorway of my bakery, taking up the entire frame with his large self, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I blinked again and again but he was still there, standing tall and staring at me.
His face gave away nothing and I could no longer read his mood, his body language chiller than before.
No longer a boy, begging me to stay while telling me not to give up my dreams at the same time, but a man now, beefy and fit, and still so devastatingly handsome.
While I told the world I didn’t love him anymore, the truth was, I never stopped loving Steeler. Not for one second. He was always on my mind, tucked away safely in the back, on pause until I got myself together, followed my dreams, and made a life for myself.
I’d kept tabs on him while I was gone, my mother striking up conversation in passing to keep us in the loop. Knowing he was doing good and praying he stayed single got me through.
“Do you want me to go talk to him?” Genevieve asked as she turned towards me, always in protective mode at a moment’s notice. “I’ll tell him to leave, or stay, whatever you want. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s okay. I knew I’d see him eventually.”
“Okay, good luck. I’ll be in the office if you need anything.” Genevieve walked out of the front and into the back, leaving me alone with Steeler.
Glancing around nervously, I wondered where the other maintenance men went. Why were we suddenly alone?
Steeler pushed open the door gently and walked in. “Forget to tell me you were back in town? Good thing the apple gossip chain is as strong as ever.” He crossed his arms and huffed.
His gruff voice sent chills down my body in the best way possible.
My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. “Steeler.” I choked out.
When the door closed behind him, my body froze in place.
When he stepped closer, I gulped down air.
And when he stood mere inches from me, I couldn’t help but stare.
He was all man. A man I loved and craved with every fiber of my being.
“Were you going to tell me, Mar? Or were you going to wait until I found you?”
I sighed. I didn’t know the answer, because I avoided the questions since they first popped into my head.
When Genevieve and I decided to come back home to Apple Falls and open our own bakery, the questions floated around my brain constantly and I did my best to push them aside and ignore.
But ignoring them didn’t make them go away. If anything, they got louder.
Yet I still didn’t know the answer.
“I don’t know, Steeler. I knew you’d find me one way or the other.”
“You’re damn right I would. But it would’ve been nice to know, so my heart could stop hurting for once.”
I swallowed over the sudden lump in my throat.
“I’ve had a lot going on. With the bakery and moving home, I’ve barely had a minute to catch my breath.
” The real truth was, I couldn’t bear the pain of losing him again.
It was pure fucking misery. Night after night I cried into Genevieve’s arms, afraid I’d made a mistake.
Yet I kept going. The pain dulled. But the love never wavered.
But now my heart had a locked cage around it. Afraid to open and really let him in. I could love him from afar, right?
No.
It would never be enough.
For either of you.
“Well, you’ll be happy to know I’m not here for any of that. I’m here on business.” Steeler grunted, his fists clenched at his sides.
I’d caused him so much pain which only hurt me, my insides clawing and scratching at anything and everything. “With the bakery? We’re not quite up and running yet. Alot of machinery hasn’t arrived yet, and we’re still waiting on supply deliveries.”
“No, not the bakery. Though it looks amazing in here. I’m really proud of you and Genevieve. You chased your dream and look where you are now.” He waved his hand around, the gruffness in his voice softer. Steeler was always a bit of a grumpy bear, but he was my grumpy bear, and I loved him hard.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I know how well you can draw, Mar, and I followed your social media.
I saw how beautiful your cakes were, as beautiful, if not more so, than your drawings.
You’re talented. I’m happy to see you’re still baking and happy.
Anyway, a client of Stanton Construction, the company I now work for, is looking for someone to paint a mural on their child’s bedroom wall, and I thought you’d be perfect for the job. ”
His words took me by surprise. The last thing I thought he’d ask me was to paint a mural on a wall.
“A mural? Steeler, I decorate cakes, not walls.”
“But you draw and paint really well.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “It’s still completely different. I wouldn’t know where to begin with a life size mural.”
“You don’t need to think of a design. They already know what they want and it’s pretty straightforward. A sky with some clouds and a rainbow.”
I sighed again yet the image popped into my head.
A large wall painted blue with a few scattered white clouds and a pretty rainbow coming out from one side.
I used to sketch the sky often as a kid and included rainbows, the thought of good luck bringing me comfort.
“I don’t know…the whole thing makes me nervous.
I’d be afraid of disappointing your client.
I’ve never even painted a wall before, much less a mural. ”
“I have complete confidence you can do it, Mar. Your beautiful cakes don’t lie.
Especially the cool 3D ones. Which, by the way, I need you to show me how you do it.
I want all of your tips and tricks.” Steeler’s mouth lifted into a half smile, and a familiar warm buzz ran through me, one I hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
He saved all his smiles for me, his resting grumpy face for the rest of the world, and it was as if no time had passed at all.
I soothed his crankiness and brought out his playful side.
Just like all those years ago…
“I don’t give those out to just anyone.”
“Good thing I’m not just anyone then.” Steeler grinned and there I was, falling hard and fast yet again, with the man I never stopped loving.