3. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Esmerelda – Sixteen Years Old
I narrow my eyes at the pastry rising in the cooker's window, silently threatening it so it doesn’t burn because, yeah, that is completely normal.
I’m good with cakes, but pastries—well, I’m still a little finicky with them. Getting this choux bun right is the one thing stopping me from taking a summer course in Europe.
“I swear if you burn, I’m going to stab my knife into you…” I mutter, eyeing as it begins to turn golden.
Now, I did set the timer, but sometimes you just need to watch with your eye to get the pastry perfect. Every time I have used the timer and not watched them, they’ve burned, so this is the best option or at least I hope it is.
This batch is my eighth. Mom and Daddy are away for a romantic weekend, and the judge will be here in two hours, so I’m running out of time. I can’t do the chocolate swirl cream until the buns are ready and cooling down, otherwise, the cream will split.
I groan and plop my butt on the cold floor, my eyes on the oven.
It’s not like I want to spend time away from my parents, but going to Europe is an adventure. The fact that I gain experience from the top bakers means I can take my mom’s bakery to the next level, the bakery I’m apparently going to be taking over after school.
“Hmmm,” I mumble as I gently scratch my head as I watch the pastry and bite my bottom lip. Although the timer indicates that there are still five minutes remaining, they appear to be ready.
“To open, or not to open….” I hum to myself but screech and jump as I twist on the floor when a voice behind me says, “If your gut is telling you they’re ready, then you need to pull them out, sweetheart.”
I nearly fall backward on the floor, my hand to my chest, as a woman wearing a leather cut with long dark blonde hair grins my way. Then she nods to the oven and says, “Take them out before they burn.”
I gasp, remembering the buns, and quickly turn, grabbing the oven mitts. I open the door and step back for a moment as steam nearly hits my face then carefully, I pull the tray out and sigh, seeing they are golden brown and perfect. I quickly put them on the counter and turn the fan on low as I shut the oven door with my foot.
Blowing out a breath, I turn and look at the woman who smiles.
“I did ring the bell, but there was no answer. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she says, and I give her a small smile.
“That’s okay. We’re not actually open right now.” I say, and she smiles back.
“I know, Trish said if no one answered, I could use the spare key above the door. I placed an order under Honey,” she replies.
Ah crap, Mom mentioned a woman called Honey will be picking her order up today and to make sure I answer the door.
I nod and quickly walk over to the fridge, grab the two boxes full of light blue iced cupcakes I baked early this morning, and place them on the table before grabbing the large cake Mom and I made yesterday.
“I’ll help you bring these to your car,” I say from behind the box.
The woman chuckles lightly before she takes the box from me then she shouts, “Devin, Acid,” and two men wearing leather walk in, looking scary I might add.
Double crap.
I swallow hard and I take a step back out of the instant.
A guy with black hair and green eyes puts his hands up and says, “Sorry to frighten you. I’m Acid, and we come in absolute peace and, hopefully, cake…”
I smile instantly not able to keep it in as he eyes the cake and admit, “That’s fine,” as I grab one of the boxes on the counter and hand it to him as the other guy takes the big cake box off the woman.
“Devin, do not drop that cake otherwise, you won’t be getting any!” she says sternly, and I grin. His eyes widen, and he looks at her like the scariest person in his life, which is hilarious considering he’s a good four inches taller than her.
Acid chuckles and asks, “Honey, you got the last box?”
She nods and confirms, “Yeah, Acid, head on out.”
He nods my way, and I smile back before looking at the woman and confirming, “You already paid, didn’t you?”
She nods. “Yeah, I did. You’re Esmerelda, Trish’s daughter?” she confirms, and I smile and nod. She hums, “Thought so, you look exactly like your mother. She says you’re an amazing baker and should be going to Europe for the summer.”
I scrunch my nose and look at the cooling buns, mumbling, "Yeah, if these buns came out right.”
She snorts and admits, “From what your mother has said, you’ll do it.” I look at her and give her a grateful smile. She smiles back, then says, “I’ll lock the door again for you, sweetheart. See you soon?”
I nod and she grins wide then leaves me alone and I sigh and look back at the buns.
Okay, I’ve got this…
Shaking my shoulders out, I go to the fridge and get the ingredients I need for the chocolate swirl filling.
The silence surrounds me as the smell of chocolate and cakes causes my stomach to grumble. I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from pouring the melted chocolate into my mouth. Instead, though, like a normal person – something I am not – I carefully drizzle melted chocolate over the buns an hour later after piping them full of chocolate swirl cream, suddenly regretting missing lunch because, damn, I bet these taste good.
Shaking my head, I pick up the icing sugar and sprinkle some over the top before stepping back and smiling wide at my work. I actually think I have this in the bag for the first time since making these. I think I’ll actually be spending the summer in Europe!
I grin wide and start doing a little dance, shaking my butt with excitement before pumping my arms out before me and pulling them in with a half-circle swing as I turn round in circles mumbling, “Uh huh, oh yeah, I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” then wiggle my butt again as I slowly dip and standing up again.
“Uh-huh, oh yeah….” I continue, my smile not leaving.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t very optimistic this morning, especially when I burned my first five batches, but right now, yeah, I have this.
I bring my arms out in front of me, swing them around again, and pull them back in as I swing my body around, but I gasp and jump at the figure leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk in place.
“God dammit, Cody,” I gasp, breathing heavily as I put my palm over my chest, suddenly wishing I’d moved the spare key for the bakery. Cody chuckles before eyeing the buns behind me, and quickly, I stand in front of them sending a little bit of stink eye his way.
“Oh, come on, surely you need someone to taste them…” He tries and gives me an innocent smile, battling his eyelids.
I narrow my eyes hating that deep down, I know full well he is right, and I’m just miffed because he’s caught me dancing.
“Fine,” I mumble, then turn and pick one up as he smacks his hands together and rubs them.
He has short, dark red hair and gray eyes. He’s the Captain of the swim team and extremely good-looking, which every girl at school wants. At one point, I had him and thought I was the most special person in school not realizing the joke was on me. I was just a bet for him, his friends and his girlfriend at the time.
Over the past year, we’ve become friends, I guess, which is a nice way of saying it. He wants more, he’s apologized several times over the year and stuck up for me against Portia, his now ex. Unfortunately for him, he was still seeing and sleeping with her when he was supposed to be my boyfriend, making me fall for him and making me feel like I was the only girl in the world for him.
He used me, betrayed me, and made a bet I’ll never get over, so friends are how we’re going to stay because to be honest, he is a good friend, and I never really had one before.
I hand him the bun and state, “Okay, give me your honest opinion, and please remember, Ms. Holk will be here in,” I check the clock then look back at Cody, who has a brow raised, and I state, “Half an hour.”
He nods, and without breaking eye contact, he takes a large bite out of the bun. I chew the inside of my cheek as I squeeze my fingers behind my back as I rock on the balls of me feet, but I soon squeal in relief when he groans and closes his eyes.
“Oh yeah,” he mumbles while nodding, “this is fucking heaven. Can I have another?”
I snort and shake my head as we lock eyes, denying, “No, they are for the judge, and two are for my mom and daddy.”
He moans, a frown marring his face, and he mumbles with a mouth full of food, “This is payback, isn’t it? For what I did?”
I laugh and shake my head before I turn around and grab the cake box. I quickly build it before gently putting the ten choux buns inside and closing it so a certain guy couldn’t touch them. Then, I put three in another box for my parents, knowing Daddy would want two.
“What are you doing here, anyhow?” I ask as I turn to see him wiping his mouth, the bun demolished, making me smile.
He shrugs and admits, “I missed you.”
I hum, lean against the counter, and reply, “You just saw me yesterday.”
He nods, walks over to me, leans against the opposite counter, and crosses his arms over his chest.
I raise a brow at him, and he half-grins and asks, “When are you going to give me another chance?”
I sigh, “Cody….” But he ignores me and pushes off the counter before cupping my cheek and looks deep into my eyes.
I know what he is hoping for but unfortunately for him, there is nothing. I don’t get butterflies, his touch doesn’t warm me only a sense of friendship hits me, and I know he sees it. The sadness in his eyes proves that. Last year, I used to melt and lay my head against his chest. I used to think I was his world, but that was just a teenage dream..
I think he broke that connection with his betrayal, and as a boyfriend, he sucked ass, but as a friend, he’s amazing.
I shake my head at him, and he sighs and steps back, leaning against the counter again, and confirms, “You didn’t feel anything having me that close, did you?” I shake my head, and he sighs, “I broke us.”
I shrug, “I don’t really know what you want me to say. You were sleeping with Portia the whole time we were supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend, then dumping me an hour after I gave you my virginity. It hurt Cody, and I think we’re better off as friends because seriously, Cody, as a friend, I love you to pieces but that could be because you are my only friend other than my mom.”
He nods as he looks down and mumbling, “I really fucking messed up,” and I don’t correct him because he did.
I felt something for him. Whether it was love or not, I don’t know, but whatever feelings I was developing poured out of me after hearing that phone call and realizing everything was a lie.
It also doesn’t help that he was my first boyfriend so the betrayal hit harder than it probably would have say if he was my fifth or sixth.
“Friends, Cody?” I confirm, and he looks at me.
We make eye contact and his race between mine before he nods, and I grin and push off the counter. He drops his arms, allowing me to walk straight into his chest before he wraps his arms around me and whispers, “I’ll always be there for you, and maybe one day, your feelings will return. If not, then you’ll always be my friend.”
I don’t reply to him because, well, it’s kind of a pipe dream. Right now, my baking and parents are coming before anything and honestly, I don’t see him in any other way than a friend, maybe even family but never a true love or a boyfriend.
I wrap my arms around his waist and hold him tightly, grateful I could learn to forgive him so I have at least one friend in this world.