Chapter 27
27
DORIE
T his wedding was going to be the death of me. Between trying to keep up with my regular work, Eliza’s cake, and the looming threat of losing my business, it all felt like it was too much.
Kaisen’s betrayal wasn’t helping.
He was the last person I wanted to see, which was really inconvenient considering he was the best man. I was stuck. And boy was I so happy Eliza and Cullen decided to combine their bachelor and bachelorette parties. That meant I got to see him even more.
Lucky me.
Eliza was expecting me in Atlantic City tomorrow for the bachelorette weekend, but I had to finish up my cake orders for the week. Toby was going to be running the bakery alone all weekend, and he couldn’t be finishing orders during that time, so I needed to get this done now.
Once I finished this last cake, I had to pick up my car from the shop. I didn’t even want to think about how much the repair bill was going to be. The mechanic gave me one estimate and then called me to ask for approval for this and then that and then more. It was probably going to cost more than the damn car.
I was elbow deep in frosting, trying to get the swirls just right on Eliza’s cake, when my phone buzzed on the counter. I wiped my hands on my apron and glanced at the screen.
Kaisen.
Again.
My stomach twisted. I had not spoken to him or answered his many calls and texts. Not since I’d found out the truth about his involvement in the bakery deal. I ignored it like I had every other time he called.
I returned my focus to the birthday cake that would be picked up tomorrow morning. The frosting swirls came out uneven. I cursed under my breath. I couldn’t afford to mess this up. This cake was for one of my regulars, a sweet old lady who’d been coming here for years. She deserved better than a sloppy job.
I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself. Kaisen wasn’t worth a second thought. I was not going to let him get under my skin. Then again, I was trying to do a good job to gain return business for a bakery that would probably be gone in a couple months.
I dipped the spatula back into the bowl of frosting, determined to fix the swirls. But my hands were trembling just enough to make it impossible. I set the spatula down and leaned against the counter. I couldn’t keep pretending I was fine.
The cake was finally finished and boxed up by the time I had to leave to pick up my car before the mechanic shop closed. I cleaned up, hating to leave the space a mess.
Toby was out front, closing up for the day. “I’ve got to go get my car, Toby. I’ll be back to load up the cakes.”
He nodded, giving me a thumbs-up. “Got it, boss. See you in a bit.”
I walked out of the bakery. For some reason, I felt a hint of sadness. Soon, this was not going to look the same. The old buildings would be gone. Tall, ugly condo buildings would be standing here, blocking the view for anyone behind. The quaint, old-school look was going to be demolished.
The walk to the mechanic’s was short. I tried to enjoy the quiet, but my mind kept wandering back to Kaisen and what I’d found out about him. The way he’d talked about never wanting to get married or have kids. Why did I care? It wasn’t like we were going to be married. Or have kids.
I was just caught up in the idea of love and marriage and the actual baby carriage.
Wasn’t going to happen. At least not with Kaisen.
And that was fine. The guy was easily a ten and richer than God. Why would he want to settle down with me? It was silly. That was the kind of thing naive young women fantasized about. Not women who owned businesses and lived in the real world.
When I reached the auto shop, the mechanic looked like he was just closing up. I walked in, smiling nervously. “Hey, sorry it’s late. I’m here to pick up my car.”
The mechanic looked at me, his expression confused. “Your car? It’s not here.”
I froze, my stomach dropping. “What do you mean it’s not here?”
He scratched his head, looking uncomfortable. “Your husband called, told us to have it towed to a scrap yard. Said he was getting you a new one.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding. “My… husband? There’s been a terrible mistake. I don’t have a husband. And I need my car!”
The mechanic looked over my shoulder and he sagged with relief. “Mr. Seely, you’re just in time. I was just explaining to your wife?—”
I whirled around, stunned and absolutely beyond livid, to find Kaisen standing there. He looked calm, almost smug. I should have known. The asshole. Son of a bitch!
“Is her new car ready?” Kaisen asked.
New car?
The mechanic nodded, handing Kaisen a set of keys. “Just got it in. We’re giving it a good wash now. Filled up the tank like you asked.”
My mind was blown. I wasn’t sure I was actually standing where I thought I was. Was I invisible?
Kaisen looked down at me, his lips pursed. “So, is there a reason you’ve been screening my calls and texts?”
I felt like I was going to explode. “Am I having a nightmare?” I snapped. “Did you just pretend to be my husband and have my perfectly good car towed to a scrap yard?”
He shrugged, his tone casual. “Your car was a piece-of-shit death trap. You’re lucky you haven’t killed yourself with it yet. There’s no way you could drive that thing to Atlantic City. You could have tried, but I think we both know you wouldn’t have made it without the help of a tow truck.” He stuffed the unfamiliar keys into my hands. “Here. Problem solved.”
I tried to shove the keys back at him, my hands shaking. “I don’t want your stupid car, Kaisen. I don’t need your charity or your meddling.”
He ignored me, walking out of the shop and disappearing into one of the garage bays. I followed, my anger boiling over. “I could call the police, you know!” I shouted after him. “You stole my car! I had stuff in there!”
Kaisen stopped, turned, and grinned. He pointed at the only vehicle in the garage. It was a large, luxury SUV—sleek and expensive, probably worth more than the waterfront building I owned. The glossy finish gleamed under the fluorescent lights.
“What the hell is that?” I snapped.
“It’s a Cadillac Escalade. Plenty of room for cake orders. Safe. Comfortable. Most importantly, reliable.”
“I can’t afford the monthly payments on a car like this! Are you out of your fucking mind?”
The F-bomb slipped. I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to say or do. I felt like I stepped into a nightmare. This could not be happening. I looked around, expecting to see my car. This was all just a stupid joke.
But the car wasn’t there. Worse, he was looking at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was. “In what world do you think I’d give you a car with strings attached? It’s yours outright. No payments.”
I shook my head, my mind spinning. “And the insurance? This thing is probably worth more than my building!”
“You’re fully insured,” he said, his tone firm. “And it comes with a warranty until the car is old enough to turn to rust.”
I felt like my head was going to explode. I threw the keys at him, my hands shaking. “I don’t want it! You can’t just buy yourself a clean conscience.”
He caught the keys easily. I turned and stalked away from the shop without a destination in mind. I just needed to get away from him, from the chaos he’d brought into my life.
But, of course, he caught up to me. The SUV pulled up beside me, and Kaisen got out, stepping in front of me to block my path. “Dorie, stop. Hate me all you want, but do it from the comfort of your hand-stitched leather seats.”
I glared at him, my chest heaving. “You crossed a line, Kaisen. I don’t need or want your gifts, hand-stitched or not. And you’d better hope my old car isn’t in the shape of a cube yet, because you’re going to the scrap yard to get it back.”
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Where do I start!” I snapped.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice low.
I hesitated, my anger faltering. “No.”
He stepped into me, closing the distance between us as the first drops of rain began to fall. “Then why?” he ground out, his voice tight. “Why are you ignoring me?”
I threw his words back at him. “That’s your move, isn’t it? Ghosting people when you’re done with them? How does it feel? When you’re done with someone, you just move on. You wash your hands of them and go about your life like they never happened.”
He glared at me, his jaw tightening. “What are you talking about?”
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. “The interview. The one where you said you don’t believe in marriage, don’t want kids, and see yourself as a bachelor forever. Did you mean it?”
He didn’t answer right away, his eyes searching mine. “Does that matter to you?”
I gaped at him. “Yes, it matters to me. I’m nearly thirty, Kaisen. I want kids. I want a family. And if that’s not something you’re interested in, then what are we even doing here? We had a fling, fine. Let it go. Stop calling me and pretending you give a damn. Don’t buy me expensive gifts. Just go! Ghost me now! I’d rather have it over sooner than later.”
He ran a hand through his hair, his expression frustrated. “Marriage was never in the cards for me, Dorie. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
I shook my head, my anger flaring again. “I’m not going to be your plaything while you’re in Cape May. You don’t get to fly up for the weekend, get laid, and then go back to your stable of women in New York.”
“You’re not a plaything to me.”
“Then what am I?” I demanded, my voice breaking. “Because it sure feels like you’re trying to buy me off with a car.”
He hesitated, his jaw clenching. “Take the keys, Dorie. You have no other options.”
I snatched the keys from him, my hands shaking. “I don’t want your gifts, Kaisen. You can’t buy my trust or my friendship.”
He looked at me. “I don’t want your friendship,” he said, his voice rough. “I never did.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Without another word, I turned and got into the car. My hands gripped the steering wheel as I drove away. I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw him standing there, shoulders slumped.
What the hell was I doing? Why in the hell was I driving this stupid, amazing, ridiculously expensive, and luxurious SUV? My butt was warm. That was when I realized it had heated seats. The steering wheel was warm as well.
This was way too much.
But he pissed me off so much I had to take the car just to get away from him.