Chapter 25
SKYLAR
When I was stuckin that dingy, isolated room, I dreamt about the café.
I imagined creating new flavors of macarons and incorporating different pastries into our menu.
I had conversations with Devyn and April in my head.
It kept me from losing my mind entirely.
As Vincent holds open the door for me and I step inside, a weight is lifted off my shoulders.
Home.
The smell of espresso fills the air as I survey the small space. There is a couple sitting at a table, each of them with a coffee and croissant. At the counter, April’s picture sits next to the cash register.
I wonder if they put mine up while I was gone.
I hear Devyn’s voice in the back, her bubbly laughter making me smile.
The pastry display is beautiful, each baked good lined up in perfect, even rows.
The counter is clean and polished.
Everything looks tidy and put together.
I notice a new sign on top of the pastry counter—a chalkboard with the words Pastry of The Day, along with a drawing of a lemon bar.
I feel Vincent next to me and catch him staring at me. “What?” I ask, suddenly insecure.
“There’s a look on your face I’ve never seen before,” he says quietly, his voice low. “You look...content. It suits you.”
Before I can reply, there’s an obnoxious squeal, and then a whirlwind of sugar and blonde hair almost knocks me over.
“SKYLAR!” Devyn shrieks, squeezing me so hard I struggle to breathe. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting?!”
Her enthusiasm makes me laugh. “I wanted to say hi,” I say. “I miss this place. And it looks wonderful.”
Devyn beams, her blue eyes bright as she grins. “It’s not just me. Luke and Jamie have been working their butts off.”
“Yeah, well, they have a good leader,” I say. “I’m so proud of you. You’ve kept this place running well without two managers.”
At the mention of April, her smile fades a bit. “Do you want some coffee?” she asks me, then looks at Vincent. “Either of you?”
Vincent nods. “I would appreciate one, actually.”
Devyn turns her attention back to me and her eyes widen. “Oh!” she says, grabbing my arm. “Come on. I want you to see what I did to the stockroom!”
Before I can protest, she leads me away from Vincent, behind the counter, and to the back room. Luke is on a ladder organizing a high shelf when he sees me, his face splitting into a grin.
“Hey, boss!” he hops off the ladder and pulls me into a hug.
I snort. “Don’t call me boss,” I chuckle. “It makes me feel old.”
“Okay, ma’am,” he smirks.
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Luke is the same age as Devyn, and they never fail to remind me of our age difference.
But I also appreciate the humor, instead of the concerned looks that Luke could have given me.
It’s almost as if things are back to normal.
After Devyn gives me a quick tour of the backroom, I spot a box full of light green macarons sitting on the desk next to the computer.
“Hey, what’s this?” I ask. “I didn’t see these out there.”
“Oh,” Devyn’s voice turns sheepish. “I wanted to try making a new flavor. One we’ve never sold before.”
“What flavor?” I pick one up, turning it over with my fingers.
“Peppermint chocolate,” she says, and I cock an eyebrow. “Luke and Jamie liked it, but I don’t know if we should sell them. I mean, this would be the first recipe that I’ve made instead of the ones you and April showed me.”
Insecurity flashes on Devyn’s face as I take a bite.
My eyes widen.
The peppermint is light and buttery, and the chocolate buttercream adds a dark, almost bitter balance to the sweeter flavor.
“Devyn,” I say. “These are delicious.”
“Really?” she says, her eye growing wide as saucers. “Honestly?”
“Yes. Holy shit. Wow.” I take another bite and look at Devyn in disbelief as I chew. “You nailed the balance of flavors perfectly.”
“Do you think we could sell them?” she asks hesitantly, fiddling with her apron. “I mean, if you think they’re good enough.”
“Add them to the rotation,” I tell her, and the grin she gives me in response makes my heart swell.
I’m so grateful for Devyn.
She stepped up when the café needed a leader. She offered me her friendship when I was miserable and feeling sorry for myself after Jason.
She hasn’t given up on April. And when I went missing, she didn’t give up on me.
“Thank you, Skye,” she says, her smile wide.
“Of course. If you think of any more flavors, let me know.”
It’s the least I can do for her after everything she’s done for me.
Experimenting with flavors is one of my favorite things to do, so I’m ecstatic that Devyn enjoys it, too.
As I say goodbye to Luke and Devyn pours Vincent and me a coffee, I’m struck with a new idea for a flavor.
It’s a ridiculous thought, and I would never sell it at the café.
But I file it away for whenever I feel like doing some stress baking.
It would be a special recipe just for Landon, River, and Vincent.
My inner Omega grows devil horns.
I meet Vincent at a table in the corner, taking the seat opposite from him. His massive frame barely fits in the chair, and it’s almost comical how he has to squeeze himself into the corner.
“You really miss this place,” he observes. “Your entire face lit up once we walked inside.”
I nod. “The café has always meant so much to me,” I reply. “And after what happened earlier, I wanted to go somewhere familiar.”
“Your house is familiar,” he counters.
I nod. “Yes, but I’m still trying to make it feel like a home. Which I never thanked you for, by the way,” I say softly. “I saw what you, Landon, and River did to my house. I don’t know how to explain how much that meant.”
At the compliment, he glances down at the table. “It wasn’t enough,” he murmurs. “You deserve more.”
I frown. “You genuinely believe that?” I ask softly. “After everything the three of you have done for me, you think all of this isn’t enough?”
His gaze hardens and his eyes snap to mine. “It will never be enough,” he growls. “Nothing we do will be worthy of you.”
My mouth falls open, and words fail me.
Arguing with him won’t do any good, so I just stare at him as he continues.
“I think about our first conversation a lot,” he admits to me. “And how I was to you, how I behaved toward you. It was fucking heartless of me. You came to me with hope in your eyes, and you even smiledat me when you saw I liked the cookie you gave me,” he says, shaking his head. “And for some reason, I couldn’t handle it. I hated that Landon and River had you. I couldn’t deal with the light that shone in your eyes as you begged me to help you.”
I blink. “You were jealous?”
He frowns and takes a sip of his coffee. “I didn’t know what it was at the time,” he says. “All I knew was that you were special to Landon and River, and on my good days, I hated River. I only agreed to speak to you so he would leave me alone. But then I scented you, and I’d never despised River or Landon more.”
“Why?” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “It reminded me of the years I wasted, alone in my apartment,” he says quietly. “That there was a possibility that if they could move on after what had happened, that maybe I should have been able to, too. That I was a coward after all, just like River thought I was.”
I nod and wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t.
“I think,” I say finally, “that it’s time for you to tell me exactly what happened. Tell me why you hate River so much, and why you’re only beginning to get along with Landon again.”
He tenses. “Skylar?—”
“I see the way you are around him,” I add. “And I…I feel things for you,” I choke out. “And I care about him. This tension, this loathing that you two have for each other—it has to stop.”
His lips pull into a thin line, and his scent darkens.
“I know,” he says finally. “I know.”
“Vincent,” I say softly. “Tell me what happened. Please.”
His eyes flick to mine, and his gaze darkens.