Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Emelia listened to Joy describe the mini vacation she and Liam had taken. The girls were at the Red Rooster for lunch. It’d been a while since they were able to get together, and Joy was describing their getaway.
It sounded wonderful, and Emelia was thrilled they could get away. Liam worked too many weird hours, which made it difficult for him to plan anything.
“So, there we were, sitting on the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves, the blue sky, the laughter of the people in the water.” Joy glanced around the table. “Liam was rubbing suntan lotion on my back and…” She stopped, letting a few seconds go by. The girls leaned in. “And whispered, ‘Let’s go back to the room.’”
“Oooh,” the girls said.
“And then what?” asked Mallory breathlessly.
Joy gave her a Cheshire cat smile and pretended to zip her lips.
“Tease,” Mallory quipped.
“Ohhh, so romantic,” squealed Dawn.
Emelia felt a pang of jealousy. Not that she was jealous that Joy and Liam had a wonderful time, but it reminded her that she desperately needed a vacation. She last took time off when she closed the New York bakery and drove to Haywood Lake.
It occurred to her that she never took a vacation up there either.
“So, how are you and Titus doing?” asked Dawn, turning her attention to Emelia. “I’ve seen him at the bakery a few times.”
“Hmmm.” Emelia stopped to think.
Everything was going well. They had been on a few dates. They’d kissed and snuck feelies like two teenagers.
One night, she practically monkey-climbed up his body. Titus was surprised, but he recovered well. So well, that in a flat instant, he pulled down her bra and sucked her breasts while she rubbed his cock through his pants. That did not end with them having sex but was satisfying just the same.
Emelia was so ready to take the next step—she was horny, plain and simple. However, they both agreed to take it slow, especially since they hadn’t known each other for very long.
Another good thing happened—the puppy returned. He unexpectedly appeared the other day, still hiding in the same bush. Emelia brought him some food and water and was surprised when she returned to the bakery only to find the little fella had followed her inside.
He looked at her with big, trusting puppy eyes. Call it serendipity, fate, kismet; Emelia didn’t care. She was in love. He was hers. She went out and bought a crate, then took him to the vet, who told her the pup didn’t have fleas and dewormed him just in case. She named him Leo the Lion-hearted because he was a brave little thing.
“Well,” she told her friends. “We’re taking it slow since we haven’t known each other for very long. Tonight he’s taking me to The Fisherman’s Wife for dinner.”
“Yum. You’ll love it,” Mallory said. “It’s very romantic, right by the water. I heard it was hard to get reservations.”
Emelia shrugged. She’d never eaten there, but the restaurant sounded wonderful.
“What will you do with Leo?” Joy asked.
“All taken care of,” Emelia replied. “Vanessa loves dogs and is taking him for the evening.” Vanessa had become a good friend, and Emelia enjoyed her company. She reminded Emelia of her mom, whom she missed dearly. Maybe she should plan a trip back home one of these days. Then the thought turned into a mixture of joy and sorrow.
Wyatt was still up there. If she ran into him, well… Emelia wasn’t sure what she would do, but it wouldn’t be pretty. The thought sent shivers down her spine.
Crap. Who was she kidding? She wouldn’t do anything. The betrayal was still raw, and quite frankly, she hated confrontation. Maybe she’d wait to go home. Wyatt would get away again without anyone pointing fingers at him.
“Emelia?”
What? Damn. She’d been so lost in her thoughts of Wyatt that she didn’t hear what Joy was asking.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
Joy laughed. “I was just asking what you were going to wear.”
The girls spent the next few minutes talking about potential outfits.
Emelia didn’t have an extensive wardrobe since she was in her chef’s uniform most of the time. She also couldn’t afford to spend much money on an outfit.
“Gigi’s is a great consignment shop downtown,” said Naomi. “If you need something, you might find it at a reasonable price.”
“Hmmm. I’ll have to look in my closet when I get home. Josie and Stacy are closing the bakery today, so I would be able to leave early to go over there before Titus picks me up.”
Margie brought over the bill, the girls paid, and Emelia walked over to her bakery.
It was a bright, sunny day, and she felt her spirits lifting.
She had friends and a special date tonight.
Maybe she could convince Titus to stay overnight. That would be the frosting on the cake. Emelia giggled. Everything with her was about food. Tomorrow, a well-known blogger was coming to interview her. The article would be the boost she needed.
After walking Leo, she checked in on the bakery. It was a slower day, and everything was running fine. Emelia went upstairs, with the pup trailing right behind her.
She opened her closet door and groaned. After surveying her closet, Emelia felt a mixture of disappointment and resignation at the lack of dressy clothes and the fact that she really couldn’t afford to buy much.
What she had were multiple pairs of black pants, white chef’s coats, and black slip-resistant shoes.
In the back of the closet, she found a couple of dressier pants but nothing dressy for the tops. Emelia got down on her knees and pushed around her everyday shoes to find a pair that would look decent with the pants. Flip-flops, flats, sandals—dang, nothing to go with the pants.
Emelia remembered when she left New York, she had given away her heavier dark-colored clothes and shoes in favor of the light and bright colors of Florida.
She sighed. The only thing left was to leave early and make her way across town. Gigi’s wasn’t far, so she didn’t need to drive.
She loved walking through downtown Haywood Lake. The atmosphere was alive and vibrant.
Emelia noticed a long line of people forming to access the museum. It had a Dali exhibit, which Emelia hoped to get to, eventually. Then she crossed into Haywood Park, located between two main streets. The park was divided into two sections.
One side held a contemplative garden with a fountain and benches. The other half was Castle Park, which was kid-friendly and contained swings, slides, and a merry-go-round. She heard children’s delightful squeals and the calliope’s music as it circled. It reminded her of the one she rode up north as a child. The police station was tucked in behind it. Perfect spot to keep an eye on the town.
She crossed the street. The difference between this side of the street and the main thoroughfare was distinctive.
On the opposite side, there were more restaurants and upscale shops. This side of the street was less formal, with interesting little shops. It was also situated by the lake. The location featured a multitude of bars and bistros and a couple of fancy restaurants like The Fisherman’s Wife.
Gigi’s was straight ahead. The woman ahead of her opened the door.
“Thanks,” Emelia said.
She looked around the shop. Pants, tops, and dresses occupied different locations, and shoes and purses were located in between. She headed toward the dress section. It’d been a while since she wore a dress, but the girls said The Fisherman’s Wife was an upscale restaurant.
Emelia wondered if Titus would wear a suit. Did he even own one? Didn’t matter—actually, none of it mattered. She didn’t embrace pretentiousness just for the sake of it.
Emelia found several things she liked and located the dressing room. A short time later, she had two dresses and several tops she loved.
For tonight’s date, she found a stunning dark green maxi dress with gold and ivory flowers embroidered throughout, with a tulle skirt. It had a round neckline and short sleeves.
She felt beautiful and feminine in it. She also found a black dress with a rust and white floral print with a V-neckline and short flutter sleeves that could be worn another time.
The only thing left was to find a pair of shoes. Score! On her first try, she found open-toed beige sandals with small heels that worked with both dresses. The best part was when the woman behind the register rang her up, she got everything for under a hundred dollars, including change.
Walking out with her purchases and a smile, Emelia crossed the street into the park.
The weather had changed. The sky was covered with dark clouds, the air heavy with moisture, giving a sinister feeling to what once felt peaceful.
She hoped to get back to the bakery before it rained.
She wasn’t alone, though. A shiver ran down her spine as she walked past the fountain in Haywood Park. She couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched. Several people sat on benches or were walking around. She did a complete turnaround, but no one was staring or following her. She didn’t recognize anyone, but her happy mood disappeared. Was someone watching her, or was it just her imagination?
It had to be the change in the atmosphere.
Emelia hurried on.
She crossed the next street, where more people were scurrying around, hoping to beat the rain.
Her bakery was just a couple of blocks away. She no longer felt like she was being watched and took a deep breath.
Her mind flooded with questions and a growing sense of vulnerability not felt since her windows had been graffitied.
One more block. Safety was within sight.