10. Ella
10
ELLA
I shifted my weight as I peered down the road. I sighed when no car came into sight. I was waiting for Shelby to pick me up so I could ride with her to Sweet Beginnings Bakery, the local bakery here on Harmony Island. The bride and groom had decided that today they were going to pick out their cake and flowers.
I tapped the strap of my purse. My stomach had been feeling weird all morning. I thought it was because I was hungry, but after eating a big plate of eggs and sausage, my stomach still felt queasy. I drank a full glass of water and took some antacids after my shower, but nothing seemed to appease my gut.
I’d gotten dressed and slipped on my shoes, determined not to let this get the better of me. I had a job to do, and I was going to do it, nauseous or not.
Plus, I doubted that Gloria would accept an upset stomach as an excuse for why I didn’t cover this part of the wedding planning.
Thankfully, Shelby’s navy blue car came into view. I cheered as I waved at her, and she responded with a light tap to her horn. As soon as she pulled up, I opened the passenger door and moved to climb inside.
“Sorry,” she said quickly as she removed the hair bows and kid shoes from the seat. “Belle.”
“It’s okay,” I said, dropping down onto the newly cleared seat and shut the door behind me.
“Were you waiting long?” she asked as I turned to pull the seat belt over me.
“Nope.” I clicked the seat belt tongue into the release and then sat back. I glanced over to see her watching me.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yep.”
She pressed on the gas and started to drive down the road. We rode in silence for a few seconds before she glanced over at me. “I was surprised when you texted me that you wanted to come,” she said as she flipped on her blinker, paused, and then took a left.
“Yeah?” I asked as I fiddled with the bottom of my purse, which was sitting in my lap.
She nodded.
“Why’s that?”
“He’s your best friend. He leaves town for a few weeks and comes back engaged.” She peeked over at me. “I thought that it might be hard for you.”
I frowned. “Why would Asher’s engagement be hard for me?” My stomach squeezed, but I decided to ignore it and what it meant. These physical responses were just because I’d caught a stomach bug, that was all. It would pass in the next twenty-four hours, and then I would feel fine.
I was sure of it.
Shelby had come to a stop at a red light, so she turned to face me. “You don’t think it’s a little bit strange that he gets engaged a few weeks after he tells you he’s in love with you?”
I raised my hand. “Let the record show that Asher never said the word love .” A shiver rushed over my skin as I spoke that word, but it was only due to the cool A/C that was blowing on me.
“ It’s always been you ?” Shelby repeated Asher’s words with perfect accuracy. “I can’t think of anything else that would replace the words ‘I love you’ more perfectly.” She quirked an eyebrow.
I was not enjoying this conversation on multiple levels. One, I didn’t know how I felt about his engagement much less the timing of his wedding. Two, I didn’t know how I felt about what he’d said to me outside of my apartment, or what I was going to do when I inevitably lost my best friend. As much as I wanted to believe we could maintain our relationship, deep down I knew the truth. We were never going to come back from this.
As soon as he said the words, “I do,” Coralie was going to be his sole priority
The most ridiculous thing was, she should be his priority. If he’s her husband and she’s his wife, they need to come first to each other. Always.
I just wasn’t sure I was ready to lose him. He’d been in my life for so long that I didn’t know who I was without him.
I didn’t know how I felt about any of the events that had become the main storyline of my life, so I was going to forge ahead like nothing had changed. Even though it made me feel like I was in denial, I knew it was the only way I was going to be able to keep my sanity.
There were too many unknowns in my life, so I was going to stick my head in the sand for my own survival.
“I’m sorry.”
Shelby’s whisper had me turning my focus to her. “For what?” I asked.
She pressed her fingertips to her lips. “For totally overstepping.” She moved her hand to her forehead and tapped it a few times. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Her gaze was apologetic when she glanced back over at me.
The light in front of us turned from red to green, so she refocused her attention on the road and pressed on the gas.
“It’s okay,” I said, not wanting her to feel bad for speaking up. “I think you’re reading more into what he said than he meant.” I folded my arms across my chest and stared out the window.
When Shelby didn’t answer me right away, I glanced over at her. Her focus was straight ahead. She must have sensed my attention because she turned to look at me before offering me a smile. “If you think so, then I retract my words. You were there and I wasn’t.”
I studied her for a moment before I looked out the windshield. “I mean, I’m not saying that Asher doesn’t love me—he does. He loves me like I love him. We’re best friends.” With each word I spoke, my heart began to pick up speed. It was racing by the time I pinched my lips shut in an effort to stop myself from speaking.
I feared if I said anything more, I might say something that I couldn’t take back. What Asher said to me didn’t matter anymore. He’d made it clear that he was moving on. Emotionally. Physically. Hell, he was getting married in a week. We were over.
He had moved on from what he’d said to me outside of my apartment. And it would be in my best interest to let him go. It was unproductive for me to sit here, dissecting his words and speculating on their meaning. He moved on. It would be best if I did the same.
“Are you excited to plan the wedding?” I asked, praying that Shelby would move on, too.
Her lips tipped up into a smile and a soft expression fell over her face. “So excited.” She glanced over at me. “I didn’t think I would miss planning weddings after I got fired. But now I realize that it has always been my passion, and I let someone steal it from me.”
Her words stirred something inside of me. I could relate to how she felt. Editors, reporters, and newspaper owners had a way of sucking the joy out of journalism. My passion had become my prison, and it was comforting to see that someone who had once been in a similar situation had come out the other side.
It made me feel hopeful.
We spent the rest of the drive talking about her favorite wedding from her time in New York. We laughed, and I watched as a spark I’d never seen in her eyes grew brighter. It reminded me of my own spark and made my heart ache to feel it again.
She pulled into an empty parking spot behind Sweet Beginnings Bakery and turned off the engine. I pulled on the door release, and Shelby did the same. She waited for me to shut my door and hurry around the trunk of her car before she started walking around the bakery to the front.
I would recognize Asher’s truck anywhere. It was parked a few spots down. I couldn’t help but study it as we walked past. So many memories were associated with his vehicle. We’d watch late-night movies in the bed of his truck or lay on a blanket and watch shooting stars. One year, we drove down to Mexico to see an eclipse and had to share a motel room, because neither of us had enough money to pay for our own.
So much of my past included Asher. It was strange to think that he wasn’t going to be a part of my future…at least, not as a main character.
And that thought hurt. More than I wanted to admit.
I stayed silent as I walked next to Shelby on my way to watch Asher be all cute and lovey with his fiancée. Which he should be. He should be lovey-dovey with Coralie. She was going to be his wife.
Why did I hate that thought so much? Ugh. I was a mess.
I followed behind Shelby as we walked up the front steps to the bakery. I studied the rocking chairs that dotted the porch as I waited for Shelby to open the front door. I could hear Asher’s voice as soon as the door opened. It was so familiar that I could pick it out even in a room full of people. My smile instantly emerged.
I’d missed that man these last few weeks. I’d missed him so much.
“Hey,” Shelby said as she stepped into the bakery and then moved to the side so I could join her.
The smell of vanilla and sugar surround me as I entered and let the door shut behind me. I’d never been to this bakery before, but one quick look around and I knew this was going to be one of my new favorite spots. It was so small and quaint, and there was a perfect ocean view from the front window. The floor was tiled with a white-and-black checkered pattern, and two of the four walls were lined with glass cases that held all kinds of baked goods from sourdough bread to overly frosted cupcakes.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” Coralie squealed as she crossed the space between us and pulled Shelby into a hug. Shelby tensed, but if Coralie noticed, she didn’t let her go. “Mom was so excited when she heard that I was getting a Patricia-prodigy to plan my wedding.” Coralie held onto Shelby as she pulled back and smiled at her.
“I’m so honored,” Shelby said, glancing over at me and then back to Coralie.
Coralie finally noticed me. Her gaze snapped to mine, and her smile grew even larger—almost too large.
“Hey, Ella,” she said as she headed toward me. Before I could stop her, she was pulling me into a hug. “I’m so glad you could join us.” She pulled back and met my gaze. Her focus felt more intense than I’d anticipated. After all, we’d just met last night.
Not wanting to spiral into even more confusing thoughts about Asher and his fiancée, I just nodded and chalked up her reaction to pre-wedding excitement. This had to be a lot.
“I’m happy to be here,” I said, returning her smile with a softer one before my gaze slowly drifted over to Asher.
He was busy staring at his shoes instead of acknowledging me. Which made me sad. A month ago, I could have understood exactly what he was trying to say with one look. It was like our brains had a connection that couldn’t be replicated.
But now I was learning that kind of connection could fade. I could no longer read his most basic expressions. Was he mad at me? Happy about the wedding? Annoyed that he had to pick out cakes?
I had no idea.
The man standing in front of me had become a complete mystery. It was like we were meeting for the first time. And it sucked.
“We were waiting for you before we went back to the conference room,” Coralie said as she hooked arms with Shelby and started to guide her to the glass cases on the left.
“Hudson!” she called as she headed toward the swinging door that led to the back. “They’re here!”
Asher didn’t move to follow Coralie and Shelby. He stood there with his hands shoved into the front pocket of his jeans, glancing around. Looking literally everywhere but in my direction. I hated this awkwardness between us. I wanted to fix it so bad, but I didn’t know how.
“This is exciting. Are you excited?” I asked as I fiddled with my purse strap and looked around the bakery before my gaze landed back on Asher. He was studying me now, and when our gazes met, a jolt of electricity rushed through my body. I hadn’t expected that, and the reaction left me breathless and confused.
“I am,” he said with a nod.
“Good.” I held his gaze, wondering what he was thinking and hating that I didn’t automatically know anymore.
He squinted and looked to the left. “So, Gloria wants you to write a story about the wedding?” He glanced back at me.
I nodded. “Yeah.” Then I frowned. “What did you think was going to happen?” I leaned closer to him, ignoring the warmth that washed over me. “You’re marrying the daughter of the mayor of New York. Did you think that this small town would just ignore that fact?”
My heart ached so much that I had to pull back or I thought it was going to break right there on the floor of Sweet Beginnings Bakery.
Why was this so hard?
He chuckled and nodded. “I guess that’s true. I just never see it that way. To me, she’s just Coralie, and her dad is just George.” A soft smile emerged as he studied me. “Will writing this piece help you with Gloria?”
I parted my lips, but I wasn’t sure what to say. His question had caught me off guard. “Um.” I narrowed my eyes. “Probably. I mean, you’re marrying the daughter of a politician. That is going to be front-page news for every paper.” I shifted my weight. “I think Gloria is under the impression that if we break the story first, we’ll gain back the readership we lost with…” My voice drifted off as the memory of what had happened between us due to the Proctors settled around me.
My article. How upset Asher had been. And what he’d said in the hallway of my apartment.
Asher’s jaw was set when I looked up at him. He was staring straight ahead, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. Our relationship had changed so much because of those people. If I could, I would hunt them down and give them a piece of my mind. They were horrible, and because of their actions, our friendship was on the chopping block.
“I’m sorry, Asher,” I whispered. I truly was. I hated that I had to write that article. I hated that he felt like I’d attacked him. That hadn’t been my intention. All I’d wanted to do was make sure the good people of Harmony Cove were getting what they were owed.
His gaze snapped to mine as he drew his eyebrows together. He studied me for what felt like an eternity before he shook his head.
“You have nothing to apologize for. I was an idiot. You were just doing your job.” He pushed his hand through his hair. “Never apologize for doing the right thing.”
I appreciated what he said, it was just hard when the right thing had such a disastrous effect on my life. But the last thing I wanted was to put more pressure on our already fraying relationship. So I just smiled and nodded. “Of course.”
“Are you coming?” Coralie’s voice cut through our conversation. We both turned to see her standing there, studying Asher and completely ignoring me.
“Yeah,” Asher said as he turned and headed in her direction.
I followed behind him, forcing myself into reporter mode. I reached into my purse and grabbed my phone so I could start taking pictures. I needed something to do with my hands or I was going to go crazy.
Coralie led us through the kitchen and stopped at an opening to the left. My sour stomach from earlier returned in a tidal wave as I stepped into the small conference room, where Shelby was sitting with who I could only assume was Hudson.
He was tall and tan. His blond hair was sun bleached, and he looked more like a surfer than a baker. His muscular arms were tattooed, and his salmon-pink shirt, with the logo of Sweet Beginnings Bakery on the front, strained against his muscles as he moved. Of all the people I’d imagined to be the baker, this man was not what I pictured at all.
“Sit,” Coralie said as she sat down on one of the two empty chairs before motioning to the one next to her.
Asher turned to look at me. “What about?—”
“You don’t mind standing, do you Ella?” Coralie glanced over her shoulder in my direction. Her gaze was pointed, as if she was daring me to object.
Truth was, I really didn’t mind. Standing in the back corner put distance between me and Asher’s wedding. And right now that was what I needed.
“I don’t mind,” I said. And to prove it, I moved over to the corner and leaned against the wall.
Asher frowned. “Ella?—”
“Better angle for shots,” I said, unable to bring my gaze over to Asher. I brought up my phone and snapped a couple of pictures.
“You were saying, about the cakes,” Shelby said as she nodded to Hudson, who had been watching our interaction.
“Right, yes. I can do just about anything you want,” Hudson said, flipping through the binder of cake images that was sitting in front of him on the table.
“Ooo, I like that one,” Coralie said as she leaned in and tapped a five-tiered cake with white, cream, and red poppies cascading down it.
“I love that one, too,” Hudson said, a small smile emerging on his lips. It was such a strange contrast to see Hudson with his tattoos, earrings, and necklaces, smiling over something as dainty as fondant flowers.
“We need the poppies to be coral color.”
“I can do that.”
“And we can’t use any eggs or dairy.”
The room grew silent. Hudson glanced up from the picture to look at Coralie and then Asher. “I’m sorry, what?”
Coralie’s smile widened. “We don’t eat anything with a face or any animal products,” she said as she wrapped her hand around Asher’s arm and smiled up at him. “Do we, sweetie?”
I’d known Asher long enough to see he was uncomfortable. I waited for him to laugh and say he definitely ate food with a face. After all, we’d taken on numerous barbecue challenges over the years where we had to eat a certain poundage of meat in a specific time frame or we would have to pay for the meal. Asher loved his meat.
“That’s right,” Asher said as he moved to pat Coralie’s hand.
My brain ground to a halt. Did he just agree with her? I blinked a few times. Thankfully, Hudson seemed just as confused by this conversation as I was.
“Cakes have eggs in them,” Hudson said as he leaned back and bounced a few times on the conference chair. “Here at Sweet Beginnings, we use eggs and dairy in our cakes.”
“Hudson.” Shelby’s voice cut through the tension that I could feel was building between Hudson and Coralie. “Cakes can be made without eggs and dairy, right?” she asked as she leaned forward and tapped the table with her hand.
Hudson flicked his gaze over to her. “Not my cakes.”
“But they can be done.” Shelby motioned toward Asher and Coralie. “The bride and groom are requesting a cake without eggs and dairy in it. Think you can figure something out?” Her smile was wide, but her tone was firm. Shelby was good at this.
Hudson folded his arms across his chest as he narrowed his eyes and studied Shelby.
“Let’s not forget what creating a cake for this wedding could do for this place.” Shelby’s voice was low. She wasn’t backing down. “It could put this place on the map as the bakery that made the wedding cake for the mayor of New York City’s daughter.”
Hudson didn’t drop his gaze. But then, slowly, his facial features began to relax, and he nodded. “You’re right. If my bride and groom are requesting it, I can oblige. We’re normally a full-fat bakery, but I can see what I can do.” He straightened in his chair and turned to smile at Coralie and Asher.
He pulled out a piece of paper from the back of his binder and clicked his pen. “So, you’re thinking a five-tiered cake with coral, cream, and white peonies?”
“Yes,” Coralie said as she removed her hand from Asher’s arm and pointed at the picture. “I want it to look just like this.”
“Okay.” Hudson jotted a few notes down on his piece of paper. “And filling?” He glanced up. “I prepared some samples for you to try, but it was made with ingredients…with a face,” he said the last few words like never in his life did he think he would say them.
“I think we’ll pass,” Coralie said as she waved away Hudson’s words. “Besides, we already know what we want. Strawberry coulis.”
I snorted as I jotted down the cake plans but paused at her request for the filling. Strawberry coulis had to be a joke. She was joking, right?
I felt everyone’s gaze on me, so I looked up. Coralie looked offended, Shelby and Hudson looked confused, and Asher…well I’d apparently lost the ability to read his expressions.
“What’s so funny?” Coralie asked, her tone turning cool.
I hesitated before I motioned with my hand. “You said strawberry.” I paused. “Was that not a joke?”
Coralie’s eyes widened even more. “Why would I joke about the filling for my wedding cake?”
I blinked as I tried to process what she was saying. “Asher is deathly allergic to strawberries.” I glanced over at him. Did he not tell her? How could she not know?
Coralie’s lips fluttered for a moment before she turned to Asher. “You’re allergic to strawberries?”
He nodded. “Yeah.” But then he wrapped her hand up with his. “But if you want strawberry coulis, I just won’t eat the cake.”
Coralie stared at the tabletop for a moment. “I always dreamed of strawberry coulis in my wedding cake.”
“Babe, if that’s what you want, it’s okay.” Asher glanced over at Hudson. “Can you make me a small cake without the strawberry coulis?”
Hudson nodded. “Sure.”
Asher turned his attention back to Coralie. “See? Problem solved.”
Coralie studied him before a smile emerged. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Asher’s. Unable to watch, I dropped my gaze back to my phone, where I’d been jotting down my notes. It was strange to see my best friend kissing his fiancée. But what was even more strange was seeing him completely change who he was for this woman.
It almost felt like our friendship had been a lie, and who Asher really was, was the man sitting at this table, making all the concessions in the world to this woman. Why wasn’t he standing up for himself? Why was he changing himself to make her happy?
I didn’t like it.
“See why I’m marrying this man?” Coralie asked Shelby as she pulled back and wrapped her hands around his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. “He’s just so good to me.”
“I’m happy for you,” Shelby said before her gaze flicked over to me.
“I can’t imagine any woman turning this man down. He’s just so perfect.” Coralie reached out and flicked the tip of his nose with her finger.
Asher’s face paled for a moment before the color in his cheeks returned and he smiled down at her. If I hadn’t been studying him, I would have missed it. But I saw, and I knew what it meant.
Coralie’s statement had brought back the memory of what he’d said to me. It had done the same for me. And if he remembered, maybe there was still a chance that I could intervene. I wanted my best friend to be happy. And the longer I spent with Coralie, the more convinced I became that she was the last woman who could do that for him.
Coralie needed to go.