Chapter Five – Kian
Kian
I watched as Cadie, with a C, walked out of the kitchen and tried to ignore the way my heart seemed to beat a bit faster since she first looked at me with those eyes of hers. They were brown, but I swore they had turned golden when the sun came through the front windows.
Picking up the sandwich, I took another bite. I hadn’t bargained on seeing Jayme here. It was only the second time I’d seen her since we had broken up. The anger I once felt for her was completely gone. The only emotion I felt for her was sorrow. She had thrown herself at Billy, my once-upon-a-time best friend, and he had used her and then dumped her.
Katherine strolled back into the kitchen and took off the apron. “Well, that wasn’t at all what I expected.”
I let out a laugh. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Kath. How have you been?”
She shrugged. “Plugging along.”
“I thought you were going to school to be a veterinarian.”
Katherine let out a long sigh. “That sucked. I quit school and came back to Moose Village. Thank goodness for Opal; she gave me a much-needed job. She’s been trying to get me to learn how to bake.”
I sat back and wiped my mouth. “I mean, you do work in a bakery, it would make sense that you should know how to bake.”
She shook her head. “I want to do something in the back end of it. I’ve been taking night classes in accounting. Opal does everything here, and I thought if I could learn how to do the books and maybe some other things, it would help ease her load a bit. I’m never going to be a baker; I know that much. I love working in the front and interacting with all the customers too.”
“Does Opal know what you’re doing?”
A wide smile grew over her cute face. She was younger than me, the same age as my brother Mark, twenty-five. “She does, and she’s super excited for me.”
Her smile faded some. “My mother and father think I’m a dropout and told me I had to move out when I returned from college. Opal lets me rent the apartment upstairs for next to nothing. She’s like a second mother to me, and I’m not sure what I would have done if it hadn’t been for her.”
“She is an amazing woman, no doubt about it,” I stated. “I’m glad she was there for you, Kath. If I can give you a piece of advice.”
Leaning against the counter, she nodded. “Please.”
“Follow your heart and do what makes you happy.”
“Did you follow your heart?”
Standing, I took the plate to the sink and started cleaning it. “No, I didn’t. But that all changed yesterday. I resigned from the firm, and I’m moving back to Moose Village permanently. It’s my turn to figure out what makes me happy. ”
Katherine gave me a knowing smile. “I’m glad you followed your heart, Kian. Opal is going to be so happy to know you’re back.”
I dried off the plate and set it on the rack as Katherine grabbed her purse.
“So, what do you know about Cadie with a C?”
Her eyes instantly lit up, and she slid onto a stool, setting her purse back down. She quickly looked toward the front area and focused back on me. “Not much. She’s super quiet about her past. Only gives bits and pieces about where she is from, where she grew up. And she does not like getting her picture taken at all. The craziest part…she doesn’t have social media! I mean, she’s thirty-three! She should have so cial media, don’t you think?”
I gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I know many people my age who don’t do social media.”
“How does she meet guys?”
Staring at Katherine, I realized she was genuinely asking me. “Um, I guess the old-fashioned way. Going out, through friends, church, bars.”
“She doesn’t have any friends, and the only people she knows are those who work here at the bakery. I invited her to go out with me and my friends one night, but she declined.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Maybe she’s shy and just hasn’t worked up the courage to meet people yet.”
“Betty Lou finds it odd as well.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe listening to the town gossip isn’t such a great idea.”
Katherine thought for a moment. “Well, you’re gossiping right now. You asked me what I knew about her.”
“That’s true.”
“Macy was also asking questions. She’s new in town and everyone is just curious.”
“I get that. I’m curious as well. Off topic, but was William with Macy?”
William was my sister’s husband—my brother-in-law.
“No, I don’t think so. Why?”
It was my turn to shrug. “Just curious.”
Katherine looked out front then back to me. “I think this is her first time on the East Coast. She is excited about winter and snow. Although, she did live in Chicago.”
I tucked that bit of information away. “Never been in snow?”
She shrugged. “Didn’t ask. She told a customer she was looking forward to a white Christmas.”
“Any family?” I asked.
Katherine raised a brow. “What was it you were saying about gossip?”
I cleared my throat but didn’t say anything.
“I don’t know. She has never once talked about her family, and she’s made it clear she doesn’t intend to talk about them.”
I rubbed my chin. I could feel the stubble already growing from not shaving this morning. “Interesting.”
“Right?” Katherine said as she stood. “I better get going. Maybe you can charm some information out of her with those good looks and all that lawyer shit you learned.”
“Lawyer shit?” I asked with a raised brow.
“Please, don’t even act like you didn’t hear me say you were good-looking.”
I winked. “And charming.”
Katherine giggled, and before I knew it, she was rushing out the back door and was gone .
After sitting in the kitchen for a few more minutes, I peeked around the corner to see if Jayme and Ashtyn were still there.
“They’re gone,” Cadie said with a slight laugh. “Do you want any dessert before I start packing it up?”
Exhaling a breath, I pushed my hand through my hair. “You probably think I’m a chicken shit for hiding out in the kitchen.”
Without looking at me, Cadie replied, “No judgment from me.”
“Is it closing time?”
“Almost. We close at three.”
I walked farther into the dining area of the bakery. My aunt had a cute bakery. It almost looked like the type of bakery that if you pulled up Pinterest and typed in vintage bakery, the Batter Up Bakery would show up. The front of the bakery had two display windows; one displayed cakes, pies, and pastries. The other had baskets with homemade bread in them. There were two small tables outside of the store. It had a very European feel to it. The inside was painted a blue color and had antique furniture sprinkled throughout. The tables were all round wood tables with café-type chairs. “I can remember working here in high school. Is the stuff to wipe down the tables in the same spot?”
“Not sure, but it’s right under the register.”
“Same spot! I’ll do that for you.”
Cadie gave me a polite smile. “I appreciate that, Kian, but you do not have to stay and help me. I’ve got this.”
“I don’t have anything else to do.”
Was it my imagination, or did she suddenly seem agitated? “I’ll grab it. If you wouldn’t mind stacking the chairs onto the tables so that I can mop.”
“Is there no one else to help you?”
“Opal is usually here, as well as a high school student who works part time. They’re both gone, so it’s just me. I don’t mind. Opal works so hard, and such long hours; I really wanted her to be able to take some time off and enjoy spending time with her friends.”
“That was nice of you.”
Cadie shrugged. “She’s been very kind to me since I arrived in town.”
“Where did you move from?” I asked, even though I’d heard that very information through the grapevine, as I took the rag and bottle of cleaner from her.
“Chicago. Grew up on the West Coast.”
I sprayed the table. “California? Oregon?”
Cadie paused and turned and faced me. “I know you’re just making small talk, but I really don’t talk about my personal life.” She shrugged. “It’s just a rule I have, I’m not trying to be rude or anything.”
Laughing, I said, “Why? Are you in hiding because you killed someone?”
A look passed over her face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. She smiled and winked. “My past isn’t that intriguing, trust me.”
“Oh, come on, everyone has a little part of their past that is interesting. Look at mine. I was born and raised in a town called Moose Village. Grew up believing that Perry the Moose was a real thing. I was cheated on and became a lawyer because I didn’t have the courage to tell my parents that it wasn’t my dream. Worked long hours for years, lived in a condo that was indecently too big for just one person, never could keep a girlfriend because of the long hours, quit my job just yesterday, and decided that at thirty-three, I would start a new career.”
When Cadie said nothing, I looked over to see her staring at me. She held a box in her hand that I assumed was filled with delicious pastries.
“I’m guessing that you must have really needed to get that off your chest.”
The bubble of laughter came from nowhere. I laughed so hard that it made Cadie start to laugh. Soon, we were both in stitches, and I wasn’t even sure what the hell we were laughing about.
The bell above the bakery door rang, and we both turned to see my Aunt Opal standing there, perplexed.
“I see you met Cadie,” was all she said as she entered. She stopped, kissed me on the cheek, and then started toward the kitchen.
Cadie and I exchanged a questioning look before I put the last chair on the table and followed my aunt. She went directly into her office and sat down.
“Aunt Opal, is everything okay?”
She looked up and smiled, but I could see the worry in her eyes. I sat down in the chair opposite her desk.
“Talk to me, Opal. What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Swallowing, she nodded. “I believe I have seen a ghost.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Dropping back in her seat, she let out a long, tired-sounding sigh. “Once upon a time, I was engaged to be married.”
I tried to hide the shocked look on my face. My aunt never seriously dated anyone for as long as I could remember. Sure, she had a boyfriend here and there, but my mother would say no one would ever be able to talk Opal into getting married. She would say her only love was the bakery.
“Um, I never knew you were engaged to be married.”
A weak smile appeared on her face. It was then I noticed how much Opal looked like my mother. Her hair was longer, her eyes were blue, whereas my mother’s were brown. And although my mother spent thousands of dollars on keeping herself looking younger, Opal looked at least ten years younger than her age of fifty-five. She was younger than my mother, who had just turned fifty-seven. I knew it bothered my mother that Opal never needed to get the injections or lotions that cost hundreds of dollars. She simply lived a life she loved and followed her passion.
“We all have our secrets.”
I instantly thought of Cadie and regretted grilling her moments ago.
“Why did you feel the need to keep that a secret?”
Opal closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled. Without opening her eyes, she said, “Because your mother ran off and married him.”
Confused, I shook my head slightly and then laughed. “Wait, you were engaged to Dad?”
Her eyes snapped open. “Heavens no. Doug is not my type at all.”
I was positive I was staring at my aunt like she had lost her mind. “I’m confused.”
Rubbing her temples, she mumbled something about secrets and men and how she needed a drink. “Aunt Opal?”
When she finally dropped her hands and looked at me, she said, “I’m not sure I should say anything but it was a long time ago, so not really an issue now. But your mother was married to him before she married your father. ”
My mouth fell open. “She was? To whom?”
“His name was Jake, and he was the love of my life. We had so many dreams,” she said as she seemed to get lost in the past for a few moments. Clearing her throat, she went on. “We were going to go to France so I could go to pastry school, and he planned on spending hours painting the beautiful scenery of France while taking painting lessons from some famous landscape artist. I planned to move to New York City, where I would open a bakery, and Jake would open an art studio.” She let out a soft laugh. “The dreams we had.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Your mother. That’s what happened.”
Confused, I asked, “What do you mean? She and Dad dated since high school. Middle school, if Dad was telling the story.”
Opal laughed, but it held no humor at all. “Your mother had gotten into a fight with your father and decided to fly to France to surprise me. She had, of course, met Jake before. He wasn’t from Moose Village and lived in Lake Placid. We met at a mutual friend’s birthday party at Lake Placid. It was love at first sight. We spent hours together just talking about our goals and dreams. We were both eighteen and so excited to start life. He said he would follow me there when I told him about my plans to visit France and possibly attend school there. I thought he was kidding, but one day he picked me up for a date and said he had made arrangements to study with this landscape artist. My mother and father, of course, didn’t know Jake would be going to France. I lied and said he was going to an art school in New York City. I didn’t even tell your mother.”
Opal looked down at her desk and wiped away at nothing. “Needless to say, she was surprised that Jake and I lived together in a small flat above the studio where he was taking art classes. She promised not to tell our parents, so I let her stay with us. She slept on the sofa, and while I was at pastry school, she explored Paris. Jake accompanied her a few times, and I never thought anything of it. Jake had an art exhibit to go to, and I couldn’t go, so your mother suggested she should go. Something inside me said it was a bad idea, but I trusted Jake and his love for me.”
It felt like a lead brick had settled in the pit of my stomach. “What happened?”
She closed her eyes as if going back to that moment. “Jake couldn’t handle his alcohol, and your mother, well, she could. They got drunk, went back to our studio apartment, and your mother slept with him.”
It was my turn to close my eyes. It was sad to think about it, but it didn’t surprise me that my mother would do that. When I opened my eyes, Opal was wiping a tear away.
“I came home and found them passed out in our bed. I threw a bucket of cold water on both of them. Jake couldn’t even remember sleeping with her, and your mother said it wasn’t a big deal. I tried to forgive them both, but the trust was broken. Your mother left and went back to the States and back to your father. Jake and I tried to work through the betrayal, but I couldn’t get past what he had done. He slept with my sister. I struggled with it, but we eventually worked through our problems, and Jake asked me to marry him. He said he wanted to make it up to me every single day for the rest of our lives.”
“If he asked you to marry him, how did he marry Mom?”
“Three months after your mother left, she called me and told me she was pregnant—and that it was Jake’s baby. ”
I quickly reviewed the timeline. Was Macy Jake’s daughter? No…it couldn’t be.
“Jake told me he needed to do the right thing, so he left France, moved to New York City, and married your mother.”
“What about Dad?”
“He was heartbroken and nearly quit school.”
“What?” I practically shouted.
“Jake and Lacy married, and she lost the baby not long afterward.”
A part of me knew I should feel bad for my mother, but I couldn’t make myself feel that way. She had slept with my aunt’s boyfriend, gotten pregnant, then married the guy.
“I’m so sorry, Opal.”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t the one who lost the baby.”
“But you lost the love of your life because of your sister.”
Nodding, she replied, “That is true, but Karma has hit your mother in the end. Time and time again, if I’m being honest.”
“What happened to Jake?”
“Your mother told him she didn’t love him and loved Doug. They got an annulment, and a week later, your mother was married to Doug, and eight months later, Macy was born.”
I closed my eyes. “So she got pregnant with Macy while still married to Jake. So, you see, your father isn’t exactly an innocent party either.”
“And we’re sure Macy is Dad’s?”
“According to your mother, Jake and she never slept together except for that one night.”
Opal nodded. “Jake stayed in New York City, opened that art studio, and did well. My dreams took me back home to Moose Village when my mother decided to retire from the café. I thought it would make the perfect bakery, and I was right. The last time I saw Jake was when he packed a bag and headed to the States to marry my sister. That is, until today.”
I rubbed my temples and asked, “Wait, so Dad knew about Jake? Well, obviously, he did if Mom got pregnant. Had he met Jake before?”
Opal gave me a weak smile. “Yes, he had met him.”
I slowly shook my head. “This explains so much about their marriage. I’m so sorry, Aunt Opal.”
She waved off my concern. “Don’t be. My life turned out exactly how it should have. I’m happy, and your mother…well…she got what she deserved in the end.”
“But what about kids? Did you never want to get married and have kids?”
“It was a dream once upon a time. And I was pregnant once. I lost the baby, though, and it was for the best. The man I was dating at the time wasn’t the man for me.”
“Did you never get married because of Jake?”
She exhaled. “I’m sure that is part of it.”
“Did she ever apologize to you?”
Opal laughed. “This is your mother we’re talking about.” She exhaled. “No, she didn’t and we didn’t talk for about a year. We made up for the sake of our mother. It killed her knowing her daughters were at odds. Or course, she didn’t know the whole reason why.”
With a shrug, Opal let out a bone-weary sigh.
“Why had no one ever told us this story?”
“It doesn’t impact your lives, so I’m sure that is part of the reason, and the second, your mother likes to keep it a secret. But I’m getting old, Kian, and I’m tired of carrying secrets. Seeing Jake today made me realize I needed to let go of the anger I still held for your mother. Don’t get me wrong, she still pisses me off for a large number of other reasons.”
I laughed.
The light knock on the door had us both turning to look at it. “Come in.”
Cadie peeked in. “Would you like me to lock up and turn off the lights?”
Opal stood. “No, you go on home; I’ll take care of locking up.”
Smiling, Cadie replied, “Sounds good.” Her gaze met mine. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Kian.”
“You as well, Cadie, with a C.”
“And a D.” Frowning, she laughed. “I spell my name C-A-D-I-E.”
“Wow, that’s different.”
“I guess my mother liked to be different.”
As if realizing she said something personal, the mask quickly came back down. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
She turned and left. Once we heard the back door shut, Opal turned to look at me. “That was the first time she mentioned her mother or any family member. Maybe it was your charm!”
“Or maybe she isn’t hiding her past, and everyone is reading into it too much. I must admit, I got caught up in all the gossip and started asking her questions.”
Opal shook her head. “The moment that young woman stepped into this bakery, I knew she was lying.”
“Lying?” I asked in a shocked voice.
With a nod, she said, “Lying, indeed!”
I watched as my aunt left her office. Why would my aunt hire someone she was suspicious of to work for her? And why in the world would Cadie be lying, and what was she lying about?