Eighteen
Alex
It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since our date ten days ago.
I’m exhausted from how crazy work has been, and the lack of sleep has finally caught up with me. I have no idea how I managed to get through classes in college on only an hour's sleep not so long ago.
Blaine ended up FaceTiming me nearly every night, even if it was only a quick ten-minute call before both of us ended up yawning non-stop. I wanted more, but by the time he’d done his post-game routines, eaten, and showered, it was always past midnight.
He texted throughout the day—the odd message here wishing me good morning or a photo of something that made him laugh or think of me.
I told my brother and Nate that if he continued like this—and didn’t get bored of me—I could see myself really falling for him.
Every time I see his name on my phone screen, my heart pitter-patters.
Even when I had to work late and couldn’t watch the game, I found myself grinning like an idiot and feeling all fuzzy inside every time his name popped up on my notifications for a goal or assist.
The pull in my chest is growing stronger every day, and I know I have to keep myself protected, just in case his interest in me is only temporary. It's becoming harder, though.
But right now, I have to put Blaine in the back of my mind because Jacob needs me.
He was pale as a ghost when he came home last night from delivering an order.
He put it down to exhaustion, but by the time he showered, it was evident it was more than that when he struggled to eat a sandwich.
I’d woken up shortly after midnight to the sound of him coughing and made him some hot tea with honey and lemon.
I was kind of thankful that Blaine was on his flight home because I barely slept.
When my alarm went off at four this morning, I poked my head through Jacob's door and was relieved to see he’d finally fallen asleep.
I tiptoed inside and turned his alarm off because there was no way he was fit to work, at least not for the next few days.
Taking a super quick shower, I got dressed and left him a note on his bedside, along with a cold bottle of water, and made sure the heating wouldn’t switch off.
Little did I know that a few hours later, I’d be questioning whether ten in the morning was too early to have a breakdown.
I thought I could manage on my own, but in reality, I really, really can’t.
The line seems to be getting longer, which on the one hand is amazing for business but on the other hand means I simply can’t keep up with the demand.
I’d baked and decorated all of our staple bakes just in the nick of time before unlocking the door, and despite posting on our social media that we would be running a limited selection to try and ease some of the pressure, I’m working as fast as I can, on the verge of tears, and I can’t remember the last time I had a drink.
I box up the six red velvet cupcakes and ring through a customer's order when the bell chimes above the door. I glance up to say a quick hello, but the words get lodged in my mouth.
The last person I expected to see walk through the door was Blaine.
Dressed in black sweatpants and a light gray hoodie, his eyes widen in surprise when he sees how busy the store is and how alone I am.
Some of the waiting customers go silent in awe, before congratulating him on the wins over the last eight days. He’s the poster boy of a polite and friendly pro athlete when several ask for a selfie before his attention lands on me again.
“Do you mind if I jump in for a minute?” He asks the lady next in line.
“No, no, of course not. Go ahead.” She flashes a seductive smile, flicking her luscious brunette curls over her shoulder.
Jealousy bubbles inside me, and I have to suppress the snarl that threatens to escape at the playful wink he throws at her, but my anger soon fizzles out as he comes up to me. He’s so fucking gorgeous, even with his forehead creasing with a frown, eyes filling with concern.
“Are you okay? I saw your text after I got out of physio.” He looks around the bakery, searching.
I sent him a text on my way into work letting him know Jacob was sick and I wouldn’t be able to meet him for coffee during my lunch break like we’d planned.
“I know you said you couldn’t meet me for coffee, so I bought coffee for you.” His nervous smile warms my heart.
He’s trying so hard, it’s cute.
He holds up a cup from a coffee shop just around the corner, a paper bag, and a small bouquet of white tulips. “These are for you. I picked up a mozzarella and tomato panini; the barista said that you could reheat it in the microwave for twenty seconds and it’ll make the cheese all gooey again.”
I spot one girl filming on her phone, but it doesn’t seem to faze him that he’s showing this display of affection so publicly. His eyes remain focused on me.
If I wasn’t already close to crying from the stress of not wanting to let my brother down, I would break down from his kind gesture alone.
Nobody has ever done something like this for me before.
So thoughtful.
And I’m already falling, hard.
“Alex?”
His words break my train of thought, his eyebrow slightly quirked as he waits for an answer. “Is it okay if I help you out?” He asks.
Would that be okay?
Sure, he could help with serving or boxing up the baked goods. It’s not a difficult task, and I’m sure the customers won’t mind having to wait to be served when they have one of Chicago Thunder’s finest behind the counter.
Can I really ask that of him, though? A fucking NHL All-Star working behind the counter?
But I cave at the sight of his pleading eyes.
“Yeah, that would be amazing, thank you.” I nod quickly. “There’s an apron in the kitchen.”
He grins and makes his way around the counter, but before he can go through to the kitchen, I stop him with my hand on his arm. I give his very solid forearm a small squeeze, trying to let him know how much this means to me.
“Thank you for thinking of me. For the coffee and the flowers and the sandwich and…” I rapidly blink away the tears forming. My voice shakes as I whisper. “Thank you.”
His eyes light up as he smiles. “You’re welcome.”
A few minutes later, Blaine joins me behind the counter wearing a white apron with “Jacob's Delicious Desserts” embroidered on the front in pink cursive lettering. He ties it behind his back and rubs his hands together. “Now, who wants some cake?”
Everyone cheers.
I chuckle under my breath, quickly going through where the boxes and paper bags are kept, then get back to serving.
The line keeps getting longer when word gets out that Blaine Olsen, star forward of the Chicago Thunder, is behind the counter boxing up cookies, cakes, and donuts, and within a couple of hours, we are completely sold out.
I flip the closed sign, sending an apologetic smile to everyone who comes to the door, trying not to feel guilty from their disappointed faces.
After I flick the lock, I sag against the glass, letting out a heavy, tired sigh as I close my eyes.
“Wow, that was hard,” Blaine says from one of the booths.
He’s eating one of the strawberry vanilla cupcakes he must have set aside when I open my eyes.
He’s got frosting stuck in his stubble and a tiny bit on his chin.
He licks off the frosting from his fingers, his tongue curling around the digit before disappearing between his lips. My cock jerks excitedly behind my fly.
Thank God I’m wearing an apron.
“That wasn’t a normal day,” I say, dropping down opposite him.
I rest my head back on the pink leather and close my eyes again. We have never sold out before lunchtime.
Yeah, I had a limited selection on offer, but I still baked the same quantities.
“You really do this seven days a week?” Blaine asks.
“Yeah, it wasn’t the plan originally, but at the moment…
” I keep my hands busy by folding a napkin several times.
“We opened the shop about two years ago, and things were going really well… Until they weren't. We ended up having to replace equipment, then we had things go wrong in the house that weren’t covered by insurance.” I sigh.
“We took out a few loans, maxed out credit cards… It’s been tough, and Jacob’s taking it really hard. ”
Blaine’s expression softens, and I want to argue when pity filters into his eyes.
“Sorry, you didn’t come here to listen to my woes.”
His brows furrow. “Alex, I want to hear anything you want to tell me, whether it’s happy or sad. I’m sorry you’re in such a shit position; is there anything I can do?”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t ask that of you, but thank you.”
He opens his mouth, then closes it again. For a moment, he just stares at me, his eyes searching for something.
“Your grandparents would be so proud of you.”
My breath gets lodged in my throat.
They were my rocks throughout the grief of losing my parents, the agony of my teenage years, and realizing I was gay.
I was worried about their reaction, but they just sat me down, opened up their arms in a hug, and told me how much they loved me, how proud of me they were, and that all they wanted was for me to be happy.
“I hope they are. They passed shortly after we opened. My grandma had been sick for some time, and was taken to the hospital after a blood test. We found out that she had leukemia, and she passed away three weeks later. Then, within a week, we lost my grandfather. The doctor couldn’t give us a reason behind his sudden passing, the only thing they said was it was more than likely from a broken heart. ”
My voice cracks. My chest tightens, like the weight of an anvil pressing against me, and my vision blurs. Jeez, I’m really freaking emotional today.
Blaine takes my hand, the warmth of his skin against mine startling me from my thoughts. He rubs his thumb in soothing circles over the inside of my wrist, supporting me as I go on.