Chapter Seventeen #2
Larissa put a hand on her stomach. “They’re telling you they’re going to be a handful? Raven told me that as long as you’re with me, it will be easy. She had Carlos with her every step of the way.”
“And that is exactly what you’re going to have,” Big Dick said, coming toward her and cupping her face.
This made her stop, gasp, and look up into his eyes. In her mind, she was screaming at him to kiss her. It was all she could think about—to have those magical lips on hers, kissing her, making love to her. Was it so wrong to want his kisses?
“How about I go and make that lunch?” he asked.
He did kiss her, but put his lips on her temple.
****
Larissa smiled at the latest customer as she packaged up the order of snowman sugar cookies.
Festive treats were in full swing, and the bakery was busy nonstop.
She loved the hustle and bustle, but she also enjoyed watching the kids as they put their little faces up to the glass, trying to decide what to choose.
She remembered when she was a kid, feeling exactly the same way, wanting everything a bakery or candy shop had to offer.
The old bakery that had been in town had been awful.
“So, we’ve had five candidates apply,” Ava said.
Larissa turned to her boss and friend. “And did any of them fit the bill?”
While she was on maternity leave, Ava had decided to hire someone part-time, with the hope of it being full time once Larissa had her baby.
She was happy to help train someone to help Ava. Harlow was ready to give birth, and Larissa still had a good few months to go. However, she knew how quickly time flew by, and she didn’t want to leave anything to the last minute.
“None of them. They were useless.”
Larissa winced. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”
“One of the men asked if the cream I was selling was body lotion and if it had sunscreen in it.”
She frowned. “What?”
“He didn’t have a clue about cream for donuts or how to make a sugar cookie. I at least want someone with a little experience.” Ava looked doubtful.
“You never know, someone might walk in that door and surprise you.”
And just like that, a woman rushed into the door, and Larissa looked at her, recognizing Rachel Flynn immediately. Rachel was a little younger than her, by a year or two.
“Are you all right?” Ava asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I, ugh...” Rachel looked a little out of sorts, and Larissa saw the bruise that was fading around her eye.
In school, there was rumors circling of the bullying Rachel went through.
Larissa had never seen it, and she had tried to watch so she could stop it, but she was never there when it happened.
There was also a rumor—and she truly hoped it was a rumor—that Rachel was pulled into a locker room, where the toilets had been used, and they shoved her head in them.
Again, that had been rumor, but no one would mention it.
Whispers in the hallway. Rachel would appear with bruises from time to time.
Larissa watched as Rachel pulled out a newspaper clipping and held it up. She noticed the other woman was shaking a little.
“Here, I wanted to come for a job interview,” Rachel said.
Larissa stepped from around the counter as Ava took the newspaper clipping and shook the woman’s hand.
She looked out the window, wondering if she could see any signs as to why Rachel looked terrified.
High school was over. She had heard Rachel had left to go to a different school.
She didn’t know which one. They were not close. There was still a year between them.
“Do you know how to make a sugar cookie?” Ava asked.
“Yes, I went to culinary school,” Rachel said. “I know how to make a lot.” She offered a smile.
“Excellent. You won’t mind coming to the back, and making a batch of sugar cookies and decorating them, will you?” Ava asked.
Some of the people she had interviewed were not allowed to touch her kitchen.
For the next three hours, Larissa served the customers as Rachel baked a batch of festive sugar cookies from start to finish, including some royal decorating icing, and it all looked so incredible and delicious. Ava had a taste and her eyes went wide.
Larissa knew Ava was a fantastic baker, and when her friend pointed at her to take one, she did so, took a bite, and it was perfection. Even though they were decorated, the crumb was soft and delicate. The icing was not too sweet and not too thick either. It was perfect.
All Ava had to do was ask when she could start.
Rachel stayed for the rest of the day, getting acquainted with the shop, the ovens, and Ava took her back and started to get her work information ready.
Larissa closed up the shop, cleaned it, and spotted Big Dick outside, leaning against his car. He no longer came on his bike, and always insisted on driving her home. Even though she had her own car, he was there, taking her to and from work. It was nice.
Larissa made her way into the back of the shop to say goodbye to Ava, and to once again offer Rachel congratulations and promise to see her tomorrow.
Then she made her way outside to where Big Dick was. She wanted to go up to him, wrap her arms around him, and kiss him. She’d missed him today, and even though the moments were fleeting when she had thought about him, she just couldn’t seem to stop.
“Hey,” she said.
“Evening,” he said. “How was your day?” He put a hand at the small of her back and guided her to the passenger side of the car.
“It has been good ... long, but Ava has found a new girl to help when I go out on maternity leave. Rachel Flynn.”
“I know that name.”
“You should, she has lived here most of her life. Apart from when she went away to culinary school.”
“Probably. Does she have a brother or something?”
“I don’t know.” She couldn’t help but look back at the shop and wonder about the bullying rumors. “Did you ever hear the rumors?”
“Rumors?”
“That she was bullied, like a lot, through high school?” she asked. Big Dick was older than her and Harlow.
There was quite a sizable age gap between them. Not that age mattered. She didn’t care how old Big Dick was, it didn’t change the way she felt about him. She still loved him.
“I don’t know. Once I joined the Hell’s Bastards MC, I forgot all about the shit at high school. I know I never bullied her. I don’t even know what she looks like. I just recognize the name.”
Larissa smiled. She hoped the bullying rumors were just that—rumors.
Big Dick pulled out of the parking spot and drove them home.
There were no stops. They had the nursery all ready.
They were having a little disagreement about purchasing items for the baby.
She didn’t want to, as they didn’t know if they were having boys or girls.
Big Dick wanted to load up the nursery with both, so they were prepared.
She was also a little afraid of bad luck.
The last thing she wanted to do was bring bad luck to their babies.
Arriving home, she saw it was already aglow. “Do we have company?” she asked.
“No, I just have everything ready.”
“What?”
“I stopped off at home before coming to get you.” He put the car into “park,” and climbed out, rushing around the side to help her out of it. “And I have everything ready for dinner.”
“Already?”
She hadn’t needed to cook a single meal since Big Dick had been taking care of them.
Not even on a weekend. He was there, always, and she loved him even more for it.
The only thing they were not doing was sharing a bed.
They had separate beds, and currently separate rooms. Larissa had wanted it like that, and Big Dick hadn’t pushed.
Stepping over the threshold, Larissa took a deep inhale, and the food smelled so delicious.
“What are we having?” she asked.
“Chicken pot pie.”
“You’re not serious?” she asked.
“I am, and I even got my mother to talk me through her recipe as it is one of my favorites, and I just know you’re going to love it.”
She laughed. “You think I am?”
“I know you are.”
It smelled amazing.
Big Dick took her jacket, then grabbed her hands, moving her to the dining room. “I can do this myself.”
“This is the first time I have cooked this, and I want to know what you think.” He got her to sit at the table, and she was just to relax, while he grabbed their food.
Larissa looked at the perfect piece of chicken pot pie, with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots on the side. She also noticed that Big Dick had a really messed-up piece of pie.
“What happened?” she asked.
“You always mess up the first slice, and besides, I know how good this is. You tell me what you think.”
He looked so hopeful, and she picked up her fork and knife and began to cut into the pie.
The pastry was flaky, the chicken looked so delicious.
She took a bite and she was shocked. No one had ever made her chicken pot pie before.
She was the one always making pie, and this was absolutely delicious.
“That’s amazing,” she said.
He smirked. “That is my mom’s chicken pot pie, cooked by me.”
Larissa laughed and took a sip of her water, before having another slice of pie. Big Dick asked about her day, and she told him how much fun she had. She talked about the kids she loved to see and the customers she adored. It was a good feeling.
She asked about his day, and there was never much to tell, but she liked to hear him talk about what he could.
She helped with the dishes, which was becoming one of her favorite times of the day.
Afterward, she excused herself to take a shower, and throughout, she couldn’t stop thinking about Big Dick.
Being with him, being near him, wanting to get close to him.
Did she need to keep being angry with him?
It made no sense to her.