2. Olivia
Ronan is in my bakery.
Ronan is in my bakery!
I’m clawing into my hair and screaming my mind out at the sight of him. He is here. After so many years. My Ronan.
I have never seen anyone wear such a simple outfit with as much elegance and poise. Black jeans and a gray knitted sweater never looked this good on anyone.
I wasn”t sure when I stepped outside, but I had a gut feeling that no other man had dirty blonde hairwith that exact same gold and strawberry tinge.
There was no mistaking his height or the way he hunches his shoulders. Maybe he gained a few inches, and I think age has made him look even more refined. His biceps aremore prominent than before.
But I felt it.
I knew it was him.
I nod and take in as much oxygen as I can. Every time he is around, he takes my breath away.
Memories of our past are flooding my mind. My heart is thumping loudly, bouncing off the walls in my chest. I feel like my stomach is spinning. But I sense something, someplace amid this chaos.
I feel thisimpulse to touch him to make sure what”s in front of me is real. That he is here. That it is truly him.
This moment feels surreal. I”ve given it a lot of thought, but in all the years I”ve spent wondering when and how I would see him again, I never imagined it would be this way.
And this way is painful.
A reminder of my desires, even though I already know too well that I will never be able to fulfill them. It”s not like I ever wanted him back but knowing that I will never have him makes the ache unbearable.
I try to maintain my composure and manage a grin for him and Barbara while maintaining my professionalism. My career is on the line here, and I will not allow Ronan to stand in my way.Then again, he”s staring at me. All of them are. As if I should respond to what he said in some way.
But the stare from those aqua green eyes gives me with a rush. It is the stare from those eyes that is making my stomach churn and my throat flaky.
I have never seen somebody maintain such a constant tilt on one brow. Nobody that I”ve seen twitches the side of their mouth in that way when they face an inconvenience. Nobody I know can keep me ensnared in their spell for so long.
The bride”s family name was the only information provided when I received the bookings onmy website. There is no way in hell I would have ever been this excited about this job had I known he would be here, that he”d be the groom.
“Shocking,” Barbara finally says. “It is not every day you run into your fiancé’s ex, who also happens to be the pastry chef meant to bake your wedding cake,” she chuckles,raisingher hand to show off her huge diamond ring.
“That”s why we shouldn’t use her,” Ronan says. I’m not sure how I feel about his suggestion, but I understand where he’s coming from.
“Do you want to talk about it in private?” Riley gestures over her shoulder in the direction of the car, but neither Ronan nor Barbara seems to be taking up her offer. “No?” She puffs. “No.”
Barbara creeps toward Ronan and says, ”I get your concern, Babe,” giving her hips a little extra swing. ”But consider this,” she pauses next to him and, taking advantage of her height, rests an elbow on his shoulder. She gently puts her arm around him possessively and says, ”She is the best in Boston, and I want the best for my wedding to you.”
The sight unsettles me.
It should have been me.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” Ronan slants his head to face Barbara, and she sucks in a deep breath like that move affected her in the same way it’s affecting me.
They are so close to kissing. Their lips are only an inch away from coming together, and he is staring into her soul like she is the best thing in the world—the same way he used to stare at me.
“I can issue a complete refund,” I offer with the biggest smile I can muster, watching the only man I have ever truly loved gazing at another woman as though she is his universe, and I can”t help but admit that they belong to each other. ”Plus, I might have someone else to recommend so you don”t have to deal with starting a new search over again.”
They fit together. Barbara is a few inches shorter than Ronan, who is over six feet –definitely somewhere between six feet four and five.
Being the model she is, she has the most perfect body I’ve ever seen—adream girl. Barbara is stunning, amazing waves of raven black hair and brown eyes the color of coffee. She also knows how to accentuate each of her features. She is wearing a deep green jumpsuit, accessorized with a gold belt that matchesher clutch and gold stilettos.
And then her social status. Although I am aware that Ronan is not the kind to obsess over thingslike that or let them influence his choices, I also know that his mother clings to it tightly.
They are both up there.
“She said she can do a refund,” Riley repeats my words since Barbara and Ronan stare at each other as if they are having some encoded conversation.
“That won’t be necessary,” Barbara breaks the eye contact to smile at me. “Babe,” she says as she tilts her head, facing Ronan again. “You know how my father gets, and he already paid for this. How would I justify it?” She shrugs. “And I want her to do this,” she leans in and presses a soft kiss on his lips.
I quickly drop my eyes to the floor and close my mouth as Riley looks from them to me. I gulp, taking the sting like a big girl.
When I hear Barbara clap her hands enthusiastically, I know Ronan must have said something to her with his expressionor the same eye-encoded discourse.
“Thank you, Babe,” Barbara turns to face me. “Shall we?”
I nod a little too quickly. “Sure,” I go ahead so they can follow me.
I shouldn’t care about what Ronan thinks of this arrangement since it means I’m keeping my client, which should be the major focus of every business owner. But I find that I care. I care about how he feels. I know I’m grateful that Barbara wants to work with me, but Ronan shouldn’t have to suffer. Both of us shouldn’t be subjected to suffering.
As Barbara slings her arm to hook with his, guiding them into the store where Ruth, my apprentice,smiles, defusing the tension in the air, I try to get a reaction from him. As usual, he is devoid of any emotion that reveals how he feels.
I used to be able to slip through and bring it out of him, but I’ve lost that ability. I have lost much more than that.
“Hey,” Riley comes to my side and runs her hand up and down my back. “Are you good?” She whispers, and I nod.
“Thank you,” I whisper back. “It’s good to see you again, Riley.”
She smiles affectionately, as she has always done, and follows Ronan and Barbara into my store.
The cake samples are already lined up on a table in the corner. My store doesn’t have a sit-in but for cases like this, I have a few round tables and comfortable chairs.
I keep trying to read Ronan’s body language as Ruth leads them to the table with the cakes on display. But now, I’m trying to see if he is impressed with my store or not.
I never thought about it before now, but now that he is actually here, I want to know what Ronan thinks of my business.
I wonder if he finds the name as confusing as most people do or if he remembers that it was my grandma’s name.
Amalia.
Named after my grandma from my father’s side of the family, who passed away while I was in culinary school in France. She was the one who encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Sadly, I never had the opportunity to bake her anything after graduating or give her one of the gourmet dishes I created for my final year project.
I miss her.
“Welcome to Amalia,” Ruth gives her welcome speech a little late as they sit down in front of the table with themini-cakes. Ruth smiles at me and pulls a puppy face to show she”s sorry.
“Go on,” I tell her, anchoring her to serve the cakes on the white saucers on the table. Both Riley and Barbara start to smile and adjust with excitement, like they have been waiting for this moment.
Ruth serves the first cake, which is a lemon cake with chocolate chips inside. Ronan shakes his head at Ruth when she offers him some and both Barbara and Riley reach out at the same time to grab the saucer. Barbara pouts and lets go of it but Riley hands it back to her.
Ronan leans to the side, disappearing mentally from the scene as Ruth keeps serving the cakes, from the red velvet with strawberry syrup filling, to the banana cake with vanilla cream, and the white chocolate cake with dark chocolate filling.
I’m swelling with pride, explaining all the ingredients I used. I confirm that neither the bride nor groom have any allergy to the ingredients used or dietary restrictions as Barbara keeps eating them all with a heightened level of excitement.
“I’m good with everything,” Barbara shrugs, munching on the white chocolate cake.
“I’m good,” Ronan answers, although he hasn’t tasted a single thing we served.
“In that case,” I exhale, “Let me get more samples, including the curated menu for the big day.” I slap my hands together. “And we have something for the bride, a special treat packed just for you.” As expected, Barbara’s brown eyes light up, and my heart swells some more.
I love what I do. But I love it a little extra when the people I do it for love it.
“Take care of it, please,” I give Ruth the order, and she nods eagerly.
I then whirl away and vanish into the little passageway next to the counter leading to the pantry. I enter the pantry and take a long breath.
Ronan is getting married. Ronan is out there and this is the first time in over a decade that we have seen each other. Ronan is in love with another woman. Ronan is…
“What are you planning, Olivia?”
My blood turns cold in my veins as I recognize Ronan’s familiar husky baritone. I clear my throat and stand straight.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, facing him. He is standing beside the now-closed door, his eyes fixed on me.
“Trying to find out what you are planning, Olivia, because I know you know. Barbara is my fiancée and you…”
“Oh please,” I chuckle, finding the courage to stay brave even though I’m shrinking from him being in this enclosed space with me. “Don’t flatter yourself, Ronan. I didn’t know, and I won’t have you mess this up for me. The Ferreris are important clients for my career and that thing you were trying to do out there…” I get closer to him for effect but quickly shrink as it affects me instead, sending torrents of heat through me, “Stop it. Stop trying to sabotage me.” I stand in front of him, knowing I should step back but staying still.
He holds my gaze, and I see the exact moment he softens.
Then he nods. “Whatever happens, be on your best behavior.” He closes the distance, and my body fires up as his body brushes mine. “Behave yourself, Olivia.” It’s a breath, and it brushes against my temple.
“Or what?” I puff, standing on my toes so as not to make myself look so small before him. Then he dips his head, reminding me how small I am and for many reasons other than the difference in our sizes.
His eyes drift to my lips, and mine instinctively look at his mouth. Hislush mouth, his rich, vibrant lips--like hot, melted strawberries.
He swallows,continuing to stare at my lips. I can think about only one thing. Later, I will kick myself, but for now, in this moment, it doesn”t feel all that bad.
He chuckles,and the little puff of air from his mouth caresses my lips, making me close my eyes and tilt my head. His body presses flat against mine, and he plants a single finger in the middle of my lower back, scorching me there like a hot coal.
He can see right through my trembling. He can feel it. I open my eyes to see the cloudiness in his gaze, but he is staring at my lips with his long, curly lashes covering his hooded eyes.
I shouldn’t be doing this.We shouldn’t be doing this.
“Or else,” he bites his lower lip. “You won’t like what I would do to you and your…” He lifts his eyes back to mine. “... pretty little dream,” he takes a step back, opens the door, steps out of the pantry, and slams the door.