Chapter 6
brOOKLYN
Heat blasted my face as I opened the oven, annoyed with myself for not putting in my contacts before I’d started my day.
I quickly took out my two loaves, set them on the oven top, closed the oven door, and finished my process.
They would cool on the wire racks while I got ready for the day, and I would bring them into work.
I hadn’t slept well the night before, or the night prior to that.
So my stress breaking had reached an all new level.
I knew Lexington was annoyed with me for bringing so many carbs into the office, but between our teams, and people who came in for meetings, everything was eaten, and it meant my cousin didn’t need to indulge himself.
Today was a jalapeno cheddar loaf and an apple spice brown sugar loaf. The apple one was ridiculously large because of all the excess liquid, but I was calling it a win.
Jamie would’ve loved this one. I ran my hand over my heart, annoyed that I was upset that my cousin and one of my best friends was gone.
She wasn’t gone, gone. She was happy and getting married and living in Wyoming along with our other cousin, Libby.
They had their whole lives ahead of them, and I was proud of them.
But I hated that they had left me behind.
I frowned, because that wasn’t a good thing to harp on. They had found their happy ever afters and were living their lives accordingly. I’d thought I’d done that myself already. After all, I thought I’d found the love of my life, what more did I need?
I just hadn’t realized we hadn’t been on the same page.
I shook my head and pushed those thoughts out of my mind. No, I wasn’t going to think about Duke today. I couldn’t. Not if I wanted to focus.
I grieved him. I missed him. But I knew it was time for me to move on. And baking every other evening wasn’t the way to cope.
I quickly showered before doing my hair.
I had a couple of meetings and also needed to head out to one of the newer contracts we had.
And since I would be meeting the committee that had worked on the historical preservations campaign, I needed to look a little nicer than usual.
I added product to my hair, diffused it, and pulled it back in a loose braid.
I’d be able to undo the braid and let it fall in waves around my face later.
I didn’t bother covering up my freckles, but I added sunscreen, some tinted moisturizer, and a little extra mascara and eye shadow.
I wouldn’t be working outside for too long, so that meant I wouldn’t sweat it off, and I would still look nice for the committee.
Not for a certain coworker that I would be seeing today.
I blew out a breath, annoyed with myself for letting my thoughts go down that path once again.
I didn’t know why I suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about Reece.
Maybe it was because he was going through his own set of changes.
That had to be it. I was worried about him and Bella, and how they were making do, and nothing else. It was totally not anything else.
I packaged up my bread loaves and got in my truck. I needed to head to the office first and go through a few pieces of paperwork, so dropping off the bread would be easy. Now it was time to schmooze.
Honestly, Dash was the best at schmoozing. It wasn’t that he was insincere about it, but he was good at reading other people. And he can make anybody in his circle feel welcome. That was probably why I needed to keep him and Aly apart.
I snorted at that, knowing it was probably true. I liked Aly. A lot. We’d already had one quick coffee, and I had a feeling that I’d just found a new friend. But I had also seen the way Dash had smiled at her, and that meant I couldn’t let my cousin ruin a good thing for me.
Not that he would do it on purpose. Dash didn’t want forever right now, and while that was all good and well, I kind of wanted to keep one friend that wasn’t married into the Montgomerys. A totally selfish thing to think, but maybe it was okay to be selfish today.
I grabbed my things as I pulled into the parking lot and checked my phone. Still no answer.
It was fine. It had to be fine. Duke’s family no longer needed to be connected to me.
They were grieving, and had lost their son, brother, cousin, and grandson.
They didn’t need to worry about the girl he’d left behind.
I wasn’t family. I was nothing. And the sooner I remembered that, the sooner I would be able to move on.
No matter what move on meant in this case.
“Here, I got the door,” a deep voice said from behind me. I nearly tripped over my feet, and a blush covered my cheeks. I hadn’t even sensed his approach. I was off my game.
I looked over my shoulder, trying for a smile that conveyed that I hadn’t been up far too late for the past two nights dreaming of him.
“Oh. Hi, Reece. You’re early today.”
He raised his brows at me and gestured for me to walk past him.
I did so, cringing. What the hell was wrong with me?
I could usually speak around Reece just fine.
Okay, that was a lie. I’d always been a little off when it came to him.
Probably because I was usually so nervous.
He was an attractive man. And he didn’t see me as anything but a co-worker.
One he growled at when he thought I wasn’t doing something right.
There. That’s what I needed to remember.
He was usually an asshole to me. And that helped me get through whatever I was thinking of in that moment.
“Was there some form of bake sale that I missed?” Reece asked. Without saying another word, he took both loaves from me, as well as the muffins, bagels, and garlic knots I had made. I really didn’t get much sleep these days.
“What? No. I just felt like baking. And you guys get to reap my rewards.”
“You’re lucky that I burn so many calories on the job,” he said dryly. He shook his head, glaring at the bread, and I tried to reach out and take the bags from him.
“If you’re going to be mean, you don’t get any.”
“The bread you brought a couple nights ago was good. Really good. And the fried chicken. I should probably learn how to do something like that.”
Shocked he’d even mentioned me coming over without asking, I pressed my lips together and went into the break room. Without words, he helped me take everything out of the bags and set it on the table.
“I’m glad you guys liked it. Well, you liked it. Did Bella?”
“Of course she did. You’re a damn good cook, Brooklyn. And baker. Whatever you want to call yourself.”
“I’m a gardener who likes to plant trees. I just happen to have a sourdough starter.”
“Thanks though. For everything. I’m not good at this, you know. Saying thank you…or having to rely on other people.”
“Oh. You don’t really have to thank me for that. And you’re doing great. Bella’s at art camp today, right?”
It was the first day and my cousins were all excited for it.
They had started the camp a few years ago, even before the gallery had opened, and now had a full on waitlist. I might’ve felt bad about using my family connection to get Bella back on the list after her grandparents had summarily kicked her off, but I didn’t really.
She deserved a little bit of happiness and sameness from before, and I would do whatever I could to make it happen.
“Well, I hope she has fun. And you didn’t have to waive the fees. You guys pay me pretty well.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and I forced myself not to look at the way that his biceps bulged as he did so.
I cleared my throat, knowing my face was bright red.
“Seriously, don’t worry about it. It’s our Father’s Day gift to you.”
I had blurted the words, and he stared at me, eyes widening. Then that small smile crept over his face, and I tried not to look like I was ready to pass out at the sight of it. I was losing my damn mind.
“Thank you. I don’t know what I’m doing most days, but I appreciate it.”
“It’s been over a week now. Do you guys have a routine?”
“Maybe? She doesn’t scowl at me every time we’re in the same room together, so I’m counting that as a win.”
“She’s been through so much, and I know you both feel out of your depth, so if you need anything, you just let me know. Okay?”
“You’ve done a lot already.”
I shrugged, lowering my gaze.
“I don’t mind. Bella’s a sweet girl, and it feels like she always wants to learn things.”
“You helped her that first day on the job, making sure she wasn’t alone. And yes, I could have taken the day off, and I probably should have, but she was doing so well with you, and frankly, I think we both needed something to do out of the house.”
“I get it. And don’t worry. All of us are here if you need it. How’s it going with your family? Are they excited?”
“Yeah,” he said, clearing his throat. “I think my parents are over the moon that they can finally call themselves grandparents.”
“Mine are waiting to be grandparents as well, but they’re out of luck.”
“Your brothers haven’t decided to go out there and have all the kids?”
I laughed. “Oh no. Not yet. James though, maybe. He and his wife have been talking about it, but I don’t know if Nate ever wants to settle down,” I said dryly.
My brothers were twins, and each had gone through different versions of hell on their own.
James had been married for over six years.
He’d married his high school girlfriend, Sarah right out of college.
James and Sarah worked for the school for the deaf, as James had been born deaf.
My entire family knew sign language and did our best not to get rusty.
I didn’t know when James and Sarah would be ready to have kids, but my parents would be ecstatic.
“I’ve met James. He’s nice. So is his wife.”