Chapter 9
Talking about losing Mom is never easy, but the words just spill out of me.
I want to know everything about Mikey and share every piece of myself with her. A calm, serene feeling settles inside me when she places her hand comfortingly on my arm.
I didn’t think our game would get so deep five rounds in, but I sense a shift in Mikey the longer we play. She’s opening up to me, and our relationship is shifting even further from professional.
Hopefully, it will shift fully into romantic territory soon because I want more than anything to lace my fingers with hers.
I want to kiss the back of her hand. I want to touch her in some way beyond comfort.
I want the familiar, casual touches that come with being entirely comfortable with another person.
But I’m patient. I can wait until she’s ready.
I feel it in my marrow with every piece of information I learn about her that the thread tying us together is only getting stronger. Whatever fate has in store, this is a pivotal moment in our love story.
“Thank you, Mikey. She was the best. My mom is the reason Ruby loves to cook and I love to bake. She wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be a helpless man when it came to feeding myself, but neither of us predicted how much I would love it.
She always dreamed of opening her own bakery, but she never had the funds.
When we got my dad’s retirement after his passing, then my mom’s life insurance policy, Ruby convinced me to open the shop in her honor. ”
“Well, she obviously did a great job teaching you. How long has it been open?”
“Five years in March.” Ruby and I have an anniversary party planned to celebrate and thank the town for keeping us in business.
“How has it been working with your sister?”
“Is that your official next question?” I tease, wanting to move past the heavy topics.
I’d gladly talk about our trauma and grief all day, but I’d rather do it in a place I can hold and comfort her with more than a hand on her shoulder.
I’m endlessly grateful she didn’t seem uncomfortable with my touch.
I know I should have asked, but I was rolling with my instincts.
I can’t keep my eyes off of her, so I catch her subtle eye roll. “I guess so. This makes the count equal at five, right?”
“Sure does, sweetheart. Now, to answer your question, working with Ruby is easy. She has a marketing degree, and I have a business degree with a concentration in accounting, so it works out. Ruby handles the social media, advertising, and catering side, while I handle the finances, supplies, and operations. Obviously there’s a lot of overlap, but we’ve worked out the kinks we had in the beginning, and we run like a well-oiled machine now. ”
“That’s good. It sounds kind of fun, working with a sibling. Not that I’d have any clue what it’s like. I like that you and Ruby are close and your business is a success.”
“It helps that Ruby, like my mom, is the town’s golden child. She can do no wrong in the eyes of the people, and they all adore her. Without her people skills and how much everyone loves her, I don’t think we’d be as well off as we are. Ruby has a way of drawing people in. She’s magnetic.”
“I didn’t think anyone could be as magnetic as you.”
A rush of affection rolls through me, and I can’t stop my satisfied smile. “Are you saying you’re drawn to me, Mikey?”
A blush rapidly spreads across her freckled cheeks. “Is that your official question?”
“Nah. Your blush is a good enough answer. My question is…” I tap my chin. I have so many questions, I don’t know where to start. A clap of thunder echoes around us, interrupting my thoughts, and rain splatters across the windshield.
“Oh, shit. I hope it doesn’t start coming down harder.” Mikey flicks on her wipers.
“We’re almost there. Hopefully it will be a quick burst, and you can make it back. There’s the turn,” I say, pointing to the small sign with an arrow pointing to Cupid’s Cove.
Mikey nods, turning when we reach the street. It’s only a fifteen minute drive to Main Street from here, but the thought of Mikey travelling back over the mountain if the rain gets worse makes me nauseous.
I won’t risk her safety. She’ll have to stay in Cupid’s Cove until the storm passes.
Maybe she’ll have to spend the night.
I can’t get my hopes up.
As the rain pours harder, Mikey’s knuckles turn white from holding the steering wheel so tight. Her teeth chew her bottom lip raw.
“What are your hobbies?” I ask, hoping to distract her.
“I like to read,” she mutters.
I perk up. “Really? Me, too. What do you like to read?”
“Are you going to think I’m cliche if I tell you I read almost exclusively romance?”
“Not at all because I do, too.”
“Are you shitting me right now?” Her voice is dripping in disbelief.
“Nope. Another thing my mom instilled in me is my love of all things romance and love. So what kind of romance are we talking about? Dark? Contemporary? Romantasy? Omegaverse? Historical? Erotica?” Talking books with her would be amazing.
We could have our own little spicy book club and reenact the scenes from our favorite books.
Simmer down, Saint.
“I’m partial to dark and contemporary. Mafia romance is a favorite of mine. I swear they put something in those books to make them addictive. I’m into the taboo stuff.”
God, I shouldn’t find this hot, but my mind is running away with ideas. “Are we talking step-siblings? Ex-boyfriend’s dad? Age gap? Have you read the one where two cousins by marriage fall for the same girl and end up in a throuple situation? It was hot as hell.”
Mikey clears her throat and shifts in her seat. “I haven’t read that one, but I’ll be needing the name of it. I love a dad’s best friend even if I can’t relate in the slightest. I don’t think I’d personally be able to date someone that much older than me.”
“How old are you?” She’s got to be around my age, right? I assume she is, based on context clues.
“Twenty-six. You?”
Thank god. “Twenty-nine. Almost thirty.”
“Oh? When’s your birthday?”
“Tomorrow…” I wince. Slater never misses an opportunity to make fun of me for dressing up as Cupid on my birthday.
“Tell me you’re joking.” Mikey laughs.
“Nope. Mom went into labor at 7 p.m. on February thirteenth and told the doctors she would not be having a baby until Valentine’s Day. They thought she was crazy because she was progressing so fast, but she was able to hold off until five past midnight on Valentine’s Day.”
“Well, happy birthday tomorrow, then. Is it weird to have the whole town celebrating on your birthday?”
“At first it was, but they don’t make a big deal out of it. Oh, turn here and follow Main Street down. You can’t miss the café.”
As Main Street comes into view, Mikey gasps. “Wow,” she whispers in awe as she takes in the red, white, and pink decorations lining the street. Underneath the decor, it looks like any other Main Street in a small town with brick facade buildings and signs boasting the shop names.
Heart shaped balloons are strung across the street made of some type of material that makes them last through any season.
They change them out just before the festival so everything looks shiny and bright.
Every business in Cupid’s Cove has a Valentine’s themed name, and the windows are decorated with more hearts than possible to count.
“Good wow or bad wow?” I know some people can be put off by the way it looks like a craft store hurricane blew through.
“Surprised wow. I thought it would look tacky, like a party store threw up all over, but it’s actually quite charming. Does it look like this all year?”
“Mostly. They go ham on the decorations for the festival and add a bunch, but for the most part it looks like this. You can pull around to the back of the shop.” I direct her around the building, and she parks in my employee spot.
We sit in silence, listening to the rhythmic pattering of the rain hitting the truck. Mikey’s fingers drum on the steering wheel, and I’m trying to think of something to say.
“Well,” she starts, “I’ll give you a call as soon as the part’s in so you can pick it up.”
“I think you should wait for the rain to pass before you try to drive back. The roads are too dangerous in this weather.” I try to keep the panic out of my voice, but it’s still there.
I don’t want her to leave. We’re just getting somewhere, moving forward. I’m finally chipping away at the walls she has up. The thought of her travelling alone through a storm makes me want to lock her in the café until the storm is gone so I’d know she’s safe.
I can’t deny I like the thought of spending my birthday with the woman I’ve been falling for over the past year. I know it’s crazy and too soon, but I can’t help it.
My only birthday wish is for Mikey to give me a chance.
Mikey pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, glancing at the clock on her dashboard. It’s almost four, so if the rain dies down in the next hour she’ll make it back to Salem before it gets too late.
“You’re right,” she agrees. Her stomach rumbles as if to punctuate her sentence.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you fed while we wait.” I get out of the truck before she can protest, smiling to myself when I hear her door slam. We rush in the back door and wipe our shoes on the doormat. Mikey swipes her damp bangs off her forehead, her lashes clumping with rain drops.
I want to kiss her so badly.
“Uh, this is my office.” I point to the red painted door then lead her down the hall. “Down there is the kitchen, but we’ll head out front and get a table.”
Right before we go through the swinging doors leading to the main area, Ruby appears holding a box and nearly crashes into me.
“It’s about damn time! Slater stopped by to tell me you might not be back because your van broke down. I told him if you didn’t get here tonight, I was calling that shop to tell—”