3. Chapter Three #3
“No,” I admit, folding my arms in front of my stomach, hoping it’ll ease the swirling sensation deep within my gut. “I—” I’m not ready to tell him yet. I’m still processing everything internally. The baby. Scott. My parents being so far away. Golden Hour…
Will I have to do all of this alone?
That last thought brings back the nauseating feeling that hasn’t left my system for the past few weeks.
Gaze flickering away, my eyes lock on the dirty dishes piled up in the industrial sink.
Bowls caked in batter. Whisks, knives, spatulas, and pans.
I love my little place. I feel most at home here in the cafe.
Baking is my element. My escape when I need to shut off my mind and allow parts of me to become messy.
Most of my life is structured and planned, but here…
this is where I let out all my creative juices flow.
Clearing my throat, I peer back up at Grayson’s expectant face. “I’m just tired. Macie, Delly, and I have been working on getting Golden Hour more traction, so it’s eating away a lot of my time and energy.”
Not a complete lie.
His features twitch. “How is promoting the cafe going? Is it working?”
I smile. “It’s getting there. It’s more work than I thought to be on social media, but it seems to be bringing in more people.”
Grayson hums quietly. My gaze searches his rounded eyes framed in the longest golden lashes I’ve ever seen on a man, the swoop of his brows, and the faint scar on his cheekbone from the time he fell off his dirt bike.
My lips part when he lets out in a deep, heavy tone, “If you ever need help, you always know where to find me, Biscuit.”
My throat works at his name for me. He’s called me that since the first day we met on the playground in pre-school, and I’ll never get tired of hearing it. He’s the only one who calls me that.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my hands rubbing together.
Grayson grins.
I go to take the small basket from him, which looks miniscule compared to his size, when he reaches out, grabbing one of the scrolls off the tray and tearing into it. I watch, mesmerised, as Grayson downs half of it in three bites, eyes rolling backwards and a carnal groan escapes his throat.
It makes my body vibrate.
He grins, wiping cinnamon from his mouth. “These are incredible.”
Swallowing, my heart feels a little heavier knowing that he loves them. “I was working on those for the winter menu. Something to promote online.” My teeth dig into my lip as I wipe my hands on my denim overalls. “Do you think they beat last month’s raspberry and caramel swirls?”
Grayson’s head shakes. “Heck no.” His hand comes to rest half on my shoulder, half on my neck. My heart pounds, rattling my rib cage as I force myself not to react to his touch. Tingles shoot over my skin, but I’m not meant to feel anything for him.
I can’t feel anything for him.
“You have a way with flavours, Biscuit.” He holds up the half of the scroll he’s yet to devour. “And every time you make a new recipe, you seem to blow my socks off.”
My toes wriggle in my boots as a blush creeps up my neck like a blooming rash.
Smiling, his arm drops away, and I instantly miss the connection. Grayson polishes off the rest of the scroll before grinning. “They’re delicious, just like everything you sink your fingers into.”
My shoulders relax as he steps closer and pulls me into a hug.
It’s warm and familiar, and I sink into him, not wanting to think of how many more times I’ll be able to seek his comfort before I tell him.
What if he’s disappointed with me? I wouldn’t be able to handle that.
Not when it comes to Grayson. Not when I don’t know how he feels about me.
Am I just his friend, or is there a possibility of something more?
We’ve been best friends for so long, after a while, you just become so used to closeness that lines are sometimes blurred. And even if I have felt things for him since high school, that doesn’t mean he has as well…
“You should go.” I gently pull myself from his embrace. I don’t miss the slight crease between his brows, but I have to create some distance before my body does something I can’t control. “I need to keep baking and film some things with Macie.”
“Oh, right…” he drawls.
I force a smile, not allowing him to see how much pushing him away hurts my chest, but I need to. At least for now. This is all so fresh, and I have to put my baby above everyone else, Grayson included.
“Why don’t we hang out tonight then? I can come to yours after work.”
Hesitating for a moment, I nod slowly. “Sure.”
“Great,” Grayson pushes out. My fingers knot together as I give a wobbly grin. “And you should make more of those cinnamon twist things. Definitely keep those around longer.”
“The caramon scrolls?” I question while holding in a laugh. “That’s what I’m calling them. Caramel and cinnamon combined.”
“Caramon scrolls…” Grayson purrs, making me sniff a laugh. “I like it, Biscuit.”
Winking, he disappears through the doorway.
I breathe properly again for the first time since he said my name.