Chapter four
Astrid
“I swear, I could hear that noise from down the boardwalk.” Hazel Sheppard walks through the door of the bakery, her voice barely carrying over the sounds of Penn working out back.
The sound of the sanding machine outside is so loud that I’ve had to wear earplugs for the past few days, but I know the makeover Penn is giving the old table and chairs will make the racket worth it.
Plucking the ear plugs from my ears, I wait for a break in the clamor to respond.
“I know. He’s almost done though.” Like we planned, Penn came by and started on the shelves last Friday, but he left early for another project—the same one he’s being very cryptic about.
And normally I would push him to open up to me, but I’ve been so stressed with the renovations, keeping up with incoming orders, and finalizing the details for the grand reopening in three weeks, all while trying to keep up with my kids and running a household, that I have no energy left to give to that matter.
“Thank God.” Hazel laughs as she brushes her long, dark hair over her shoulder and saunters up to me.
“So, what brings you in today?” This girl feels like my unofficial younger sister since I’ve watched her grow up. I can’t believe she’s twenty-five—it makes me feel older than I am.
“Well, a little birdie told me you’re going to start offering custom wedding cakes.
” Her eyebrows bounce up and down. “And, since I photograph weddings, I was wondering if you’d like to give me some business cards so I can pass them along to my clients.
Maybe we can agree on a discount if they book with both of us? ”
“Damn. Look at you, you little businesswoman,” I tease her as I reach under the counter and hand her a stack of cards. “And would this little birdie happen to be my mother? I’m going to need to have a conversation with her later about her telling people my business plans.”
First Richard and now Hazel? I wonder who else she’s told.
“Don’t get mad at her. I’m the one that asked. We ran into each other at the nail salon and I kind of pulled it out of her.”
“Well, she’s not wrong, but I haven’t advertised it yet. I’m waiting until everything is done here for the re-opening. Plus, I’m thinking of changing the name of the place, so these cards might be out of date by then.”
“No biggie. I’ve always kept some in my studio for clients, and Greg and Jenny did the same for me.
” The former owners ran this place more like a quick-stop people could pop in for donuts and muffins.
My goal is to expand what we offer, converting the store to a full-service bakery—cakes, cookies, bread, pies, and other sweet treats.
The possibilities are endless. As long as I have the manpower to do it, that is.
“I appreciate the support no matter what,” I say just as Penn walks into the store.
“Is that my little sister?” He slides his safety goggles up his face, resting them on the top of his head. His shirt and jeans are covered in dust, but it’s the sheen on his forearms that is truly garnering my attention.
Sexy, strong, glistening forearms.
Lord have mercy.
“It is. God, you’re a mess.” Her eyes move up and down his body. “Please tell me you’re almost done, by the way. The noise is just awful.”
Penn scratches the back of his head. “Yeah, I didn’t really think about the noise bothering folks.”
Hazel rolls her eyes. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
“Hey, I’ll remember that the next time you want me to build a set for a photo shoot.” He arches a brow at her.
She crosses her arms over her chest and returns the look. “Well, I guess now isn’t the right time to ask you for one for Christmas photo sessions then, is it?”
Penn rolls his eyes and sighs. “When do you need it by?”
Batting her eyelashes, she clasps her hands in front of her. “Thanksgiving, if you can?”
“Yeah, I can make that work.” He takes out his notepad, writes something on it, and then shoves it back in his pocket. “Now, if you’re done whining, I actually came in to tell Astrid that one of the chairs is done, but I wanted her opinion on the final product before I start the rest.”
I turn back to Hazel and smile. “Duty calls.”
“No problem. But, before I leave, I also wanted to extend an invite to you for this passion party that I’m having.”
“What the fuck is a passion party?” Penn asks, wrinkling his nose.
“It’s a sex toy party,” Hazel tells her brother, and I watch as Penn shifts from confusion to disgust.
“Jesus Christ, Hazel.”
“Newsflash, Penn. I’m twenty-five. I’m a grown woman and I’ve had…”
“La, la, la!” He plugs his ears like a petulant child, which makes both Hazel and me laugh. Shaking his head, he heads to the back of the bakery again. “I’m just going to pretend I never heard those words come out of your mouth. Astrid, I’ll meet you out back when you’re done.”
Hazel and I watch him retreat, and then I turn to her. “You probably just scarred him for life.”
She shrugs. “Serves him right. I’ll just think of it as payback for every time he chased me with a lizard.”
Laughter bubbles out of me. “So, a passion party?”
“Yeah. It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving. One of my girlfriends is throwing them for some side money and she’ll be home for the holiday. I told her I would invite everyone I know, so…”
“I get an invite too.”
“Obviously. And I’m sure you could use a few new toys. I mean…” She bites her lip. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, but you’re still a woman, Astrid. And you have needs, right?”
God, if she only knew just how true that statement has been lately.
“Yes, but…”
She cuts me off. “No buts. You’re coming. I’ll even buy you something.”
Mortified, I say, “Oh, God. You don’t have to do that.”
“Nonsense. I insist…especially because I was wondering if we could have the party at your place?” She bites her lip again, this time in anticipation of my answer.
“You want to have the party at my house?”
“If you don’t mind. It’s just that my apartment is way too small, and I refuse to ask my mother.” We both start laughing again. “I promise, it will only be for a few hours.”
Looking at the ceiling, I consider if I could make that work. I mean, I’m sure my mother would watch the kids or take them to her house for the night if I asked her to.
“Okay,” I relent. “Send me the date and I’ll make it happen.” I have a feeling I’m going to regret this later, but making decisions in the moment is what I do. It’s necessary when your life is as chaotic as mine.
Hazel claps her hands together. “Gah, thank you! It’s going to be a blast. A true girl’s night. I’ve invited Willow too!”
“Joy,” I say sarcastically, even though part of me is interested to see what kind of new toys are out there now.
I’ve had the same vibrator since before Brandon died.
Only recently did I actually feel like my libido has returned.
It may be because I’m in my thirties now, or maybe it’s all the mental images watching Penn working around the bakery has evoked.
Yeah, I definitely need something to take the edge off.
“Don’t stress. I’ll handle everything.” Hazel glances at the clock on the wall. “Okay, I’ve got to get going. I have a full day of editing ahead and then a session at sunset tonight. It’s a surprise engagement, and I’m already crying.” She fans her face.
“You’re just a hopeless romantic, aren’t you?”
She shrugs. “I can’t help it. I love love.”
I smile and shake my head. “Text me later.”
“I will. Bye!” She waves as she exits the store and I sigh heavily, remembering when I was younger and had that same outlook.
Just another reminder that we’re all getting older, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.
I’m thirty-two and most days I still feel like I’m fifteen with no idea what I’m doing with my life still.
I find Penn out back standing over a table, drilling metal legs into the bottom of the chairs. But as soon as he sees me, he stops what he’s doing, reaches into his tool bag, and hands me a Ferrero Rocher.
“You just carry these around in your tool bag now?”
“When I know I’m going to see you, yeah.” He nods toward the candy. “Go ahead. You look like you could use a little pick-me-up.”
I unwrap the chocolate and pop it in my mouth, closing my eyes and moaning at how the flavors meld together.
I swear, I could survive on these little morsels of heaven alone.
When I open my eyes, I find Penn staring down at me intensely.
But I choose to focus back on the reason I came out here.
“Thank you. That did help calm me. So, what are you doing?”
“Giving these chairs new life like we agreed.”
“But what happened to the legs that were on them?”
“I found these online for cheap and thought they give them a more feminine, romantic feel to match the new décor’s theme.
” He flips the finished chair over and sets it on the ground.
The dark nickel brushed legs are modern, but still have a classic feel.
The wood of the chair itself is painted in the light gray we agreed on, and he sanded them after painting them to make them look a bit more rustic.
I couldn’t have asked for a better realization of my vision if I’d done it myself.
“Penn, these are beautiful.” I stare at the chair in awe and then look up at him. “Thank you.”
He nods curtly. “Glad you like them.”
“No, I love them. Seriously. They’re perfect.” Circling the chair, I admire all the details. “God, I can’t wait to see it all come together. You’re—you’re making my dreams come true.”
Penn swallows roughly as I look up at him again. “Just doing my job, Astrid.”
Resting my hand on his chest, I stare up into his eyes. “I seriously don’t know what I would do without you. I hope you know that.”
A pinch in his brow forms before he sighs. “Well, good thing you won’t ever find out, huh?”
“I hope not.”
“So, you’re seriously considering going out with Dick, then?” he says, catching me off guard because why would he bring this up again?