Page 13 of Lit Up by My Brother's Best Friend

Wyatt’s saying shit but I really have no idea what he’s talking about. It sure as hell isn’t words that are coming out his mouth.

I have to sit down.

Screw that. I’m not sitting down and moping. I have to go to work. My bakery is open today.

I snuck into a concert last night—nearly, and I played spin the bottle. So now I’m good on the risk-taking. And what I mean by that is, I’ve checked off a few Never Have I Evers and I probably don’t need to worry about any others. Taking risks sucks.

Hell, I just took one of the biggest risks of my life by sleeping with Hunter. Look how that turned out.

So ya, me and my sweet bakery? We’re good.

On my walk to work, I shoot a text to Georgie.

Me:If you’re back early, have lunch with me.

Georgie:I almost went back with Wyatt, but he told me I should stay. I listened to him for about twenty minutes, but I’m on my way back now. Lunch is on.

Me:*smiley face*

But really…sad face.

I push a snickerdoodle into my mouth. They always cheer me up. Okay. They usually cheer me up. Apparently being ditched by your fantasy hot man stud surpasses the threshold of comfort and healing that a snickerdoodle can offer.

By lunch I’m a zombie, and my single employee, Amber, is annoyed with me. She’s never been irritated with me before. We clicked right away after I watched her bake and wash her hands after cracking an egg into the batter. I mean there are really only two kinds of people that rub me the wrong way. One, people who add salt to their food before they eat it. And two, people who wipe their hands directlyon a towel after cracking an egg. Like, wash them. Please. That’s raw egg. Anyway, we clicked because she does neither of those two things. Oh ya, and she’s the most creative and industrious woman I know. She designs and makes her own t-shirts, and she’s got three kids. I don’t know how she does it, but I’m glad I’ve got her. So needless to say, she’s been with me since basically day one.

But today she’s annoyed with me, and she’s telling me to take inventory. Of what? I don’t know. She didn’t give me instructions. Basically she said, find something to count because you’re depressing the customers.

And that’s why Georgie finds me in the storage closet counting bundles of paper towels aloud. But with no notes.

I feel a light tap on my shoulder. “Sierra?” Her voice is so caring. She’s such a good friend. “What happened, hunnie?”

And I can’t hold it in. I tell her everything. Probably too much since by the end of the retelling I realize I’ve even mentioned the junior high party where I skipped out on spin the bottle because I was too nervous. Anyway, she’s here for it all. And I love her for it.

“Hunnie, it’s ok. I don’t think Hunter would just skip out like that. Have you called him?”

“Why would I? He left without saying anything. He obviously doesn’t want to talk.”

“I don’t think so,” she’s saying as she moves me into my back office where I see she’s brought sandwiches. God, I love this girl.

“What makes you say that?”

“He’s been in love with you forever.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know?”

“Of course not.”

“Really?” she seems genuinely surprised. “He’s not that great at hiding it.”

“To me, he is.”

“Give him a chance to explain, Sierra. I’m sure he has a good reason.”

“It better be a fire.”

Georgie gasps. “You don’t mean that.”

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