Page 6 of Mass Sins

“I had him drop them off. I couldn’t face him, and I was sure he didn’t want to see me either. Which was probably for the best,” I told her with a tight smile. “I’m just glad it’s over.”

“I’m glad you’re starting to feel better. And you know that if you ever need to talk, I’m right here.”

I nodded and pulled her into a hug. When I first met Sinclair, I had been intimidated by her. She had the most perfect face, blonde hair, and added to her beauty, she had the kindest soul. I couldn’t believe someone like her existed, let alonewanted to be my friend, but the more we got to know each other, the more I realized that she was the friend I had needed all these years.

It couldn’t have been a coincidence that my dad opened his shop right next to Sinclair’s boutique, and as we both worked next to each other and were the same age, we quickly started talking.

I loved the Adorn Boutique, and whenever I was on my break, I went over to hang out with Sin and look at the new collections she put out. Our love for fashion wasn’t the only thing we had in common, as both of us liked to design clothes.

The first ever gift I received from my parents was this sewing machine for kids, and ever since, it was my dream to become a fashion designer.

That dream went down the drain when I had to spend half of my childhood in the hospital, but once I got better and graduated high school, Dad allowed me to work for him at his own boutique where he sold and tailored men’s fashion.

I had been a tailor for a while now, and this job never got boring. Maybe it was because of Dad always being around and lighting up my days with his silly jokes, and with Sinclair working right next door, I had everything I needed in my reach.

“By the way, I have this new collection in mind that I want you to be part of, but it’s just a rough idea, so I’ll tell you more tomorrow. Now, come have cake with me.”

I let her pull me to the kitchen where I saw Link standing there with Luca in his arm. He smiled when he saw me, and I went up to him to give him a quick hug before turning my attention to Luca.

“Hi, sweetheart! Gosh, you’re starting to look more and more like your momma,” I said to her while gently caressing her chubby cheek with the back of my finger. “Aren’t you just the cutest?”

“She’s definitely not making it easy for us to guess who her real daddy is,” Link joked, winking at Sin.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter anyway. You’re all her daddies,” I said, smiling up at Link. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too, Bennie. Did you have cake yet?”

I shook my head just as Sin handed me a paper plate with a delicious looking piece of cake on it. “But I will have one right now. It looks good. Did you make it?” I asked, looking at Sin.

“Oh, no. I didn’t have time to bake with all the other things I had to do for this party. I ordered it from that cute bakery two blocks from our shops. It tastes amazing.”

I started to eat and had to agree that it was delicious.

Just three years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to eat and hold this cake down. I had been too sick, and anything that entered my stomach came right back out. I managed to re-establish a healthy relationship with food again, though it had been difficult to do that a second time.

Ford joined us in the kitchen, and while they struck up a conversation, I stood there listening without adding much to it. I observed the guests, most of them holding babies around Luca’s age. I didn’t really know those people, but they all looked like happy little families. Every man had a woman standing next to him, making the picture perfect with a baby in their arms.

But there was one man who didn’t quite fit in. Just like me.

He stood there with a beer in his hand, talking to Tabor and Archer. There was no ring on his finger, and neither did a woman ever get close to him. He wasn’t looking at anyone other than the guys he was talking to, and it seemed that he was entertaining them quite a bit because they kept of laughing.

“I see you’ve caught a glimpse of Joska already,” Sin said, nudging my side. “He’s handsome, right?”

“I uh…” I had just gotten out of an abusive relationship with a man who was so self-centered that he made me thinkdifferently about men. Well, not about Sin’s men, or Dad, because those were perfect men. But men I didn’t know. They didn’t appeal to me anymore. Not like they once did.

“Don’t worry, I don’t mean to set you up with him. He’s a priest, and I was hoping he could help you out.”

“He’s a priest?” I asked, raising a brow. “He’s way too hot to be a priest.”

Sinclair laughed. “That’s what I said the first time I met him. But he really is. He’s also Tabor’s brother, so I know he’s a good one.”

Okay, things were starting to become a bit weird. “His brother? Tabor has a brother who is a priest and looks likethat?”

“Couldn’t believe it either. I want to introduce you to him. Would you be okay with that?”

The reason why Sinclair was trying to get me to talk to a priest was because I had lost my faith the second time I became sick, and while Sin wasn’t religious at all, she was supportive. She had listened to my worries, and she was determined to help me.

“Yes, that’s okay.”

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