Page 75 of Be My Reason

Chapter Thirty

Every day gets infinitesimally better. Although I’m improving slightly emotionally, my body can’t seem to catch up physically and I still feel like crap. So in an effort to kick my own butt back in gear and have a life—I have decided to seize the day. Make the leap. Take the plunge.

I have asked Kaitlyn to fix me up again.I know full well that Scott, the hard-body firefighter, probably won’t touch me with a ten-foot pole after the emotional display I put on. But I thought maybe Carl might have another friend who would take a chance on me.

Ryan walks in the bakery kitchenas Kaitlyn is going down the list of Carl’s friends that she thinks are good prospects. She is talking about great hair and tight asses when Ryan interrupts.

“Well, thanks, ladies.I think you are both quite attractive, too.” He winks at us.

Kaitlyn barely misses him with the spatula she hurls across the room. “Not you, Ryan.” She laughs. “We are going over a list of possible dates for Lyn. Apparently, this filly is ready to get back on the horse, so to speak.” She elbows me and raises her eyebrows.

Okay, I didn’t quite put itthatway when I asked her. “I don’t intend on getting on anyone’s . . . um, horse,” I say, getting embarrassed. “I just think that after almost a month, it’s time for me to think about moving on.”

Ryan pales. He puts down whatever he was doing and walks over to me. “Lyn, are you sure you are ready? I mean, maybe you should wait. And have you talked to Emma about this yet? You really should talk to her before you do anything rash.”

“Rash?You think going on a date is rash? I thought you wanted me to quit moping around.” I furrow my brows at him.

“All I’m saying is that maybe you should talk it over with Emma.You know,your best friend,” he emphasizes.

I guess I haven’t really discussed this with her yet.She stopped her weekly sympathy visits down here after the first two weekends ‘post Nate’, when I told her to get back to her own life.

“Fine,” I acquiesce.

He walks back to pick up some papers that fell off the counter. “You won’t forget? You’ll talk to her first.”

“Yes. I’ll talk to her.Geesh.” He really is playing the part of a brother. Over-protective brother, I’d say.

I lean over to help him gather up his files and I see the original invoice from the company that made the ‘Brooklyn’s Bakery’ marquee back when I first opened the shop. I didn’t even know I still had records going back that far.“What are you doing with this, Ryan?” I question him.

He takes the invoice from me and places it, along with all the other strewn about papers, back in his file folder before he answers me. “Uh, well I like the sign so much I thought I might want to use the same company for another business of mine.”

I give him that stare. A cold, hard stare with a slight raise of my brow that says ‘I’m not sure you are telling me the truth.’

“Brooklyn, I know you have every right to be paranoid given what I was going to do, but I promise you, this has nothing to do with franchising the bakery.”

“Hmmm,” I mumble.

“Hey, that reminds me,” he says, turning back to me, “I have to leave town for a couple of days to check out another business opportunity.”

“Oh? What kind of opportunity?” I’m curious and a little bummed about an opportunity that might pull him away from Savannah. Although I’ve known all along that he wouldn’t stay around forever.

“I really don’t want to say anything yet. I might jinx it.”

I wonder if it really is another business opportunity. He’s been so secretive with all the phone calls lately, I’d bet he’s going away for a tryst with his new fling. But I keep my mouth shut.

“Okay.Well, good luck then,” I tell him.

Later, when I’m taking the trash to the dumpster out back, I overhear Ryan outside the bakery on the phone. “. . . you heard me . . . no, of course I didn’t . . . I know . . . just do something and fast . . . okay see you soon.”

I head upstairs and make my daily phone call to Emma.

“Hey girl, how’s it going?” she greets me.

“Fine, I guess.” We exchange pleasantries and talk about our day as usual. “Hey, I wanted to get your opinion on something.”

“Always. Hit me.” She laughs.

“Well, I’m thinking about having Kaitlyn and Carl fix me up.” The words feel strange as I force them out of my mouth for the second time today.

---