Page 34 of I Did Before I Do

I drove down the street, slowing as I passed No Regrets. Maybe, after I talked to Kenzie, I’d have time to swing by. Ryker deserved a real thank you for last night.

Maybe we could make plans again. Maybe we could hook up again very, very soon. Tonight would work for me.

I cut my thoughts off there and shook my head. No. That was too much, too soon, and I needed to make sure I didn’t look desperate.

Even if I was desperate.

And anyway, he hadn’t left a note or his number or anything.

Maybe he didn’t want me. I mean, I did come with a lot of baggage, and he was a player.

I sighed, shaking my head. I kept driving, pulling into the lot outside Bakeology. I parked and, for a moment, just sat.

There was a chance that Kenzie would be very, very angry with me.

I guessed I had to risk it if I wanted to get her advice.

I took a deep breath and got out, locking the car door behind me. I opened the door to the bakery; Kenzie looked up and smiled as I came in.

“Sydney, hey!” she said cheerfully. “What can I get you?”

“Well…” I approached the case, humming as I looked. “Can I get a cranberry muffin and a hazelnut latte? And a few minutes of your time?”

Kenzie glanced around the shop, finally locking eyes with Lora.

Lora smiled and nodded. “Go on, I can handle it. Just come back if it gets busy.”

Kenzie smiled. “Thanks, Lora!”

She handed me a muffin and made a latte with expert speed. With that done, she hung her apron up and came around the counter to join me.

We moved to sit at the backmost table. It gave Kenzie a good view of the shop and also gave us a little privacy. I sipped my latte, enjoying the flavor. Perfect.

“So, what’s up?” Kenzie propped an elbow on the table, chin in her hand.

I hesitated, looking at my muffin. “Well, I went on a date last night.”

Her eyes lit up, and she straightened in her chair. “Really? A date? Sydney! That’s wonderful. Tell me about him? What’s his name?”

Of course, she had to ask that right off the bat.

“Well. It was Ryker.”

For a moment, Kenzie was silent.

Oh, boy. Any minute now, she’d ask me what the hell, what I was thinking, why I had to go with him.

She took a deep breath.

I braced myself.

“Wow. Um, Ryker. On a date?”

“Yeah.” I nodded slowly. “I mean, it wasn’t big. He came to my house. I cooked dinner and we drank a bottle of wine.”

“That sounds nice.” Kenzie looked at me. She opened her mouth and closed it again, then shook her head. “Did you…?”

“No. We didn’t have sex. I mean, we…we did other stuff, but didn’t go all the way, you know?”

---