Page 101 of You Cake My Breath Away

I hang up with him and pull up the text from Shantel with Archer’s hotel information. I didn’t let him know I was coming because I was scared I’d blurt out that I’m pregnant before I had a chance to see him. To see the reaction on his face to truly know how he feels about it, about me.

I fire off a text to let her know we’re boarding and power down my phone. It’s a four-hour flight, and I’m sure I’ll be on pins and needles the entire time. Hopefully when I arrive, I’ll finally have figured out a plan to fix things.

Chapter forty-nine

Archer

Present

Loud snoring and a sweaty head interrupt my viewing of the latest Marvel movie. I push the man’s head back onto his headrest and turn up the volume on my earbuds. Air blasts into my face from the nozzle above me, and I welcome the chill as I contemplate what I’m going to do when I arrive back home. I didn’t tell anyone, not even Shantel, that I was coming home. I figured it’d be a great surprise to show up for Sunday dinner after I’ve fixed things with Tilly.

Sweat forms on my hands the closer we get to the ground, and as the wheels touch down, I know it’s not turbulence or the pilot’s landing that’s making me nauseated.

It’s her.

It’s finally being closer to my happily ever after.

Assuming Tilly will forgive me.

The thought strikes me beneath my ribcage. Tilly has no reason to forgive me for bailing on her, for fucking up a second chance to choose her over my fears. She never responded to the message I sent before I left, but I know she saw it.

I slide my sweaty palms over my jeans, staring at the cracked pleather of the seat in front of me as people exit the plane.

What happens if she won’t forgive you?

What if she doesn’t want you anymore?

I pinch the skin at my neck as my throat constricts. That can’t happen. This can’t be the end of our journey together when we just started.

I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to her that we belong together. I may not have fought back then to make sure she knew what was inside my heart, but I won’t make that mistake again.

My skin tingles, heart racing as I call an Uber to the bakery. It’s still early, but if I know Tilly, she’ll already have the doors open. I rest my head against the seat and close my eyes, trying to hype myself up for seeing her again.

“That’ll be twenty-six-dollars,” the driver says, hand outstretched.

I pay him and slide out of the car, smoothing my slick hands down my jeans. I had him park on the next block, so I have time to gather my thoughts. My phone vibrates inside my pocket, but I’m too focused on my mission to allow anyone to interrupt my grand gesture.

I round the corner and almost plow into a few people gathered by the shop, hands cupped around their face looking into the windows. Elation fills my chest, and I can’t contain my smile. Tilly’s dreams are finally coming to fruition.

“What the hell?” someone says, face scrunched up as they walk away.

My phone continues to vibrate in my pocket, but I’m busy watching the small crowd with long faces dispersing from in front of Tilly’s bakery. I quicken my pace, curiosity pushing me forward until I’m standing in front of a large red and white sign with the words ‘For Lease’ written across it.

The thud of my stomach has the effect of a shotgun going off, and all the proverbial crows flap their wings in effort to get away, taking my breath with them.

She’s not opening the bakery?

My attention moves to my no longer vibrating phone, and I see messages from Shantel but swipe them away. I bring up Tilly’s number and press call.

She doesn’t answer.

I shoot off a text to her and bring up the message thread I have with Shantel. Multiple messages stare back at me, and my stomach twists as I read each one.

Where are you?

Are you at the set?

Tilly flew all the way there to see you, the least you could do is answer your messages!

---