Page 13 of You Cake My Breath Away

Nora walks toward me like she’s going to embrace me, but instead she fists her hands at her side to stop herself. “The bakery spot you wanted at The Pearl. It’s yours.”

“I’m so confused. What do you mean it’s mine?” I cross my arms and dig my fingers into my ribs, staving off the weird feelings bouncing around my chest when I look at Archer.

“It was supposed to be a surprise.” A muscle flutters in his jaw. “He took care of everything.”

Emotions overload my throat, and tears burn my eyes.

The paperwork.

“Is that what the paperwork is for?” I ask Archer before turning to Shantel. “And you knew the other day when you saw it?”

Her lips roll in, and her eyes fall to the floor as if she’s ashamed. Archer does nothing except nod.

“No.” I force the word out, but I don’t even know what I’m saying no to. Spots dance behind my eyes and cotton clogs my ears. A gasp fills the room, and it takes a moment before I realize the sound came from me.

Nora lays a hand on my arm, and I recoil, wiping the wetness from my cheeks. Through tear-filled eyes, Shantel and Archer share a look that conveys a message I’m not privy to, but all I can think about is Jessie.

Visions of us standing in front of my bakery, large shears in hand to cut the red ribbon signifying I’m finally open for business, sneak into my mind. People chatting at wooden tables with colorful cupcake liners resined into the top, sharing a slice of cake and coffee. Flour-nosed children laughing as they pipe icing onto each other during my kids’ baking classes.

Every dream I had for my bakery explodes out of the tiny box I tucked them into when I found out the location had been taken. The bittersweet feeling is overshadowed by the betrayal sinking to my gut.

They kept this from me…for almost two years.

Anger swells in my gut. I stagger backward, pushing against the swinging door, almost falling to the ground as I run to the table to grab my keys.

“Wait,” Nora begs.

“He wanted to give it to you for your first wedding anniversary,” Shantel yells to my retreating back.

“Tilly.” Archer’s voice sounds off behind me but I’ve already made it to the driveway, unlocking my door with expert speed. The quiet of the car envelops me, and I cough, sputtering out the breath I’ve been holding. Archer flies down the front steps and over to my car.

“Til,” he rasps like emotion has his throat in its clutches too, but why would it? Why does he care how I feel? He hasn’t cared about my feelingsor dreams since he dogged my baking to his friends at his sister’s wedding then disappeared from my life after Jessie died.

“Leave me alone, Arch.”

He knocks on the window, eyes wide and worried. “Please, don’t leave.”

Swiping snot and tears away, I turn the ignition and crack my window. “I just need some space and fresh air.” I put the car into gear and back up. In my rearview mirror, Nora and Shantel hold each other on the porch, and Archer stands in the spot where I left him, where I left the remnants of my already tattered heart.

Chapter seven

Archer

Present

Dear Seb,

I used to think you were cheesy for writing me encouraging letters while you were away at college, but I can’t deny rereading the letters has helped me miss you less. It’s probably why I finally started writing back. I know it’s been a few weeks since I wrote in this book, but I’ve been busy trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life. You’d forgive me if you were here, right?

You probably don’t care, but Tilly’s so mad at me. In her defense, I’m mad at myself too. I didn’t want to miss her birthday dinner, but I had to take the meeting with the producers. It was perfect because I needed the morale boost after my meeting with the City Council went south. Mr. Brahm is still the same stickler he was when you and I got in trouble for TP’ing the principal’s house that one Halloween. He got the whole council riled up and the mayor got involved. He told me if I don’t open the bakery by December he’s going to highly suggest I sell it.

I’ve been working to the bone trying to get Tilly’s bakery up to code, but without Jessie, it’s just me. I’ll have to balance working on the bakery with the jobs I’m already contracted for, along with flying out to Tennessee for interviews with the network’s people.

I’m excited for what feels like the first time in years, and I know how pathetic that sounds, but I am. This HGTV carpentry job could set me upfor life, make my carpentry business a household name, and maybe I’ll even be able to hire another guy or two to run a workshop. But Tennessee is far away. I don’t want to abandon Nora. She’s already lost so much. She told me yesterday she was glad she still had one son to dote on. Why couldn’t we have parents like that? Ones that loved us despite the idiotic mistakes we made.

I guess you don’t really have to deal with that anymore, right? Fuck, I’m an ass. Anyway, Tilly’s been her usual old self, giving me the cold shoulder, and it’s bothering me more than it should. Most times I’ve been able to brush off her lack of interaction, but with me potentially leaving, it’s getting harder.

And now I have Brahm and the mayor up my ass about opening the bakery. Had I known there’d be a deadline to open the location, I wouldn’t have bought it.

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