Page 60 of Trade Deadline

He glances down at the frosting bag. “My hands?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “I may have… uh... just had some inappropriate thoughts when you were squeezing that thing.”

He smirks, picking up the piping bag and giving it a squeeze. “Really?” Frosting oozes out of the top of the piping bag onto his finger before his tongue licks it off. “And how do you feel about frosting?”

He has me captivated, unable to take my eyes off of him or the way his tongue curls around his finger. “You’re such a tease.”

Alex bats his eyelashes innocently. “Me? Never.” He grins.

“I know this is probably too soon, and I don’t want you to think that I’m a stage-five clinger, but I can’t wait to see you again.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you, too.”

The bell over the bakery door chimes, and Alex disappears from view, returning moments later. “I have to go; Jacob’s just got back from the wholesaler, so I’ve gotta get back to work.”

The selfish part of me doesn’t want him to go. I want to talk to him until the very last minute, but he has a job to do, and I have to shower and wash away the plane stink.

“Can I text you later?”

He nods, giving me a soft smile. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

And just like that, I went from loving away games to counting down the hours and minutes until they’re over.

Eighteen

Alex

It’s beena bit of a whirlwind since our date ten days ago.

I’m exhausted from how crazy work has been, and the lack of sleep has finally caught up with me. I have no idea how I managed to get through classes in college on only an hour's sleep not so long ago.

Blaine ended up FaceTiming me nearly every night, even if it was only a quick ten-minute call before both of us ended up yawning non-stop. I wanted more, but by the time he’d done his post-game routines, eaten, and showered, it was always past midnight.

He texted throughout the day—the odd message here wishing me good morning or a photo of something that made him laugh or think of me.

I told my brother and Nate that if he continued like this—and didn’t get bored of me—I could see myself really falling for him. Every time I see his name on my phone screen, my heart pitter-patters. Even when I had to work late and couldn’t watch the game, I found myself grinning like an idiot and feeling all fuzzy inside every time his name popped up on my notifications for a goal or assist.

The pull in my chest is growing stronger every day, and I know I have to keep myself protected, just in case his interest in me is only temporary. It's becoming harder, though.

But right now, I have to put Blaine in the back of my mind because Jacob needs me.

He was pale as a ghost when he came home last night from delivering an order. He put it down to exhaustion, but by the time he showered, it was evident it was more than that when he struggled to eat a sandwich. I’d woken up shortly after midnight to the sound of him coughing and made him some hot tea with honey and lemon.

I was kind of thankful that Blaine was on his flight home because I barely slept.

When my alarm went off at four this morning, I poked my head through Jacob's door and was relieved to see he’d finally fallen asleep. I tiptoed inside and turned his alarm off because there was no way he was fit to work, at least not for the next few days. Taking a super quick shower, I got dressed and left him a note on his bedside, along with a cold bottle of water, and made sure the heating wouldn’t switch off.

Little did I know that a few hours later, I’d be questioning whether ten in the morning was too early to have a breakdown.

I thought I could manage on my own, but in reality, I really, really can’t.

The line seems to be getting longer, which on the one hand is amazing for business but on the other hand means I simply can’t keep up with the demand.

I’d baked and decorated all of our staple bakes just in the nick of time before unlocking the door, and despite posting on our social media that we would be running a limited selection to try and ease some of the pressure, I’m working as fast as I can, on the verge of tears, and I can’t remember the last time I had a drink.

I box up the six red velvet cupcakes and ring through a customer's order when the bell chimes above the door. I glance up to say a quick hello, but the words get lodged in my mouth.

The last person I expected to see walk through the door was Blaine.

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