Page 44 of Romancing My Grumpy Goalie

“I am so sorry.” Alexis’s eyes are full of regret. “I feel like this is all our fault.”

“It’s not your fault,” I spill. “It’s the paparazzi. You should be able to joke around with your friends in your own restaurant.”

“So, you know,” Aubrey says.

I nod. “I just found out.”

“Is that why you ran off to the bathroom like that?” Layla asks.

I sigh. “Jeremy saw the video and thinks it’s real. I can try to tell him it’s not, but there’s not a lot of trust between us and he may not believe me.”

“I’m not sureIbelieve you,” Aubrey says.

Lauren scowls and elbows her. “Now’s not the time.”

“What?” Aubrey puts her hands to the sides in mock defense. “I’m not going tolie,” she says exaggeratedly. Chaos ensues, and they all talk at once.

“Lucas texted me about it, too,” I say, and the room quiets. “We’re meeting at Hadley’s to talk everything over.” I point at Aubrey. “And stop looking so hopeful. If anything, this experience has shown me even more that we aren’t right for each other.” But the words clog my mouth like Mrs. Wheaton’s crumbly, dry cornbread.

“Do you want me to come with you, or would you prefer your space?” Alexis asks tentatively.

“I’d like you to come. Can you text Owen to see if he’s available to meet up with us?”

She nods. “He’s over there now and probably wouldn’t mind a lunch break.”

Layla stands, sliding her purse over her blonde head and across her torso. “On that note, I have to get back to theflower shop. I probably have a crowd of needy customers with questions my employee can’t answer.”

Aubrey stands and stretches. “It’s been fun, ladies, but I have to get back to work, too. I have a bride showing up in an hour for a tour of the facility, and I need to catch up on paperwork.”

“At least business is thriving for you guys,” I say. “It’s been crickets in my shop. Even running ads hasn’t helped.”

Alexis puts her arm around my shoulder and squeezes me against her. “I’ve been there, girl. Running a shop is tough. I’ve had to work crazy hard to get my bakery to where it is today. And it never stops. I’ve been putting out fires all morning. If it’s not here, it’s LA. And now we’re talking about opening a New York branch since we just bought a condo in the city. We’re excited to spend more time with Benson and Tessa.”

“I haven’t talked to them in a while. How are they doing?”

The other girls wave to us, and we follow them out the door.

Alexis pushes open the door, and we wave goodbye to Josie, who’s been working her tail off this entire time. “Benson is still playing football, and Tessa is living the dream as a sports reporter for a newspaper in the city. They lost a baby last year, but I heard they found out she’s pregnant again.”

My heart warms for them as we walk down the Main Street sidewalk, past several shops my friends run, including Alexis’s bakery, The Icing on Top. “That’s great news. But so sad they lost that baby. You can have all the fame and success in the world and still face so much loss.”

“I’ve been through it myself,” Alexis admits as we cross the street at the crosswalk. “Even the best doctors in California couldn’t save my baby. I was ten weeks along.”

“Oh! I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

She smiles shyly. “We’ve started trying again, and it’s really scary. We just want to be parents.” The longing in her voice makes my heart ache.

Hadley’s is up ahead, and we cross the parking lot toward the building. Owen wanted to make sure his customers had free parking when he planned out the restaurant.

Sometimes I feel bitter that some of my friends have found such success when I’m still struggling. They have their happy marriages and flourishing businesses. Or celebrity husbands. I’m falling for a guy I can’t have, and my shop is near collapse. But listening to Alexis admit just now the troubles that she and Tessa have been facing puts everything into perspective.

I have a healthy son. I got to have one perfect kiss with the man who’s quickly begun to steal my heart. I will probably never have another moment with him like that.

But I will always have the memory of his lips on mine and his hands buried in my hair.

FOURTEEN

LUCAS

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