Page 29 of The Promise
I get up gladly, thinking she needs help with something, but when I get upstairs, I’m ushered into the bathroom, finding it flickering with candlelight, complete with a bath full of bubbles. I sigh at the sight, and my muscles ache in anticipation for therelaxation.
“Thank you,” I say toSinead.
“You’re welcome. I’m so glad you and Dad are okay. I missedyou.”
“Metoo.”
“Dinner will be ready when you get out, but take your time.” Sinead shuts the door behind her just in time to avoid seeing the tears that drop at her kindness.I really hope this one is as kind and thoughtful,I think as I rub mybelly.
* * *
Blake and Sinead made lasagne for dinner, and it was delicious—just what I needed. They can see I’m getting antsy to get back to the bakery, so Sinead runs up to have a shower and change while Blake starts washing up and halting any attempt I make tohelp.
“Just sit there and relax for a few minutes. You’re doing too much; that little one in there needs you to chill out,” he says, nodding towards mybelly.
“I knew it!” Sinead squeals and rushes in to hugme.
“Uh…” I say in a bit of a panic as I look to Blake. We’d planned to sit her down and talk it throughproperly.
“Sit down, Lil’ bit.” She does as she’s told but it soon becomes obvious she doesn’t have an issue with being a bigsister.
“Are you moving in?” she asks me. “Oh,please.”
“Uh…I will at some point but we wanted to talk to you about it first. This is a big change for all of us and we need to make decisions together,” Isay.
“I’m good with it. Please move in, please,” Sinead begs, making us bothlaugh.
“Let’s get the bakery open and then we’ll sit down and make a plan. How does that sound?” Blakesays.
I nod while Sinead looks a littledisappointed.
“One thing at a time, Lil’ bit. You can ask us all the questions you want on the way to thebakery.”
I watch the exchange between Blake and Sinead with a lump in my throat. I love watching them together and how they interact. I can’t wait to see him with ourbaby.
“Come on, let’s getgoing.”
Blake and Sinead help me with everything I still need to do until the early hours of the morning, when we crash out. The whole time, I can’t help thinking about Sinead’s pleas for me to move in with them. Is it too soon? Are we rushing it just because I’m pregnant? All these questions whiz around my head, along with my worries about opening day in just a fewhours.
* * *
Mum and Aunt Addy turn up early the next morning, ready and raring to go. They’re full of excitement, whereas I’m feeling pessimistic about today. I keep imagining no one turning up, of my dream failing in the first week of itslife.
Thankfully, when the time comes to open the door there’s already a small crowd outside, possibly thanks to my promotion of a free coffee with every cake over opening weekend—but hey, it’s seemed towork.
I can’t contain my excitement as I watch people line up at the counter to place their orders. Mum, Aunt Addy and Blake all rush around the kitchen, getting what everyone needs, and I can’t stop the ridiculous smile I have on my face at seeing it allhappen.
I’m making someone’s cappuccino when I heal a familiar squeal. “Oh my God, you actually did it,” Juliette shouts above the noise of thechatter.
I spin around and smile back at her proudly. “I did,Ju.”
“This place is incredible,” she says when she gets to the front of thequeue.
“Thankyou.”
“I got this,” Blake says, “you go and sit down for abit.”
I glance at Juliette to see her eyes soften in Blake’s direction. “It’s good to see you’re looking after her,” she says tohim.
