Page 17 of Sugar Rush

What the hell am I going to do?

At least I had a day of work at the bakery with Aunt Laurie to distract me.

ChapterSix

Both the brownies and the matcha cake sold out.I was delighted with this very early success.I tried not to read too much into it, but failed.People liked my cakes!

This was not a surprise, of course.I’d been baking to order for years, but, as most of the cakes I made were either mailed to people or delivered for an event, I rarely got to experience feedback firsthand, or quite so soon.

It was extremely gratifying.

Aunt Laurie sent me home at lunchtime when the college girls she kept on staff arrived for the afternoon shift.I was all too ready to fall into bed.The time zone shift was still doing a bit of a number on me.

I spent Wednesday sorting through my most beloved recipes to decide what to bake while Stateside.In the evening, I logged on to my tablet to check my emails, Instagram messages and video feedback, and to update my parents - the usual stuff.I had a quick exchange of messages with Jess and admired the pictures of her and Connor posing on a mountaintop, both grinning, Jess’ nose covered in sunblock.

This morning before my shift atCake AwayI’d uploaded another video, a short tutorial this time, for black sesame cookies, and it had more than fifty comments on it.

I scrolled through them.

Didn’t Mr.Maddie come with you?

How long are you away for?

Have fun.Travel safe!You look tired.

Did something happen with your cute boyfriend?

I closed my eyes for a second, but I could still see the words swimming before my eyes.My loyal customers were concerned about me, but what did I tell them?The holding message of “this shop is taking a short break” obviously wasn’t cutting it with those who knew me, or thought they knew me.

I’m sorry, I was sabotaged by the man I loved.

I’ll be away for a while.My fiancé and I broke up.

I’m just helping my family out with their business for a few weeks.

I’m sorry, my fiancé thought that I should take a break from my lifelong dreams to bring up the children we had not yet discussed let alone brought into the world.

None of the potential answers felt right, although they were all true.

I had comments on another video, too.Questions about whether Seb had come with me to America.I hit reply and closed down the browser.It had never been the plan for him to come with me, but did I need to explain that?I was a chronic over-explainer because why use three words when you could use three hundred?

There would be time to decide what to say later.

I lay back on the bed in Jess’ spare room, staring at the ceiling.A tiny spider made its way along a crack by the light fitting, and I envied it for a second.The little arachnid didn’t have any of these cares, didn’t have to navigate modern life, intrusive people, or broken hearts.Didn’t have a mess waiting for it when it finally flew back home to face the truth.

My phone lit up on the bedside table, and I ignored it.It was probably Seb again.Apologizing.Thinking thatsorrywould be enough to make me forget that he’d figuratively andliterallydumped my dreams in the trash.

I shut my eyes, but then curiosity got the better of me.

I reached for the phone and swiped the screen to unlock it.Four missed calls, all from Seb.I deleted those.There were also two messages from a number I didn’t recognize until I read the message.

Hi!It’s Jenny from next door.I always want to write Jenny from the block, but does anyone under 30 even get that reference?Jess gave me your number and said it’s only for emergencies.But this is an emergency.My Mom offered to babysit Toby tonight and I have NO ONE to go out with.I know it’s a school night, but please come out with me?

I smiled.Jenny was absolutely impossible not to like.

I saved her contact info into my phone and tapped out a reply.

Me: Sure.What’s good ‘round here on a school night?

---