McKenzie Cousins Box Set 3

Feeling hurt, disappointed and used, I set my mind to meringue.

6

Shane

“You have to do something about Mom,” Monica moans, dropping her butt on the corner of my desk. I’ve been trying to work for the past four hours, but so far I’ve done nothing but curse myself for screwing up so badly with Sofia.

I hate myself for the way I left her after she’d given me her innocence, and so sweetly too. She’d made me feel alive and I’d walked all over her in thanks.

“Hey!” Monica snaps her fingers in front of my eyes. “What is wrong with you? Ugh! I’m trying to have a conversation and you’re not even paying me the slightest bit of attention.”

“I’m tired and can’t focus.” I run my hands through my hair and rest with my elbows on the desk, my head now buried in my hands.

I hear Monica shuffle closer and then I feel a hand rubbing soothingly on the back of my neck. “I’ve never seen you like this before.” There’s a frown in her voice as she speaks.

“What about Mom?” I ask wanting to take the conversation away from me.

“You’re not off the hook.” Monica gives me a pointed look when I meet her gaze. “Mom,” she sits back on my desk, “is going on about getting someone else to make the wedding cake. Sofia is perfectly capable, so I want you to tell Mom to back off. She isn’t listening to a word I say. It’s my wedding and I hate how she’s taking over. She might be our mother, but after years of ignoring us, she doesn’t have the right to come in and do this. None.”

“I’ve already told Mom that the wedding cake discussion is over and that Sofia McKenzie has already been contracted.” I sit back in my chair feeling as tired as I probably look. “There are two chairs in front of my desk.” I raise a brow and have Monica roll her eyes.

“I’m not a visitor, I’m your sister.” She grins. “Please have a word with Mom and tell her to back off.”

“That isn’t a conversation I want to have.” I meet my sister’s tearful gaze. “I will though. It’s long overdue.”

“Yes!” Monica jumps up and drops onto my lap, her arms wrapping around my neck. “I love you, big brother.” She slaps a wet kiss to my cheek, and cupping my face smirks. “You’re having women trouble.”

Inwardly groaning, I wince, and admit, “I have woman trouble. As in one woman.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve blown it.”

She’s thoughtful. “You ran away.” Moving from my lap, she paces in front of the window that offers a perfect view of the Lexington skyline. “This woman obviously means something to you for you to look so rough.” She snaps her fingers. “You have to make it up to her. Tell her you’re an idiot and that it won’t happen again.”

“It’s not that easy.” Sighing, I move toward her. “That’s all I’m going to say.” I tug her in for a hug and kiss her forehead. “Please don’t worry about my love life. You’re getting married soon, so once I have Mom off your back, just enjoy the experience because you’re only getting married once.”

Monica rolls her eyes. “If you get Mom to back off then I’ll stop interfering with your love life.” She pats me on the cheek and saunters out, slamming the door behind her.

She’s a handful at times, but worse when Mom has it in her head to interfere with our lives.

Which brings me back to sweet Sofia. I need to do something, and I need to do it today because I can’t let it fester between us. I know I’m the ass in this scenario, so it’s up to me.

Flowers in hand, I hide my nerves, which I find ridiculous and push through the backdoor of the bakery where Sofia is busy with her creations. Her back is toward me as she rolls out the dough under her hands. She has the odd fleck of flour on her neck and I bet when she sees me that she’ll have some on her pretty face as well. The amount of times I’ve seen her this way, and been hit with the urge to wipe the mess away before I claim her lips with mine, is laughable.

If I didn’t know myself I’d say I was stalking the woman, but I know better. I don’t stalk, I pursue. Frowning, I straighten from my slouched position and realize I never—and I mean never—pursue.

So what am I doing with the delicious Sofia?

She turns while I’m trying to figure it out and her complexion pales to be as white as the specks of flour coating her cheeks. Her eyes glance at the flowers in my hand before shooting back up to mine. “Why are you here?” she whispers, I suspect she had wanted her voice to sound stronger than it had.

“I screwed up with you, and I need—no—I want to apologize.”

Sofia snaps her eyes closed and whirls away, wiping her hands on a towel. “That’s right,” she hisses, giving me her full attention, hands on her hips, “you did screw me…and then you left.” She swallows hard and gives a heavy sigh.

“You scare the fuck out of me, Sofia. Usually I do screw and leave, not that there have been as many as you probably think.” I run my free hand through the long strands of hair that I can’t remember brushing recently. “You’re different.”

“Yes, well, that might be the case, but you made it clear that what I gave up to you last night, didn’t mean the same as it did to me.” Her voice wobbles, telling me just how much I’ve hurt her, which I guess I knew. “I honestly want to forget it ever happened.” Her eyes focus on anything but me.