Only Her

When I step back, her eyes are hooded, her breathing is heavy, and I want nothing more than to take her right here and now. It gives me hope that she feels this and that I’m not fucking crazy. “Be a good girl.” I turn, heading toward my town car and sliding into the back.

I release a breath. This is going to be the longest week of my life.4Kennedy“This is what I’ve been waiting for. The real reason anyone should get married.” My sister's eyes are on the variety of cakes that they’ve placed in front of us. I have to agree. Out of all the wedding planning crap, this is going to be the funnest. I’ve been looking forward to getting to taste each and every one of them. All that sugary sweetness in one place waiting to fill my belly.

“It’s going to be hard to pick.” They all look beautiful, but what really matters is the taste. Well, that’s what matters to me, anyway.

“Are we starting soon?” Mindy asks, coming out from the kitchen in the back of the bakery. It’s Sunday afternoon, and we’ve got the place to ourselves. They are pulling out all the stops to make sure everything goes smoothly. I don’t even know how Emily got them to shut the place down.

I think Mindy is hoping to get some notoriety from it since her little bakery isn't well known. Kinley and I stumbled across it one afternoon and now whenever one of us is upset we either come here, or we get something and bring it to the other.

“Just waiting for my mom.” It’s a couple minutes until three. That’s the time Emily had set the tasting to start. As usual, my mom is late. I wonder if she’s actually going to show up. She was less than thrilled at my choice of bakeries. She was unusually upset about it. It was the one thing I wouldn't give on. Which only made her push harder, of course. I wouldn’t put it past her to use this opportunity to make her disapproval known.

“When it hits three, we’re eating cake.” The look on Kinley’s face dares anyone to question her. We turn when the bell over the door of the bakery goes off. A striking older woman steps inside with a warm smile on her face. My eyes meet hers, and they feel familiar. The smile grows bigger as she looks at me like she knows me.

Then I see him. Gerrit stands behind the woman. He says something to her, causing her to nod. He helps her out of her coat before throwing it over his arm. It's a small gesture, but it warms me that he would think to do such a thing. It is sweet and so different from the man that pushed me into the bathroom, barking orders at me before kissing me like he had every right to. You kissed him right back, I remind myself.

I stand as they move closer, giving his mom a smile. She does look as if she’s nice, as Gerrit was saying.

“Hi, Mrs. Kane. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I hold out my hand, but she ignores it, pulling me into a tight hug instead.

“I could strangle my son,” she huffs, not really sounding mad at all. She leans back, looking down at me. She’s on the taller side. I barely hit five and a half feet. “How could he have such a beautiful girl in his life and not mention her to me? His own mother. The woman who gave birth to him. Twenty hours of labor—”

“You said fifteen last time.” He gives her a warm smile that makes something funny happen in my chest.

“I’m not speaking to you.” She shoots Gerrit a glare.

He fights another smile but does shut his mouth. Mrs. Kane fluffs my hair out a little, still looking over me. I try not to fidget. Suddenly it seems important that I make a good impression on her. I remind myself that she’s not my mom. That she’s not looking at me to judge every detail about me. Unlike when my own mother looks me over. That usually ends in a lot of tears.

“At least he’s marrying up. Did he have to bribe you?” She smirks. I know she’s teasing him, but she hits closer to home than I think she knows.

“I’m Kinley.” My sister pops up behind me. “The crazy sister.” She glares at Gerrit. Well, I think it’s a glare, but she’s blinking a lot.

“Every family needs a crazy one. They bring all the fun and action.” She goes for Kinley next, hugging her too. “And you're just as beautiful as your sister. I bet you two will make beautiful babies.” I bite my bottom lip as my face flames thinking about what it takes to make a baby. I also don’t know if she’s saying my sister and I will or Gerrit and I together will. “You know I have another son.”