Love You Always

“Cupcakes, cookies, things I don’t know the name of.” I haven't actually been inside yet. That’s just what I saw on the website for the place.

I pulled it up after I dropped my girl off for work. I was trying to not come off as a stalker by following her inside and planting myself in one of the chairs until she was done with her shift. She already assured me that we’d spend tonight together. I have no reason to stand guard. Still, I can’t pull myself away from here. I am quickly turning into my brother.

“I need all those things.” I can hear Amelia shuffle around on the other end of the line. “Get my purse.” I know she’s talking to my brother.

“You’re going to come all the way down here for a cupcake? It’s not even lunch time yet.”

“I’m pregnant. I always want cupcakes. Besides, I have a bridal shower and I need desserts for it.”

“I’ll see you in a little.” I hang up the phone. This will at least give me a reason to go into the bakery instead of standing outside like some crazy obsessed stalker.

10

Alyssa

“Is that a hickey on your neck?” I ask Neily, who is sitting in front of me eating a cupcake for breakfast.

“We’re not talking about me.” She moves her dark hair to cover the mark on her neck. What the hell did she do last night? “I can’t believe you didn't go all the way with him.”

“Did you?!” I point my frosting-covered spatula at her. She takes another giant bite of her cupcake, not answering me. Neily usually tells me everything. Unless she’s being shy about something. Then it takes her a little bit before she lets it all out. I’ve learned that it’s easier to let her come to me. She can only hold it in for so long.

“I’d been drinking so he didn't want to.” I change the subject back to me because I love her and I’m going to let this one slide. If she doesn’t want to talk about whoever she sucked face with last night, it’s fine. I am more than willing to talk about Sean. He’s all I can think about.

“That’s sweet.” She licks her lips, cleaning up any frosting that had been lingering on them.

“I think we’ll do it tonight.” I put the spatula down, done frosting this round of cupcakes. One of the new girls comes into the back, grabbing the tray and taking it to the front of the store. I love that Neily and I no longer have to work in the front. It was fun at first when we’d opened up initially but baking is what I really enjoy.

“You’re not supposed to plan it. Just let it happen. You know what happens when we try and plan things.” We end up making some kind of mess for ourselves. To be honest, that happens whether we plan things or not.

“I really like him.” I grab one of the still-hot cookies as I head over to sit down with Neily. “I know I just met him last night but it feels as though I’ve known him forever. I felt an instant connection to him.”

“You’ve been stalking him for months.”

“Stop saying that! I was just looking around the front of our shop. That’s not stalking.” I was so stalking. “It’s called being aware of my surroundings.”

“Fine. You weren't stalking.” She keeps her face straight. I almost buy it.

“You’re a good liar.”

“We all have our skills.” She picks up her phone when a text sounds.

“Who is texting you this early?” I try and peek at her phone, wondering if it’s the same person that put the hickey on her neck. Waiting for her to tell me about her night is torture.

“My mom.” She stares at the phone for a moment, then her eyes go round. Her head jerks up to look at me, her glasses sliding down her nose. “Your mom is about to blow up your phone.”

“What. Why?” My phone starts ringing. “What’s going on?” I jump up from my chair, going over to my purse to fish it out.

“You’re in the paper.”

“In the what?” She did not just say the paper. Why would I be in the paper? Oh. Maybe the bakery is getting reviewed. But wouldn’t she have said we’re in the paper?

“The paper.” She jumps up from her chair, bringing her phone over to me.

“They still make papers?” My phone keeps ringing in my hand.

“It’s online, too.” She turns her phone for me to see. It’s Sean and me kissing in the middle of the club. Why would anyone put that in a paper? People kiss all the time. That is so not newsworthy.

“Do I answer?” I look down at my phone.

“If you don’t, she’ll just show up.”

“True.” Reluctantly I answer the phone.