My chest filled with an odd sense of pride as I scanned the space. I’d been to the old bakery that occupied this building years ago, but Tyler’s hard work to make the place his own was evident everywhere.
“What do you want to get?” Mom asked, startling me for a moment. “I’ll get a few sugar-free cookies if you look the other way with those chocolate-covered ones.”
I laughed at her quirked brow.
“I’ll share whatever you get. Sugar and I have a complicated relationship.” I shrugged, a nervous laugh escaping me.
Tyler and I had a complicated relationship too, but not from his end. He simply couldn’t stand me while I could never get over my fixation on him.
You wouldn’t think you could sabotage your adult love life while you still had baby teeth, but as my dad used to say, I was always in a class by myself.
He’d kept me in line yet also praised me all the same. But it was hard to stay my ball-busting self after I’d lost my biggest fan.
“I’m really sorry,” a squeaky female voice said behind me.
I turned and spotted Tyler making his way out of the back with his cousin Donnie and his fiancée. Tyler kept nodding while the poor girl’s face crumpled as if she was on the verge of tears.
“You’re making us this amazing cake, and we’re making you see my horrible cousin. Please know I would absolutely disinvite her if I could.”
Tyler wore a blue T-shirt the same shade as the outside awning, the sleeves freckled with flour and straining against his biceps. I clenched my eyes shut and forced my gaze straight ahead.
“Amy was at my parents’ house over the weekend and drilling me about what food we were serving at the wedding. Because one person is pregnant, I have to change my whole damn menu.”
Before I could help it, my head whipped back around to Tyler. He was stoic for a long minute, his eyes fluttering a moment as if he was absorbing the fumes from the bomb that Tyler’s fiancée had just dropped at his feet.
How miserable would that be? He had to attend a family wedding knowing he’d see his pregnant ex-fiancée, now married to his former best friend. Mom had filled me in when it happened, and I’d overheard most of his conversation with Donnie at his grandmother’s house.
I didn’t mean to be rude and eavesdrop, but my eyes and ears always seemed to track Tyler wherever he was. Even though I was aware, lifelong habits were tough to break.
Donnie winced behind her as Tyler replied with a slow side-to-side shake of his head.
“It’s fine. It’s not about her, it’s about you guys. Please don’t give it another thought.” He reached out to squeeze her arm, his rasp giving away the defeat in his voice.
I was tempted to march over and reiterate my offer, but he didn’t want to go on a date with me no matter what the circumstances were. I’d only humiliate myself by asking again, and while I was still working on a truce, I wasn’t going to be pathetic about it. Even if the inclination was so strong I had to sink my teeth into my bottom lip to halt the words from falling out of my mouth once he noticed us.
Mom was so into the cookie display that she hadn’t heard a word. After Donnie and his fiancée said their goodbyes and left, my eyes were still glued on Tyler when he noticed me. My stomach sank when his eyes closed, as if the blow he’d just gotten hit that much harder because I was there to witness it.
“Tyler, there you are!” Mom rushed off the line to greet Tyler with a hug. “This place looks amazing. I can’t decide what to get—it all looks so good!”
“Thanks, Carla,” he whispered, his deep timbre still weak. “Come with me.” He led Mom around the line and up to the counter. “Give this lady a pound of whatever cookies she’d like, no charge.”
Mom’s eyes widened in protest before he held up a hand. “Pick whatever you want. I promise we’re working on different sugar-free kinds. There’s a demand I didn’t anticipate.” He turned to me, his brows pinched.
I was surprised when he left Mom and strutted up to me. “Olivia, can I talk to you for a minute?” He nodded to the swinging door behind the counter.
“Talk… oh, sure,” I stammered, holding back a grimace at how flustered I was. Tyler never initiated conversation. If he spoke to me, it was because of our mothers and the forced proximity we were always trapped into.
I straightened, trying to regain a little composure as I followed him.
“Look,” he began and let out a long, frustrated sigh. “You don’t need to pretend that you didn’t hear all of that. And I can’t believe I’m asking this, but does your offer to come with me to Donnie’s wedding still stand?”
My head jerked back, Tyler’s question rendering me speechless for a moment.
“It does. But, if I don’t have to pretend I didn’t overhear, is this because Amy is pregnant?”
“Yes—well, yes and no.” He scrubbed his hand down his face. “I don’t hate my life. I don’t even hate her. We both moved on, but I think being there with all that pity thrown my way, I’m afraid I won’t handle it very well and ruin my cousin’s night. I need a buffer, and I can’t think of a better distraction than you.”
My cheeks heated as his lips curled into a smirk. There wasn’t a hint of malice or exasperation in his gaze. Familiarity and gratitude shone back at me instead. My silly heart swelled as I realized how long I’d been waiting for this moment.
