“Alright,” I said, grabbing the order form off the counter behind me. “Is this for an occasion?” I looked between them both, waiting for the answer.
Harold looked away as if he were uncomfortable, but Edith had that same smug look she always had, only this time it was... more.
“It’s our ten-year anniversary. The kids wanted us to have a party. They’ve been just so happy to have me in their lives, they want to celebrate.”
Ten years already?
“Well, congratulations.” I did my best to sound happy for them. But the look on her face told me she thought I was jealous.
Which I wasn’t.
Sure, Harold was great in bed, but he wasn’t exactly the kind of man you could have in-depth conversations with. We’d had a lot of fun and, to be honest, if it hadn’t been for his kids, I might have stayed with him just for the sex. But I guess that was why Edith was perfect for him. He wanted someone to take care of him. Someone to dote on him, and while I had done that very thing for Terry, it was because I was so damn in love with him.
I never would have felt that kind of love for Harold.
“You’ll come, of course.” Edith’s voice broke into my thoughts, and I looked up at her blankly.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“To our celebration.” Edith smiled, and I knew she was begging me to make an excuse so she could tell the world I was jealous of what they had.
“The whole town is invited,” Harold cut in.
I turned to look at him when Edith’s voice rang out, “You can bring a date, of course. If you have one.” Her voice was so smug. She knew I wasn’t seeing anyone. Hell, the whole town knew. There were no secrets in this town.
“We’d be happy too,” Stephen’s voice rang out as his arm slipped around my waist from behind me. My body stiffened briefly and then relaxed into him when I saw Edith’s eyes widen.
Harold’s eyes dropped to where Stephen’s arm banded around me, then lifted to mine.
“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” Edith said, her eyes on Stephen.
“She’s been mine for six months. Just took her a while to accept it,” Stephen filled in. “So, when is this party?”
I wrote the details on autopilot as Edith gave them to me, my mind not fully present in the moment with Stephen’s body pressed against mine. It was a wonder I could think at all. His thumb grazed the underside of my breast, and all I could focus on was the thought of his hand moving higher.
When Edith started talking about how she and Harold started dating and how much his kids loved her, Stephen leaned in and brushed his lips against the shell of my ear.
“Congratulations on ten years,” Stephen said. “We look forward to celebrating with you.”
His voice left no doubt that his words were a dismissal. There was a hardness to his tone, and Harold paid for the order and rushed his wife out of the bakery.
As soon as the door closed, I spun around and pushed Stephen away.
“What the hell was that?”
Pati slipped through the doors and asked, “Was that Harold and Edith?”
“Yes,” I snapped, my eyes still on Stephen. “They ordered a cake for their anniversary party.”
“The audacity of that woman! I’ll cancel it and refund his card.”
“You will do no such thing.” I turned to Pati. “This bakery does not discriminate.”
“Nana, you can’t honestly think I would bake a cake for them after?—”
“Patricia,” I hissed, cutting her off. “This is a business.” I turned and faced Stephen. “You don’t belong back here.”
Stephen’s smile was arrogant, as if he knew exactly what Pati was about to reveal. He moved back to the other side of the counter but didn’t return to his seat by the window. Instead, he leaned against the counter.
