Page 62 of Heartbreaker

Chapter 23

Ashley

This week has been shit. Not with work, work has been brilliant really busy. Got a big order for next month which will get the name of the shop out there more. It’s for this event a magazine is holding, and they told me that one of the editors for the fashion side came in one day and loved the sweet treats that we have. When the woman left Taylor and I couldn’t stop jumping around the store. It’s the first time anything like this has happened to us and we are both planning what we want to make for the event. I called Jackson to tell him and he was happy for me, but he was still a little cold.

And that brings me to why my week has been shit. It’s been shit because I think my boyfriend wants to break up with me. Since the event with his ex showing up, he’s been so funny with me. When I called him to let him know about the event and to celebrate we were going to the bar, his answer was short. ‘That’s amazing, see you there.’ That was it, no well done, this is your big break, nothing, which only means one thing to me, he wants to break up. Even Jackson’s texts have been short.

Taylor thinks that I’m being stupid and that he's probably been really busy with work, and there was a part of me that wanted to believe that, but the more time went by this week without him calling me, or without him coming over, it’s made me think the worst. Maybe he doesn’t feel the same way I do. Maybe he’s taking the time away from me to think about how to break up with me or he thinks that I’ll get fed up and break up with him.

But tonight, I’m not going to let that bother me, tonight is about Taylor and me and how far we have come. If he wants to be funny with me, fine but he’s not ruining my night.

“Have you heard from Jackson?” Taylor asks, putting the last of the treats in the cooler.

“He sent a text saying that he would be meeting us there,” I reply trying to keep my tone normal, but she’s going to pick up that I’m upset about it.

“Ash, I really don’t think he is going to break up with you, and if he does I’ll cut his balls off for you.” Taylor walks to me and wraps her arms around me. “Even I can see that Jackson is different to all your other boyfriends,” she says keeping her arms around me.

I’m not going to cry, no man deserves my tears, but I am so close to crying that this is going to end.

“Well, today is about us, and we are going to party,” I say giving her a smile.

“Yes, it is. And you watch, he will be all over you tonight. Right, the front of the shop is all clean and locked up. I’ll meet you outside the bar.” Taylor gives me a kiss on the cheek. “It’s about us tonight,” she shouts at me as she walks out the door.

Laughing at her, I finish up cleaning the back of the shop, and get my mood right to celebrate.

*~*~*

Finishing getting ready, I spray some of my Marc Jacobs perfume, grab my purse and head to the door. I smile as I open the door.

“Hello, stranger.” I give Jackson a smile, he’s looking all sexy in his suit.

“These are for you.” He gives me the bouquet of roses, walking over to the kitchen to put them in a vase. “I have been the worst boyfriend this week, and I’m so sorry,” Jackson says wrapping his arms around my waist. “You deserve better, and I promise to make it up to you.” He kisses my neck and I can’t help but smile, maybe Taylor was right and he was stressed with work. “Please forgive me,” he says as I turn around to look at him.

“Please just let me know next time if work gets too much, I don’t want to be the girlfriend that you can’t talk to, I really thought we got to a place that we…” I trail off not really knowing what words I want to use here.

“We can talk about anything, and I agree. I’m sorry.” Jackson leans in to give me a kiss.

Am I still a little pissed off with him? Yes, but I don’t want anything to ruin tonight, so I’m going to move past this and hope that everything with him is fine now and we can go back to the way we were.

“Taylor is going to meet us outside the bar,” I say grabbing my clutch off the counter and walk over to the door. Jackson walks with me, with his hand on my lower back.

“I’m so proud of you, I can’t wait to see what you make.” Closing the door behind us he continues, “I love the popping candy stuff, I think that stuff is amazing.”

I can’t help but start laughing at him, this is the first week I have had the popping candy bark in store and Jackson hasn’t eaten it all.

“Working on it next week,” I tell him as we make our way down the stairs. As we walk towards the bar, Jackson takes my hand in his and pulls me closer to him. “Work good again?” I ask. He’s not going to tell me why I’ve been given the silent treatment this week, so I might as well as ask him myself.

“It’s been okay, had to let go of Alex, he was just not working out well for me.” He looks over the street at the line for the bar. “I put our names at the door, so we won’t have to wait,” Jackson tells me, and I give him a smile, it saves us waiting.

I look around for Taylor as the crowd grows. “Thanks,” I tell Jackson as I look behind him, I know there is still something up with him, but I’ll leave that for tomorrows conversation.

“Taylor!” I see her looking all sexy a in red dress, ready to paint the town with me.

“Oh, look who it is, Mr. I’m too busy.” She looks over at Jackson for a second then back to me. “You look hot.”

“Well, so do you. Jackson put our names on the list, so we can go straight in,” I tell her, as she looks back at him. I know that she isn’t too happy with him.

“What are we waiting for then?” She links her arm with mine. “He looks stressed,” Taylor whispers to me. I give her a nod as that’s all I can really do. I don’t want to say anything to her, because I don’t know what is happening to him yet.