Page 74 of Heartbreaker

Chapter 29

Ashley

They always say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, but I don’t think that worked with Jackson. I mean it’s been four days and nothing not even a text to explain what he was thinking. I was hurt and upset the first two days, but now, now I’m just angry with him.

I thought we had something, something that saw us together for a long time, but maybe he had other ideas, and his job is also his life, breaking girl’s hearts. Get them to fall in love with him, then break their hearts so that they never trust a man again, that is how I feel at the moment. I have tried to lose myself designing some new cakes for the shop window. The black and hot pink burlesque theme cake with feathers is beautiful, I can’t wait to get started on it.

“Ash...ummm...there is someone here about a cake,” Tay says as she pops her head through the door. She seems a little worried. What’s wrong with her?

“Be right out,” I tell her as I smile, wipe my hands on my apron and grab my diary. Walking out to the front of the shop, I stop in my tracks, Jackson’s mum is standing there. “Hi how can I help you?” Why is Jackson’s mum here? I really thought Jackson and I breaking up would make her not want to come here, perhaps she blames me for all this.

She stares at me for a moment. “He’s an idiot….” Relief hits me as a breath I hadn’t known I was holding leaves me.

“I really don’t want to talk about Jackson, he made his decision, and I just have to move on,” I smile to take the bite out of my words. “So how can I help you?” She is the last person I want to talk to about Jackson. Jackson’s mum is really sweet, and I loved talking to her, but I’m no longer dating her son. She watches me carefully and I try not to fidget under her gaze. Whatever she sees satisfies her because she gives a tiny nod.

“I was hoping to order a cake for my Maisy, she will be four in three weeks, so I hope that is long enough?” I ignore the pull in my heart as I realise I won’t be there for that.

Opening my diary, I have a look to see if I have anything big happening the week before. I like to make a few cakes in the week, but if I have a big project then I’ll only take on one other cake, as I have to bake everything for the shop too.

“What type of cake would you like?” I say walking over to the table to the side of the shop, so we can talk about everything she would like.

“Princess, a lot of pink.” She starts laughing. “But I know that you will do an amazing job with it. I would like a big cake, say about two tiers.”

“Great, I’ll get some designs together, or some images, then I’ll send them over and you can see which one you like,” I reply, writing everything down. She starts telling me the flavours that she would like and has added some cupcakes for the goody bags.

After thirty minutes of talking about her order, she finally leaves. It felt like a very long thirty minutes for me. I drop my head on the table. “That wasn’t comfortable at all.”

Taylor sits on the chair in front of me. “Coffee?” I hear her place the mug on the table, and I look up at her.

“Thanks, what was I meant to say. No?” I ask her, I would have liked to say no, but I just couldn’t do it.

“Be honest with me now, Ash. Are you waiting for Jackson to finally realise that he fucked up, and realise you were the best thing that ever happened to him?”

I lean back in my chair and bring the hot coffee to my lips, as I think about my answer to her. “Honestly, I have no idea. I love him, and I think it will take me some time to put this behind me, if ever,” I tell her.

There was something about Jackson that got me the first time I looked at him, and the more time I spent with him the more he just pulled me in, I loved him, and I still love him.

“Right, we are going out tonight, I’m not letting you sit at home and keep thinking what did you do wrong, because the answer to that question is nothing, you did nothing wrong.”

Taylor pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look at her. “Don’t give me that look, get your ass upstairs I’ll shut the shop, you start getting ready.” She stands up and puts her hands on her hips tapping her foot on the floor.

“Fine,” I stand up, “but I’m not staying long, don’t you dare try pushing me to any guys. I mean it’s not even been a week, and I’m stupid and still hoping that he will at least come over and explain why he’s breaking up with me,” I tell her walking back to the back of the shop, and I start to clean up.

The shop has been so busy that last week or so, and Taylor and I have been talking about hiring a new staff member. Someone to help in the back with the baking or someone to work in the front so Taylor can help me, but we are still working on all that.

*~*~*

Walking into the club, this was the last club I wanted to come to, the first time I ran into Jackson was at this club, but Taylor wanted to come here, and I can’t really run away from every place that we went together, as I would have to buy a new place too.

I go to the bar as Corey gets us a booth. Shouting my order over to the barman I look around, it feels nice to be out and enjoying my nights again.

“Ashley.” I hear my name being shouted behind me, looking to the side I see Jake standing there. “You’ve changed your hair, it looks nice.”

“Hi Jake.” What are the chances of me running into two of Jackson’s family members in one day? I look around the club.

“He's not here,” Jake tells me, and I feel a little relieved and a little gutted about it. “Don’t give up on him, he will come around I promise.”

My eyes look at Jake again searching for the answer that Jackson should be giving me, but there is nothing. “Well I’ve not heard from him all week, so I think I’ll move on like he has.”