Chapter 2

Sicily had done her best to push the conversation off the night before, Kari less than thrilled with her unwillingness to open up. How would she start a conversation like that anyway?

"I hate myself most days because I've gotten fat like my mother? I don't want anyone looking at me because all I see is condemnation and pity?"

Making a sharp left turn, she let out a soft growl and pulled up to the shop. A little red truck was parked in the spot beside hers, the young guy she hired at the end of the summer a god-send. Martin was nineteen and had just graduated in May from Bar Harbor High, but he wasn't yet sure what he wanted to do with his life, so his parents gave him a year to figure it out. He would be forced to go to college the following year. She was happy to have him as long as he could stay.

Sicily let her emotions wash out as she sat in the serenity of her car and forced herself to focus on the day she had ahead of her. The small square in the middle of the town had two bakeries, and she was the one with all the sweets and treats. Judy's was more savory treats, but they had the occasional donut or muffin. The woman who owned it was a vicious bitch that Sicily tried to avoid like the plague.

She was too tall and thin for her own good. Her reasons behind owning the shop more to do with her insatiable desire to own the world than wanting to provide something delicious for the residents to enjoy. The plan from the on-start was to work the bitch out of business, but her elderly mother was the chef behind the efforts and after meeting her, Sicily couldn't do anything but help support the older woman when possible.

A smile lifted her lip as she thought about Lisa and Kari spending hours in the kitchen trying to decide what the three of them could do to put Judy's out of business. Two bakeries in a small town would never work, but somehow, it did.

She got out of the car and pulled her purse over her shoulder. Turning to glance around the square, she noticed a few cars outside the hardware shop, one of them seeming all too familiar.

Drake DeMarco.

Sicily rolled her eyes and walked quickly to the shop, wondering if she should park her car behind the store so that he wouldn't realize she was there. If he didn't stop by it would be a glorious day. The man had an incessant need to be in her face, offering her every deal he could come up with to join his gym. He seemed to like fixer-uppers, and she wasn't interested in being one of his projects.

Being his for a long night of hot sex – anytime, unless she had to take off her clothes or he wanted to keep the lights on. She shook her head, realizing how ridiculous she was being. Drake wasn't interested in a relationship or sex. He wanted to help her lose weight and get healthy because that's how he made his money. Too bad he was Kari's boyfriend Jake's best friend. That simply meant he was in her life to stay. Good thing she had gotten quite comfortable with telling him to take a hike.

The problem was that he never did.

Martin pulled the door open with a big smile on his face. His shaggy blond hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and his blue eyes filled with wonder.

Oh, to be young and hopeful again.

"Hey, boss lady. I was starting to wonder if you were coming in. You take one day off, and all of a sudden you’re late and I don't see the chocolate powder I texted you that we need." He moved back as Sicily walked in and reached out to brush a leaf off of her arm.

"Oh damn! You did ask me to pick that up." She turned as the door behind her opened.

Drake.

"Pick what up? Need me to go grab something for you guys? I don't have to be at the gym for a while." He slid his hand over his stomach, his movements accentuating the eight pack that lay beneath the tight t-shirt. The man had to be the most beautiful thing in all of Maine. His dark hair begged for someone's fingers to run through it over and over again. His eyes were almost black, his skin beautifully tanned and his personality that of an alpha male with world dominance in mind.

"No. We're good." Sicily turned back to Martin. "Do you need the powder this morning? I can run back out after I double-check inventory."

"We have an order at eleven, so I need it pretty soon." Martin glanced toward Drake. "Mr. DeMarco. How are you, Sir?"

Sicily moved toward the counter, dropping her purse in the open cabinet beside the register as the two guys started to talk about their long summer and how much Martin could lift now thanks to Drake's help. She tried to appear busy, not wanting to seem eager to hear anything Drake had to say. It had been a long six months of trying to hide how much she wanted to be a part of his life. He was far beyond her league when she was thin a few months back, but now... impossible.

No need to embarrass herself with hoping for something that would end in extreme rejection. Her friends badgered her nonstop about Drake, both of them misunderstanding his constant nagging for a crush. He wasn't interested in anything but her membership to his gym and the ability to tout to everyone that he had worked the town baker into shape. He was a dick most days - balking at her cooking and leaving her to feel like a walking heart attack, which she most likely was.

"I keep trying to get your boss to come see me." Drake moved toward the counter, tapping it as Sicily looked up.

"Oh yeah?" Martin moved up beside him, the wonder on the boy's face something Sicily was used to seeing. He wanted to be a chef and to own his own place. He was taken with her simply for that reason alone. She enjoyed it... it meant she was doing something right in some part of her life.

"I don't have time." She glanced back down, pressing a few buttons on the register to bring it to life. "Besides, no one trusts a thin chef."

"There's always time to work on your health, Sis," Drake responded.

She jerked her head up, her glare too harsh seeing that Martin took a step back. "I'm not interested in you soliciting in my shop today, Drake. It's Sicily, and I'm busy. So is Martin."

"Sure am. Nice to see you again, Mr. DeMarco." Martin waved and slipped behind the counter, walking into the back room as Sicily held Drake's stare.

The determination on his handsome face was insanely hot. It took everything inside of her to push back the desire to agree to the training just to feel his hands on her, to spend more time with the cocky bastard.

"When are you going to stop pushing so hard against me?" He leaned in as she took a step back. No way was she ready for him intimidating her into their awkward partnership with him as trainer and her as the love-sick fat girl.

"When you back off. I'm not interested in having you put me with all the other trophies on your wall. I have work to do. By a full-fat pastry or get out." She crossed her arms over her chest.

A smirk lifted the side of his mouth and he nodded. "I'm going to get your chocolate powder. I'll be back shortly. You're coming to the gym tonight, not for me or anyone else, but for you."

"Are you calling me fat?" She lifted her eyebrow, her chest constricting painfully. She would not break down in front of him, or anyone other than her closest friends. If he attacked her in this moment she might not have a chance to push back her sorrow any further though.

"I would never do that. I'm sick of watching you mentally fuck yourself." He moved around the counter and she took another step back. "Stop running from me. I want to help you find yourself, Sicily. I'm not the dick you make me out to be."

"No clue what you're talking about." She shrugged and bent over, pulling a five dollar bill from her wallet. "Thanks for going on the errand for us."

He snatched the bill from her and growled softly. The sound of it rushed across her skin, searing its way down to the pit of her stomach and making her feel desire like she never had before.

Let it go. He's not interested in broken down chunky girls. He wants someone who takes care of themselves. That's certainly not you.

"Be at the gym at seven tonight. If you're not... I'm going to come and get you myself."

To be continued…

Author Note: I had such a great time telling Sicily’s story, namely because a lot of it was mine. At least the struggling with weight parts! I’m not dating a mafia man. My guy is found in Sicily’s friend, Kari’s book, Jaded. The main man is a Junior High coach named Jake. *smiles* That’s my hubs. If you enjoyed that opening for Judged, feel free to grab a copy .