Penny
“Where are we going?” I look up at Shapiro as he guides us through the backdoor of Spotlight.
This morning, Shapiro woke me up in the most pleasurable way. The way only he can. The way he did. Then as if that wasn’t enough, he promised me a day out of the apartment. Just us.
“Not budging.” He meets my gaze and smiles.
“Just one little hint.” I walk over to the SUV and wait for him to unlock it.
“Okay, I can do that.” He comes up behind me, grabbing my hand. “We’re walking there.”
“Wait, What?” I begin to follow as he pulls us down the alley and around the corner to the busy streets. “Not driving?”
“Not driving.”
“I just got my nails done so I know that isn’t it.”
“Walking, not talking.” He side-eyes me.
“I can take a hint.” I run in front of him, talking to him as I turn and walk backward. “Guessing is off limits. Got it.”
“It’s tearing you up,” he says on a sly grin.
“Pff.” I wave him off. “I’m totally chill.” I glance around trying to get some sort of a hint, my head on a swivel.
“I thought you were being chill. That …” He continues to walk, shades on, hands in pockets, and wearing the sexiest of smirky grins. Looking chiller than chill. Something I obviously can’t do. “Isn’t chill.”
Truth be told it’s killing me. I’ve never been surprised, not like this.
Turning back around, I fall in step with Shapiro, side by side, we walk together.
“Hey.” His gravelly voice breaks me free from my wondering mind.
“Hey.” I look up at the man who has shown me so much happiness. Brought together on a chance. Staying together because of a choice.
“We’re almost there,” Shapiro teases, hands now out of pockets and brushing mine as we head to the unknown.
“Can’t wait.” I stick my pinky out, just to get a little touch of his heat. Skin against skin, feeling the electricity that pulled at us from the night before.
“Me neither.” He peers down at me as he curls his finger around mine and together we walk down a crowded street, pinky to pinky, to wherever he has planned.
This is happiness. This is being content and I’m not sure if I have ever felt that way. Moving from house to house until I found Tyler, and even then, there was something in the back of my head flashing like one of those yellow blinking construction signs. A warning to slow down.
Shapiro makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. I’m fearless when I’m with him and the doubt, nonexistent.
“Here we are.” Shapiro quickly drops my finger and steps behind me to cover my eyes.
“Hey! What are you doing?” I reach up to grab his wrists.
“Not happening, sweetheart.” He chuckles. “Turn to your left and take six steps forward,” he orders.
Bursting at the seams, I do as he says.
Feeling Shapiro against me, his front to my back, he leans forward. His breath, hot against my naked skin. The heat stirring the embers within, building a flame that I won’t be able to resist. Last night, Shapiro started the fire and I’m not sure if it will ever go out.
“Open,” he demands.
My skin prickles as I melt into him.
I feel his smile against my ear. “Later …”
“You promise?” My lashes flutter open as I turn in his arms. “’Cause this surprise can wait.”
“You are something else.” He wraps an arm around my lower back, pulling me against him, kissing the top of my head. “Now turn around.”
Giving an exaggerated sigh, I turn and immediately I’m confused.
“What’s this?” I walk up to the vacant storefront to try to peer through the frosted windows that were put there to keep out prying eyes.
“Come on.” He reaches inside his front pocket and pulls out a key. Unlocking the door, he pushes it open waiting for me to pass by. “Go ahead,” he urges.
Raising a brow, I squeeze by and scan the area. Empty walls, dusty counters and cold cases line the walls. The counter is one of those old ones where a section of it flips up.
One of my old foster parents use to run a local “Mom and Pop” drug store that had an old fashion soda fountain. This kind of reminds me of that.
Running my hand over the counter, I reach for the clasp and unlock it, flipping it up. “Hmm …” I look over my shoulder to see Shapiro watching me. “Can I go back here?”
“Sure.”
“Was this an old drug store?” I question moving my way to the back, but Shapiro stays put and not saying a word.
In the back there is a huge workspace with a commercial oven and walk in cooler. “Not a drug store,” I mumble while I continue my search.
“What do you think?” Shapiro startles me.
“I’m not sure.” I purse my lips trying to come up with a logical guess when I notice something covered up in the corner.
“You don’t know if you like it?” he presses.
Taking a couple steps to whatever is in the corner—noticing the plastic is covered in dust—I opt to peak under, avoiding the sneezefest I would have had if I yanked it off.
“Meat slicer,” I say to no one, but Shapiro answers.
“Yeah. But do you like it.”
“Oh my God!” Realization sets in. “It’s a deli!” I bounce up and down, clapping. Proud of myself for figuring it out.
“You are killing me,” he says, standing next to me. “Look around. Do you like the space?”
“Yeah it’s nice. Why?” I peer up at him.
“I thought maybe it would be the perfect spot for your bakery.”
My bakery.
My.
Bakery.
My bakery.
No matter how many times I repeat the words in my head. I can’t wrap my mind around it.
My bakery.
“Wh-what do you mean?” I fumble out the words. My ability to speak gone. If he is saying what I think he is saying, then I could possibly.
No. Don’t go there. Don’t get your hopes up.
“You’re very own bakery.” Shapiro places his hands on my shoulders and turns me to face him. “Yours.”
“Mine?”
“Yours.”
This place has so much potential, but I can’t let myself think of the possibilities when there is no way I can afford them. My dreams. They aren’t obtainable, at least not any time soon.
“Owning my own bakery isn’t in the budget.” I place a hand between us on his chest. “I didn’t have a job for months until now and that is just contract work,” I remind him.
“I have a small confession.” The corner of Shapiro’s mouth turns up. “Okay, maybe it’s a huge confession.
“You’re freaking me out here.” I push off his rock-hard pecs waiting for this confession.
“Mama Ang had a huge insurance policy and left me as executor. She requested it to be divided up between me and my sisters since we were basically the only family she had.”
“I can’t let you do that. Give up the money Mama Ang left you to start a life, to buy me a bakery. No. Just no!”
I love everything Shapiro has done for me, but him investing in me would be like a financial obligation. I don’t want to be anyone’s obligation.
“I think you may want to hear me out.”
Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and inhale. Bringing my head back on an exhale I continue, “Please don’t.” My eyes begin to water. “I don’t want that burden between us.”
“Come here.” Shapiro smiles holding out his arms. “You would never be a burden.”
A few steps and I’m secure in his arms.
“What I was trying to say is …” He reaches down to cup my cheek. “We were the only family she had until you came along.”
“What?” My eyes begin to fill with tears.
“Mama Ang left you a percentage. You’re named as a beneficiary.” Shapiro gently leans in for a sweet and tender kiss. One filled with so many promises.
“Why would she do that?” I’m trying to understand all of this.
Mama Ang was my only family, but I wasn’t hers, but we did spend day in and day out in the kitchen, telling stories, singing, dancing. She taught me to see that sometimes we just need a reason and I just had to find mine, each and every day.
I loved her as family. I just wasn’t sure if she felt the same.
“You were her family, too.”
Crumbling in his arms, I let myself cry realizing I didn’t have to search anymore. This is my reason.
Her.
Shapiro.
The bakery.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. This was her way of showing you how much she cared.” He draws circles on my back with the palm of his hands. Comforting me.
“I would give it all back.” I lean my head on his chest, feeling every beat of his heart. Life. “If it meant I could have her back.”
“We all would, Penny, but that isn’t possible.”
Taking deep breaths, I try to calm myself and soak up the reality of the moment.
This place, it could be mine. All my dreams could come true because of this man standing in front of me. Without him, I would have never known the meaning of family.
“Is this really happening?” My eyes dart around the room, imagining this place as mine.
“It is. She didn’t give you a lot, but it’s enough to make the down payment and carry you for a year until the bakery gets on its feet.”
“I can’t believe it.” I’m still shocked. “This has to be the sweetest confession ever. Pun intended.”
My eyes go wide, practically popping out of my head.
“Did you hear what I just said?” I’m practically giddy from the idea.
Bouncing from foot to foot, my fists are clenched, bursting from the seams with excitement.
“I did.”
“Sweetest Confession! That’s what I’m going to call it.”
I wait for his reaction. Maybe I’m just sentimental, but this is what it’s supposed to be. A sweet confession from the man who has given me everything. Made me believe I can be anything.
“I think it’s perfect.”