Chapter 27
Reese
Sophia bounces through the front door of the Broken Cupcake just after lunch, looking absolutely radiant.
“Hi!” She waves excitedly as she makes her way over to the counter.
I come around the cash register and give her a quick hug. “Hey—wow, you look gorgeous!”
“Why, thank you!” She quirks a narrow shoulder coyly and grins, basking in the compliment. Her gleaming hair falls in soft waves around her face and her candy pink skirt suit is perfectly tailored to her slim body. Her mood has definitely improved since the last time I saw her. All signs of insecurity are gone and she’s back to being a princess happily living out her fairy tale. She furrows her brows. “You’ve got food dye on your nose.” She grabs a napkin and blots delicately at my face.
Of course I do. Of course I’m a haggard mess in the face of Sophia’s unflawed femininity. Such is the sad story of my life.
“Thank you,” I snort as I double-check my disheveled reflection in the glass of the cupcake display case. “What are you doing here?” I ask as I return to my station behind the counter.
“I spoke to Nova and she said that she was passing by so I decided to come pick up some cupcakes for the construction workers. They’re doing such a good job. I thought it’d be a nice treat for them.”
Sophia may be a bit high maintenance but she’s undeniably sweet, a great person. “That’s nice of you. They’ll like that.” The melancholy I feel on the inside bleeds into my voice.
Leo’s on my mind now. I imagine him over at Sophia’s house, sweat beading on his temples, slick muscles bulging as he pushes a wheelbarrow or swings a hammer or does any number of the stereotypical activities that are routinely performed in female fantasies about construction workers.
I wonder if he’s thinking about me. I wonder if there’s any chance that he may change his mind about the possibilities for our situationship. I love exploring his body, submitting to his raw sexual power, watching the look on his face as he climaxes inside of me. But now, I want his heart…even though I know it’s too much to ask.
I hear Sophia clear throat dramatically. My head snaps up and she’s looking at me with a curious expression. “Uh, the cupcakes…”
I shake my head and bring my attention back to the present. “Right, right…” I grab a large box and start arranging cakes inside. “And by the way, why the hell are you so radiant right now?” I give her another onceover.
Her eyes twinkle at me. “Joshie and I had a pre-wedding spa appointment this morning,” she tells me. “We may or may not have taken our relaxation to the next level after the hot stone massage.” She giggles.
“Lucky you,” I mutter. I should be happy for my friend. Instead, I’m sort of jealous. She has clarity. She has a man who put a ring on it. Even if he’s somewhat of an arrogant, vexatious ass-kerchief. She knows where she stands with him. But with Leo, I don’t know what’s going on in his head. The only thing I know is that I’m falling deeper and deeper into what I feel for him.
A wistful breath escapes Sophia’s painted lips. “Too bad he had to leave early. Business stuff came up. A luxury boutique in Manhattan just placed a small order for his nail clippers.” She beams with excitement. “This is a big deal for him. A chance to finally prove to his father that he’s a real businessman, y’know? No one else believes in him. That’s why I’ve got to give him my full support even if it means we can’t spend as much time together as I’d like.”
It’s a struggle not to roll my eyes at her unrelenting dedication. “When have you and Josh ever spent five minutes together without business interrupting it?”
Her eyes narrow at my snarkiness. “What’s your deal today?” she asks with a pout.
Shit—I think I’ve hurt her feelings which is not what I intended. “Sorry, Soph. I’m just a little...preoccupied.”
“Is your ‘lover’ not delivering all those slutty, little orgasms you were expecting?” She draws elegant air-quotes around the word. I almost laugh. From her tone, I can tell that she’s still not on board with Leo and my situation. And now I’m starting to think that she may have been right all along.
I sigh. “It’s getting complicated.”
Nova strides in through the front door just in time to hear that. “Theresa Hartley, please don’t tell me that you’re developing feelings for your fuck friend!” She drops her guitar case down next to her scuffed combat boots.
The group of teenaged girls sitting at a table nearby spin my way. “Nova, keep it down!” I whisper-yell.
She ignores me. “Reese, the whole point of a fuck friend is to simplify your life. To afford you the joy of sex without the heartache of relationships. Sort of like having a human vibrator. It’s not okay to form emotional attachments to your sex toys.”
At Nova’s rather colorful analogy, Sophia huffs through her nose and looks away, shaking her head.
“I know, I know.” My shoulders drop heavily. “But I can’t help it. He’s just…he’s fucking fantastic, okay? And I can’t help but want more from him. A girl’s self-restraint can only withstand so much. But he’s so broken. He’s been hurt, badly. I’m just scared.” I sigh. “There’s this little voice at the back of my head, constantly warning me that he’s just on the rebound, that all he really wants is the sex which is fine because that’s what I signed up for. Except it’s not fine because I’m falling for him.” I’m winded and frustrated now.
Sophia watches me with soft, thoughtful eyes as she runs her fingers across the pearl necklace at her throat. “Well, maybe you should talk to him. Tell him how you feel.”
“I can’t do that,” I say forcefully. “I started this thing under false pretences. I told him that I didn’t need more than sex from him.”
Nova shakes her head back and forth and her big hair swishes left to right. “Y’see, this is why I stick mostly to my battery-operated buddies. And the occasional vegan Sagittarian. Keeps me out of trouble. Because men…” She shakes her head again.
Sophia crosses her arms across her delicate chest and stares at me. “You changed your mind. You’re perfectly entitled to change your mind. Just be honest with him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Nova says cautiously. “This guy is your neighbor. You have to handle the situation carefully or else you will never be able to sit on your damn porch again.”
Sophia faces her. “But what if he feels the way she does?”
“Then, let him be the one to say so,” Nova advises with a cocked brow.
“Well, you never struck me as a misogynist!”
“It’s not about misogyny. It’s self-preservation.”
A group of soccer moms barrel through the front door with their mud-covered, cleat-wearing kids and storm the counter. My friends move to a table in the corner to give them room. While I serve the group, the girls’ conflicting words replay in my head.
Should I take a risk and have a frank conversation with Leo? Or should I just suck it up and find a way to get over this silly crush?
Shit—I have no clue what I’m going to do.