Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
It’s an order from Club Red.
“They just can’t get enough of these over there,” Maddy says with a laugh, nudging the little penis shape an inch closer.
Even though the men used to stop by the bakery fairly frequently to see me, Maddy never asked me about them, and I never talked about them to her. She’s kind and friendly, but as my boss, maybe she assumed that I wanted to keep my personal life to myself. I’m especially grateful for her approach now, because I’d hate to have to tell her about everything that went wrong.
“How about if I roll out the dough and you cut them out?” she proposes.
“Okay.” I don’t really want to alert her to the fact that I’m feeling any type of way about these particular cookies, but I’m flooded with emotions and memories as I start to cut out the shapes. I can’t help but think about how it was these same type of cookies that led to me first meeting the Stanton brothers.
I was so flustered by them at first, and so in awe of their good looks. I’d have never, ever imagined that we would have gotten together. And now it’s hard to believe that it’s all over.
Even though I’ve had a few weeks to come to terms with it, it’s not really getting any easier.
When the cookies are all cut out, Maddy transfers them to pans, puts them in the oven, and starts mixing up frosting, which she tints into a variety of skin tone colors.
“Will the cookies need to be delivered when they’re ready?” I ask.
“Yes, I was planning on dropping them off on my way home this afternoon,” Maddy says.
On impulse, I say, “I’ll take them.” I hadn’t planned to make the offer, but I will admit that the idea of making a delivery has crossed my mind as a way to see the men again.
It’s probably going to hurt to see them and be reminded of everything I’m missing out on, even though my own heart reminds me every day, but I owe them an apology, and the delivery will provide the perfect opportunity to have a conversation with them without making a big deal out of it.
Just like my first time entering the club, Dodge is the first one to greet me in the lobby. Just like the first time, I’m immediately struck by his incredible good looks, but unlike before, I now know that he has a heart and mind just as beautiful as his outside appearance.
“Jade.” He’s surprised to see me, and his eyes look wary, which makes my chest hurt. His gaze drifts down to the box I’m holding. “I didn’t think you’d be the one to make the delivery.”
“Is it okay that I’m here?”
“Of course.” His face brightens a degree. “How are you?”
“I’m okay. How are you?” My voice sounds faint, like an echo of itself. I’m pretty wary myself, even though I wanted to come here.
“Okay,” he says, his eyes locked on mine. “You brought our order?”
I nod. “Yes, because I wanted to see you.”
As Dodge’s eyebrows lift, his three brothers appear from one of the halls, and it’s apparent that they’d heard my voice.
“Jade, how are you?” Chase asks. He sounds more formal than I’ve ever heard him, and though it hurts, I can’t fault him for it.
I slide the box onto the counter. “I offered to bring this by because I wanted to tell you all that I’m sorry.”
The twins’ mouths turn down in identical frowns, while Maddox looks hurt, as if he’d flinch if I moved to touch him.
“What do you have to be sorry about?” Chase asks, his voice still cold even though his posture softens.
“I judged you for what you do for a living. Even though I told myself I didn’t, and that my hesitation was all because of my parents’ disapproval, I need to own it. My decisions were my own, and I decided we couldn’t work because I wasn’t willing to be honest about our relationship. That was wrong of me.”
“You have a right to feel however you feel about it,” Chase says. “It’s not something you need to apologize for.”
“Yes, but I was wrong. I would never want you to feel judged, and I should have never been embarrassed about it. I was wrong not to stand up to my family and choose what was best for me.”
Behind me, the entrance door opens and I turn to see two men coming in. They’re very attractive, and I assume they’re performers, but I don’t think they’re the same men I saw on stage when I was at the show. Chase gives them a nod, and they seem to immediately sense that we’re in the middle of a serious discussion, so they quickly move through and head down a hallway.