My Curvy Valentine: A Perfect Fit Novella (5 page)

She sat up, her eyes flying open, her heart pounding, her skin tingling.

“Shit,” she cursed. “Shit, shit. Goddamn it!” She punched her mattress. It was Alex she was dreaming about. He was the last person she wanted to be the man of her dreams.

An hour later she was dressed and ready to head to work and as she walked down the stairs she thought about slipping out of the back door, about avoiding him. But what was the point? There was no avoiding him. He lived in the apartment next to hers. She heard his TV through the wall sometimes, knew when he turned his shower on. He worked downstairs. The smell of his bakery infiltrated her dreams. There was no getting away from him. That was probably why she dreamed about him, because he was always around. And last night he had kissed her cheek. His lips had lingered on her skin and she inhaled his scent. Frosting and soap. Sometimes it was bread and soap or chocolate and soap, but Alex always smelled good and she always had a hard time pulling herself away from his scent.

It was getting bad and as she walked into the bakery that morning she could see that someone, probably Fernando, had decorated the place for Valentine’s Day. It was simple. On the inside of the door hung a red, heart-shaped wreath that looked like it was made from rose petals. Pink and white cupcakes lined the display case and in the windows hung translucent multicolored hearts.

“Maggie, good morning.” She turned around to see Fernando placing fresh flowers in the vase by the register.

“Hello, Fernando. It looks beautiful in here. I know Alex didn’t do it.”

“No.” He grinned at her. “Chef did not do this, and thank you. I will tell my wife that you like her decorations.”

“Alina made these?”

“Yes, it’s her hobby. She spends much time at the craft store.”

“Do you think she might be willing to make some for my friend’s baby shower? I would pay her for her time, of course.”

“I will ask her, but I am sure she will be delighted.”

She looked around the bakery. This morning there were a few customers in the seats, including a couple who was sitting in the same chairs that she and Alex had occupied last night. The same place where they ended up holding hands and talking about the past. “Is Alex here?”

“Chef had to run out. Our shipment of Belgian chocolate didn’t come in and he cannot continue to work without it.”

“Oh.” Maybe he was avoiding her. Maybe he had realized that last night they had gotten a little closer than usual. Maybe he realized that they needed space. They did, but she felt slightly disappointed that he wasn’t there to greet her before she went off to work. “Well, I just came to say good morning. Have your wife call me. I would love to catch up with her.”

“Will do. Have a good day, Maggie.”

“Thank you. I will.”

She walked into work fifteen minutes later to find that one of her bosses once again beat her to opening. This time it was Mike, Ellis’s former-cop husband who quit his job to help Ellis run this store and the bridal salon next door.

“Hey, Mike.” He turned around to reveal that he was holding, Ava, his nine-month-old daughter, in his arms. “You brought me a present!” She dropped her handbag on the floor and took the beautiful dark-haired, blue-eyed baby from her father.

Ava grinned at her, showing off her two perfect little teeth as she excitedly flapped her arms.

“We’re just stopping by,” Mike told her. “We’re taking Ava to get her picture taken.”

“Again? Didn’t you just have them done at Christmas?”

“We did, but now we are going for a family portrait. Ellis is just here to pick up the dress she made for the baby.”

“Of course she is,” Maggie said to Ava. “Because your mommy wants you to be a beautiful girl. She wants all the other little girls to be jealous of you. Yes, she does. Yes, she does. But remember, sweet baby, that you are going to be just as smart as you are beautiful. You’re going to be a doctor. A smart, successful doctor that heads up the neurology department at a fancy hospital, and the people are going to doubt that you can do the job because you’re a woman. Yes, they are. Yes, they are, baby girl. But you are going to prove them wrong, because you are going to be the smartest, most hard-working doctor on the planet. And you will look fabulous doing it, because you will get all your clothes from here.”

She heard laughter, but it wasn’t coming from Mike’s smiling face. It was coming from behind her. She knew who it was. She knew the sound of his deep chuckle.

Shit
. He had caught her being goofy and lovey with a baby. Which would normally be no big deal, except for the fact that she lied through her teeth to him last night. She loved children and sometimes she did want somebody there when she went to bed, when she woke up. She saw her friends’ marriages and was envious. They loved and respected and cherished each other. She wanted a love like that too, but she knew it wouldn’t happen for her. Because she couldn’t trust.
Her father had loved her mother and then one day it just shriveled up and died. She didn’t need that. She couldn’t risk that.

“Promise me that you’ll baby talk to me like that one day,” Alex said as he came into her line of sight. “It’s very motivating.”

“The last time we brought her in, Maggie told her that she was going to be the president and that she was going to be the only one who got Congress to stop fighting and work together. She also told her that she was going to do it wearing kickass dresses, because pant suits didn’t look good on anyone.”

“Damn, Maggie.” He took Ava from her, giving her a knowing I-told-you-so look as he handed her a cup of coffee. She wanted to smack that smug look off his face.

“Head of neurology and the President of our country? When will the kid have time to breathe?” Maggie watched as Alex held the baby close and gently rubbed the back of his fingers over her chubby cheek. “You’re a gorgeous kid, though. Maybe you should forget about all the brainiac stuff and just be a model.”

“Don’t tell her that!” She tugged on his ear. “Don’t listen to him, baby. You don’t have to rely on your beauty to get you ahead in this world.”

“No,” Alex said as he laid a loud smacking kiss on Maggie’s cheek. “But being pretty doesn’t hurt. It will help you land a nice husband.”

“Do you say things just to enrage me? Or are you that much of a chauvinistic pig?”

He leaned closer to her, grinning in that way that would make a lesser woman’s knees go weak. “Maybe it’s a little of both.”

He smelled like cinnamon today. She couldn’t help but note that as she stood close to him. He had a tiny bit of flour on his face and a big handprint on his pants. She usually liked men to look neat, but she had to admit messy was kind of sexy on Alex. Especially when he was holding a baby in his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I was making chocolate cinnamon coffee cake this morning.”

“Huh?” She blinked at him as she reached up to wipe the flour from his face. Her hand lingered for a moment. She had always known he had a chiseled jaw but this was the first time she’d ever got to touch it.

“That’s why I smell like cinnamon.”

“Did I say that out loud or are you reading my mind?”

“I wish I could read your mind,” he said, his eyes roaming over her face. “I would love to know what you’re thinking half the time.”

“You don’t want to know.” She felt a smile tugging at her lips. “It might scare you.”

“Hey, Alex.” Ellis said, coming from the back with a small garment bag. “What are you doing here?”

It was a question Maggie should have asked as soon as he walked in, but she got so caught up in him she forgot to ask.

“I missed Maggie this morning and thought she might be more pleasant to work with if I brought her some coffee.”

“Aw, you missed me this morning, honey bun?” she teased. She thought he would laugh it off or tease her back, but he just shrugged.

“My chocolate supplier messed up my order and with Valentine’s Day around the corner I can’t go without chocolate. That’s why I didn’t see you before you left this morning.”

“That sounds a lot like me,” Ellis said. “Only Mike is my supplier and I substitute Valentine’s Day with any day. I can’t go without chocolate any day.”

“You should have seen her when she was pregnant,” Mike said. “She went through about twenty ounces of the premium stuff a day. I’ve got a guy in New Paltz I can hook you up with if you’re interested. He sells good quality stuff.” Mike shook his head. “I must have busted too many drug dealers when I was a cop, because I kind of sound like one, but I’m serious. There is a chocolatier close by where you can get your stuff from.”

“This is one of those moments that would cause my father to shake his head. Two big men standing around a dress shop talking about where to buy chocolate.”

“And don’t forget, you’re cuddling a baby in your arms,” Maggie reminded Alex. “You’re emitting so much testosterone right now, it’s making me dizzy.”

“You saying I’m not a manly man, Maggie May?” He rounded on her, a frown on his face, his big body brushing against hers.

“I would like to, Alex. Really. I would find your six-foot-six frame absolutely terrifying, but the fact that you are holding a small laughing child in your arms makes it really hard for you to be intimidating.”

Ava laughed again and clapped her hands. Alex sighed and handed her back to her father. “Take her before I lose any more of my street cred. Edwards, we need a night of beer drinking and basketball soon.”

“Are you going to scratch yourselves and pass gas like manly men?” Ellis asked.

“Of course. And we’re going to cuss and discuss the finer points of the new swimsuit issue.”

“I’ll bring my friend Colin and Belinda’s husband, Carter.” Mike nodded. “Maggie told me you make bacon bread pudding. Bring some of that.”

“I make a beautiful chocolate pie too. You all should try that.”

“And them little tart things. The ones with the strawberries on them were damn good. Thanks for sending them over.”

“If you like those, I’m experimenting with pomegranate—” He stopped abruptly. “We’re doing it again. No desserts,” he grunted. “Pizza, beer and chicken wings only.”

“Go back to work, Alex.” Maggie playfully pushed him toward the door. “Most men only have sex on the brain. You, however, are afflicted with a pastry obsession.”

“You’re right. I might need therapy.” He waved good-bye to Ellis and Mike. “Stop by the shop soon. I’ve got some special stuff I’m rolling out soon for Valentine’s Day.”

“We will,” Mike said. “It was good seeing you.”

“You too.” Alex walked toward the door, Maggie following him, the warm cup of coffee still in her hand.

He turned around abruptly just before he got there, causing her chest to bump into his. “You’re still going to come by tomorrow night to help me with the Valentine’s Day menu?”

She should have said no, made up an excuse why she couldn’t have. She had dreamed about him last night. She had missed him this morning. He was just supposed to be a friend, an old friend. Why suddenly did her body have to go all adolescent girl on her and want to be near him? “I’ll be there.” She suddenly felt shy. “Did you really come by just to bring me coffee?”

He grabbed her braid and tugged. “I had to come by. I can’t officially start my day until I’ve been insulted by you.” He nudged her cheek. “Good-bye, Maggie May. I’ll see you around.”

He walked away from her, leaving her feeling warm all over and confused as hell at the same time.

*

There were few things Alex hated more than flu season. He might hate waiting in line at the DMV more, but flu season was a close second. It always meant he lost some employees for a few days. And this year was no exception. Arthur, the eighteen-year-old he hired to help out in the kitchen, had just called him to tell him he couldn’t make it tonight to help him bake. Not that Alex was surprised. He sent the kid home early after hearing his nasty wet cough. The last thing he needed was his customers getting sick because one of employees was infected.

Still that meant that they were one man down. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, but he had just gotten off the phone with Stanley Kerman, the man who owned the small grocery stores that wanted to sell his cakes. He had doubled his order going from three dozen to six dozen cakes. As it was they were going to have to start baking much earlier than they used to, but with the three of them there and his brand new state-of-the-art ovens they could easily get it done. But now it was down to just him and Fernando which meant they were going to have to work a little
harder, but they still could fill the order and have the cakes packaged and ready for pickup by seven a.m. as well as all the other fresh pastry they put out each morning.

“Hey.” Maggie walked into the kitchen just before eight that night. She was out of her work clothes and dressed for bed in little white cotton shorts and a baby blue tank top on her ultra-curvy body. On her feet she wore socks and bear slippers that should have been silly but just added to her allure. Her hair was loose tonight and tousled, the waves falling down her back. It was the dead of winter and he was used to seeing her covered up in sweaters, long pants and boots, but tonight he saw skin, smooth shoulders, long legs, soft, almost buttery-looking cleavage. He wondered what it would feel like to run his hands all over that skin. He wondered how she would react if he dared. He had a hard time pulling his eyes off her and he wondered if she knew what she was working with.

“What?” she asked, frowning at him.

“Huh?”

“You’re staring at me.”

He snapped out of it, focusing on her face, which was nice too. “It’s just that I can’t believe that you actually left your apartment wearing those slippers?”

She grinned down at her feet. “You don’t like my grizzly bear slippers? But I got you a pair for your birthday.”

“I’m a shark man, myself. Stay here for a moment.” He walked away from her into his office for a moment where he kept the cardigan sweater that his grandmother gave to him, but he
never wore. “Put this on.” He draped it around her shoulders. “It gets cold in here without the ovens on.”