Page 119 of Heartbreak & Cupcakes
Note to self:Next time you fall in love, check to see if the man is available.
“So, I heard your bakery is up and running again.”
“It is.” I nodded enthusiastically. “We had our grand reopening on Monday and things have been crazy.”
For the first time ever the shop had had a line out the door. It only happened twice this past week, and I knew that the people were only there to see the girl that had been on the arm of Alex Vaughn, but still, it had happened.
“Business is good, then?”
“Yep.” I finished tying my skates.
When I stood, I felt my balance falter and I almost sat right back down, but Maddox saved me. He grabbed my arm and steadied me. I laughed at my near fumble and thanked Maddox as he guided me out onto the rink.
“Are you okay?” he checked in before dropping his arm.
“I think so.” I hadn’t skated in about fifteen years, but I figured it was like riding a bike.
He lowered his hand from my elbow, and I pushed off. Maddox stayed beside me as we circled the area. I was just starting to feel like I was in the zone when Maddox said, “Can I ask you something?”
My dad’s voice sprung up in my head and I smiled.
Whenever I used to ask my dad if I could ask him something, he would say, “You just did.”
“Sure.” I nodded, still thinking about my dad.
“Are you in love with Alex?”
His question caught me completely by surprise.
“What?!” I spun my head and looked at him. When I did, I completely lost my balance. My legs flew up in the air and the next thing Maddox’s arms were around me, saving me from breaking or at least badly bruising my tailbone.
As my skates once again touched down on the wooden surface, I scanned the room to see how many people witnessed my embarrassing almost fall. Thankfully, no one seemed to be paying attention.
No one that is, except Alex.
He was standing next to the DJ booth and his eyes were locked on me. I felt my cheeks flare with embarrassment knowing that he’d witnessed my awkwardness.
“Sorry,” Maddox apologized as he helped to steady me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, I think I just need to…” I rolled over to the side of the room and sat on a bench to catch my breath.
He followed.
“Sorry, again.” Maddox stood in front of me and rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the ground. “Whatever’s going on between you two is none of my business, I just…I worry about him.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” I’d never hurt him. Not that I even could. He didn’t seem to want anything to do with me. Whatever we’d shared, it clearly hadn’t meant as much to him as it had to me since he barely even acknowledged I was here.
“Yes, I do.” Maddox’s eyes lifted to mine and I saw that his expression had turned serious. “Nick and I have been worried, for a while. We’ve been losing him. But since he met you, since the first time he saw you, he’s been different.”
“He has?” That was news to me.
Sure, Alex had admitted that he’d been tempted by me, but I seriously doubted that desire had translated into him acting any differently.
“We noticed something was up with him and pushed him on it. Finally, after a few whiskeys he copped and told us about you.”
My eyes widened. “He did?”
Maddox smiled revealing two very deep dimples. “We called you Cupcake Girl.”
