Page 103 of Fake it For Good
“We are making chocolate chip,” I told him. “We’re going to have sugar cookies and snickerdoodles too.”
“It smells so good in here,” Mrs. Drummond said. “Look at all these happy helpers. You guys are going to make some kids very happy.”
The buzzer for the gate echoed in the kitchen. “Expecting someone?” I asked her.
“No,” she said. “I’ll be back.”
I went back to scooping cookies onto the sheet. The buzz in the kitchen was cheerful and exciting. It wasn’t my home, and it wasn’t my family, but it felt like it.
“Everyone, we have a visitor,” Mrs. Drummond announced.
I slid the cookie sheet into the oven and turned to see who it was. Cane was standing next to the door with Mrs. Drummond. He was holding a large basket of fresh fruit.
“Cane,” I said with a hint of disgust before I remembered there were lots of eyes on me.
“Hi,” he said sheepishly.
I didn’t want to make a scene. “Can you watch the cookies for me?” I asked one of the other girls.
I walked to Cane and grabbed his arm. He put down the basket and allowed me to drag him outside. He had to allow me because there was no way I could move him if he didn’t want to be moved. “What are you doing here?” I snapped.
“I want to talk to you,” he said. “I went to your place, and when you weren’t there, I figured you would be here.”
“I’m busy.”
“Please, come with me,” he said. “We need to talk.”
“No,” I said defiantly. “We have nothing to say to each other.”
“We have a lot to say,” he said, sighing. “At least I do. I’d rather not do it with ten kids staring at me. Please let me buy you a coffee or something.”
“I don’t want coffee from you,” I said. “I don’t want anything from you. I don’t work for you. I don’t have to do anything you ask of me.”
“You don’t have to, but I would like it if you would,” he said in a softer tone. “Please, Noelle.”
It was hard to resist him. He was too attractive for my own good. The part of me that had fallen for him was still very much alive and well. I had not had time to get rid of the feelings or lock them up in a little box. They were still festering right at the top and were very raw.
“I’m busy,” I told him. “I am making cookies with the kids. They don’t care about what you want to say. I’m here for them.”
“Fine, I’ll wait,” he said. “I’ll stand out here all day.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just go home. I don’t know what you think you’re going to say that will change anything. You said plenty. Now, just please leave me alone. I don’t have the time or energy to deal with this.”
“I’m not going to go away until I’ve said my piece,” he said. “I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
I knew he was serious. He was the kind of man that would do it. “You can wait in the kitchen,” I told him.
I went back inside with him right behind me.
One of the kids walked right over to Cane. “Are you going to help us decorate cookies?”
Mrs. Drummond was working with some of the kids to cut out the premade sugar cookie dough. I remembered doing the same with Mrs. Drummond when I was little. I loved making the cookies we would leave out for Santa.
“I would love to,” Cane said. “Show me where to wash up.”
Mrs. Drummond was thrilled. She got him an apron, pink with white lace and helped put it on him. He looked ridiculous and sexy as hell. That just added insult to injury. I did my best to avoid him, but the kitchen wasn’t all that big. We bumped into each other now and again.
“Come see our new books.” Benji grabbed Cane’s hand and pulled.
