Broken Pieces (Cape Isle, #3): A Cape Isle Novel (8 page)

It’s still early and we haven’t opened the bakery yet. I was hoping to get a little advice from her, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen since she can’t form words. Zack didn’t say much this morning. He was already awake and in my kitchen making coffee when I woke up. When I walked into the kitchen, he gave me a quick kiss and told me he had to get to work. Now, if that would have been any other man, I would have thought that he was avoiding me, but I know that’s not what Zack was doing.

“Zack?” Jenna ask. I guess she did find her voice.

I continue eating the delicious cupcake as I nod my head. “Yup.”

“You had sex with Zack? Last night?”

I almost roll my eyes. Haven’t we been over this already? But I decide to give the poor girl a break. Maybe, she hasn’t woken up yet. “Yes. I had toe curling sex with my best friend, Zack, last night.”

“Jesus Christ,” she mumbles.

“What?”

“Nothing. So, did y’all talk?”

I wipe my mouth with a napkin and take my time answering. I’ve never been one to hold back, but the things that were said last night with Zack feel like things that should stay between us. I don’t feel right sharing all of those intimate details with anyone else, that’s ours. Finally, I nod my head. “Yeah, we did talk.”

Jenna studies my face for a second and then goes back to stirring the batter. “So, he finally told you he was in love with you. How did that go?”

“What? How did you know that?”

She pins me with a look. “Lexie, the question is, how did you not know that?”

I start shredding the napkin I’m holding into tiny pieces. I’ve been asking myself the same question since last night. I shrug my shoulders and shake my head. “I don’t know.”

“Hmm…”

“What was that?” I ask.

“Nothing.”

“It was something.”

“I was just wondering if maybe you just didn’t
want
to know.”

“Well, that’s stupid,” I scoff.

She looks at me and raises an eyebrow. I wish Summer were here. At least she would be nice about all of this.

“You’re mean.” I reach for another cupcake and before I know what’s happening, she is moving at super speed and slapping my hand with the batter covered spoon.

“Ouch!” I squeal, looking down at my hand in shock.

“Oh, please. That didn’t hurt,” she says, with an eye roll.

“You are so mean.” I give her my best ‘poor me’ look, but she isn’t falling for it.

“So, tell me how everything went. Are y’all a couple now?”

I look at the cupcakes longingly before standing up to go wash the cake batter off of my hand. “I don’t know. We both had to get to work this morning and didn’t really have time to talk.

“Hmm…”

Her hmm-ing is really starting to piss me off.

“What was that?” I ask, drying my hands off.

“Nothing,” she replies quickly.

“It was something.”

She starts laughing and I roll my eyes. This conversation is going nowhere fast.

“I want Summer.”

That just makes her laugh harder. “Why? So she can baby you?”

I stick my tongue out at her and make my way towards the front of the shop. I quickly scoop up a cupcake and haul ass through the kitchen doors, trying my best to avoid the spoon wielding witch.

“I saw that!” she yells.

“You’re just mad because I’m faster than you,” I yell back. I can’t make out her muffled reply as the kitchen doors close.

I smile as I sit down at one of the tables by the front windows and enjoy my cupcake. God, I love my job.

* * *

By six pm, I am dead on my feet and am starting to really freak out about what Zack and I did last night. We have been really busy at the bakery all day. I haven’t had much time to think, but I do now and my over active brain is replaying every little detail.

Shit, what have I done?

“What are your plans tonight?” Jenna asks, as she wipes down the counter.

“Wine. Lots of wine.” I continue closing out the register, trying to ignore her when I hear her snort in response.

Finally, we have everything done and Jenna quickly sets the alarm before we walk out.

“You know it’s going to be okay, right?”

“What is?” I ask, turning to look at her.

Impatiently, I wait as she digs around in her purse for her keys. She looks back up at me and smiles. “You and Zack,” she replies with a shoulder shrug.

“How in the fuck would you know that?”

“Lex!” she scolds, looking around at the families that are walking down the sidewalks.

I roll my eyes at her. “It’s not like they can hear me. I didn’t scream it and I’m freaking out for fucks sake!”

She pinches the bridge of her nose and closes her eyes. I can hear her mumbling something, but I can’t make out the words.

I wave my hand in front of her face. “Jenna, back to the conversation. I have wine waiting at home. What’s going to be okay? If you know something I don’t, now would be a great time to clue me in.”

She opens her eyes and gives me a creepy smile. “You know what? Nope. It was nothing.”

“Jenna,” I growl.

She winks and turns to walk away. “Love you! Have a good night!” she says over her shoulder and I watch in disbelief as she opens her car door, gets in, and drives away.

The bitch!

With a resigned sigh, I make my way to my own car, and after I’ve cranked it up, I let the cool air blast in my face for a second. It’s so hot here today, I’m pretty sure my eyeliner is melting.

With my face still shoved against the air vent, I grab my phone out of my purse. I have eleven text messages and ten of them are from Jared. Jesus! This guy doesn’t know when to give up. I really do need to go get a new phone, but that’s such a pain in the ass. I just wish he would leave me alone. He didn’t want me when I was living in Virginia with him, but I guess the old saying is right, you only want what you can’t have and that asshole will certainly never have me again.

I exit out of his text and smile when I see the other one is from Zack. It’s a simple

Zack: Having a good day?

I quickly type out a response, telling him it was busy and that I’m headed home. I toss my phone back into purse and pull out of the parking lot.

Big glass of wine, here I come.

* * *

I’m about four glasses into my bottle of merlot when I hear my cellphone ringing in the kitchen. From my comfortable spot on the couch, I listen to it, debating whether or not that call is important enough for me to have to get up. I ultimately decide that it’s not. I snuggle back under the covers and take a big sip of wine.

I stare blankly at the T.V. for what seems like hours. I watch two guys renovate an old house, I watch a couple decide whether they want to ‘Love it or List it’, and I watch another couple hunt for the perfect house in Melbourne, Australia. It’s great, but I don’t think I actually take in a thing.

My brain is still going over everything with Zack. I’ve known him forever and I’m scared to death I’m going to mess up our friendship.

I’m no good at relationships and it’s a proven fact that men get sick of me pretty quickly. They can’t handle my weird behavior and my occasional outbursts, but Zack has known me for eighteen years. He knows I’m like this. Is it possible that he actually likes me just the way I am? He told me he loved me.

Oh my God, he told me he loved me. I don’t even know how to deal with this. I think I’m in shock.

I take another big drink of wine, right as my doorbell rings.

I groan and drop my head back on the couch cushion and reluctantly throw the blanket off of me before standing up. I walk across my living room and to the front door. I open the door to see Zack standing there with a frown on his face.

“Did you even check the peephole?” he asks, gesturing towards the door.

“Nope,” I shake my head and tip the wine glass to my lips again.

He looks me over from top to bottom and shakes his head with a smirk. “Wine and HGTV night? How bad was your day, Angel?”

I roll my eyes and gesture for him to come inside. “It’s all your fault.”

After he walks in, I shut the door behind him and walk back to my couch. I’m not letting his presence deter me from my plans. Plans that involve wine, House Hunters, and more overthinking.

I cover myself with the blanket and sink down in the couch. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zack slowly walking into the living room. He hesitates, before sitting down on the edge of the coffee table in front of me. I try my best to ignore him, but he’s blocking my view of the television. I lift the wine glass to my lips again, but it’s suddenly taken from my hand. I glare at Zack and I think I actually growl in response.

“Slow down, killer. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?” He looks concerned and I hate that look on him. I don’t like him worrying about me, but at the same time, it’s his fault I’m like this right now.

“What are you doing here anyway?” I ask, avoiding his question.

“You didn’t answer your phone and I wanted to check on you. We didn’t get to talk much this morning and I wanted to make sure you were okay with everything that happened.”

I shake my head and make grabby hands towards my wine. “I need wine.” My brain is so jumbled; I barely know which way is up. I’m still trying to make sense of everything and I’m not sure I’m ready to talk to him about it yet.

“Nope, no more wine for you,” he says with a smile.

I don’t answer him and just continue to stare at his handsome face. Suddenly his smile drops and his face becomes serious.

“Talk to me, baby,” he whispers.

My nose begins to feel tingly and my eyes start to burn. Damn, wine. It always makes me over emotional. I shake my head and lower my eyes to the blanket.

“I don’t know what to say. I think I’m over thinking this.”

“You think?” he asks, with a chuckle.

I squeal when he slips one arm under my back and the other under my knees and picks me up. I grab onto his neck and hold on for dear life. A combination of the wine and him moving so damn fast has made me dizzy.

“Damnit, Zack. Put me down,” I demand.

He chuckles and kisses the side of my head. He turns us around and holds me close to him as he sits down on the couch.

“There, that’s better. Now, tell me what’s bothering you, Angel. I’ll make it better.”

His eyes patiently watch me and I love that about him. He never rushes me to get my thoughts out, he just waits. I realize right then what I’ve been missing in every other relationship. Someone who really loves me, sees what a mess I can be, how moody I can get and how hard I am to handle, but still wants to be here. I’m quickly realizing how deep his feelings run for me and it becomes clear that I’m falling in love with my best friend.

I can’t figure out if I need to run or if I need to hold on as tight as I can.

Chapter Ten

Zack

I
STARE AT
L
EXIE AND
patiently wait for her response. I'll sit here all night, if that's what it takes. I hate seeing her like this and I hate that I have caused her to feel this way. I run my hand through her soft hair, trying to soothe her. I know this is a lot to throw at her and that's why I've avoided doing it. I know it's shocking.

“I just don't know how I never noticed the way you felt and I kind of feel like an asshole,” she mumbles.

“I never told you, Angel. That's on me not you, okay? I want to move on. I don't want to dwell in the past.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “Do you want to be with me?” I hold my breath, waiting for her response, but luckily I don't have to wait long.

“Yes. That's one thing I'm not questioning. I have deep feelings for you and I want to try a relationship with you, but, Zack, what happens if we don't work out? I will lose my best friend.”

“Tell me a reason we wouldn't work and I will give you a thousand reasons why we are perfect for each other.”

She stares at me for a long time. “It's never worked with anyone else. I can be strange at times,” she whispers.

I chuckle and lean forward to lightly kiss her lips. “It didn't work out with anyone else because it wasn't suppose to, Angel. As for the strange part, I already know that. I love that you can't control your mouth and I love all of your weird habits. I think you are forgetting that I know all of these things about you already, Lexie. This isn't like we are just meeting and learning everything about each other. We've known each other forever and at this point you either want to be with me like that or you don't. I know what I want.”

“I want that too,” she responds immediately. “I think it's just shocking. My whole life is changing and it's kind of scary.”

I nod my head. “I get that. We'll go slow, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Oh… my mom called today and wanted to know if we would go to dinner at her house tomorrow night.”

“Zack! We just agreed to go slow.”

I chuckle and give her leg a squeeze. “Not as a couple. She was asking my best friend Lexie to come have dinner.”

She bites her lower lip and I have to suppress a groan.

“Do you think it will be weird?”

“Why would it be weird? You've been over there a thousand times.”

“Yeah, but what if I kiss you or something?”

“Then I guess my mom would see you kiss me?” I can't help but laugh. She is really over thinking all of this.

She lightly slaps my shoulder. “I'm serious, Zack.”

I lean forward and capture her lips with mine. My hands tangle in her hair and I tilt her head, taking the kiss deeper. I bit down on her lower lip and she gasps in response. When I slip my tongue into her mouth, I can taste the sweet red wine she was drinking earlier. She moans and moves her mouth in sync with mine. God, I love the way she kisses. It's sweet and addictive. I can feel her nails digging into my shoulders and I reluctantly pull back from her delicious mouth.

When I open my eyes, I look down at her swollen, wet lips. Jesus Christ. I'm as hard as a rock after just a kiss from her. It takes my lust filled brain a second to remember what we were talking about.

“I'm serious, too. It will be fine. Come have dinner with me tomorrow, please?” My voice is deep and husky and when I look up into her eyes, I can see the barely contained lust swimming in those beautiful blue depths.