“Now, that I can understand,” Trina said.
“How so? Aren’t you enjoying yourself? It’s the under-the-sea theme, isn’t it? You don’t like it.”
“Would you calm down!” Trina put an arm around Lorraine’s shoulders. “I
love
the theme. I was completely floored when I walked in here. And that cake! It’s unbelievable.”
“Oh, Trina. I’m so happy you like it.”
“I didn’t say
like.
I said that I
love
it. Thank you so much for all of this.” Her sister squeezed her shoulder and pressed a kiss to Lorraine’s temple. “Now, can you tell me what’s really going on? And not just what has you hiding out in here. I want to know what’s been eating at you lately. You haven’t been yourself for months, Lorraine.”
“Please don’t ask. You don’t want to know,” Lorraine whispered.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know. I would just pretend to be blissfully ignorant and ignore the fact that my best friend in the world hasn’t been herself lately.”
Lorraine stepped out of her sister’s grasp and turned to her. “If you really want to know, I’m jealous,” she admitted. “Jealous of you and Jackson.”
A sad smile pulled at Trina’s lips. “I had a feeling that’s what you were going to say.”
“I’m also...I don’t know...hurt? You’re leaving me, Trina. Who am I going to turn to when Mother and Father start driving me up the wall?”
“It’s not as if I’m moving to the other side of the world, Lorraine. I’ll still be here in Chicago, just a few minutes away.”
“But with a new husband, and a new life.” Lorraine shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m completely ruining your day. But it’s not as if I didn’t warn you,” she pointed out. “I told you not to ask. You’ve always been the hardheaded one who never listens.”
“Shut up,” her sister said, bringing her in for another hug. “You know that I’m always here for you. Always. And you are more than welcome to crash at our place when Abigail and Arnold start driving you crazy. Just promise you’ll give Jackson and me a heads-up. We are going to be newlyweds, after all. I wouldn’t want you walking in on something you’d rather not see, if you know what I mean.”
They both burst out laughing. Count on her silly, down-to-earth sister to brighten her mood.
“Are you ready to go back out there?” Trina asked. “I’m ready to cut that cake so I can find out if it tastes as good as it looks.”
“I’ll join you in a minute,” Lorraine said. She squeezed her sister’s hand. “Thanks, Trina.”
“Thank
you,
” her sister said, enveloping her in a hug. “My shower is absolutely perfect. I love you so much for doing all of this.”
Trina started for the door, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. She turned around. “You know it’s just a matter of time, right, Lorraine?”
“A matter of time before what?”
“Before you find someone who makes you as happy as Jackson makes me.” Trina winked, and then left the room.
“I may have already found him,” Lorraine whispered to herself.
Carter had given her a reason to smile, when she’d had so very little reason to do so in the past few years. He’d awakened her to what life could be like when you were not just going through the motions. She had been so afraid to live—afraid to breathe—in fear of making another mistake that could be detrimental to her family.
But she couldn’t go on like this for much longer. She was tired of her parents holding that indiscretion over her head. It had been
five years.
Yes, it had cost them all dearly, and could have cost so much more if the truth had ever come out, but when would it be enough? When would she ever be forgiven and allowed to live her own life?
Lorraine had a feeling that if it were up to her parents, she never would be allowed that luxury.
She was through with making up for that long-ago mistake.
For the next hour she continued to play the perfect hostess alongside her mother, making sure everyone enjoyed themselves. But the entire time Lorraine was mentally counting down the minutes until she could go to Carter. She needed to apologize for her mother. She refused to allow him to think that he wasn’t good enough for her, which was exactly what her mother was aiming for with the way she’d treated him.
Lorraine stayed just long enough to bade the final guests goodbye and give Trina the biggest hug she could; then she quickly left the Drake and walked the few blocks to Lillian’s.
When she entered the bakery, there was a woman behind the counter this time. She looked a few years younger than Lorraine.
“Welcome to Lillian’s,” she greeted. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Yes, I was hoping to speak to Carter.”
The woman’s brows spiked and her eyes sparkled with recognition. “You’re Lorraine Hawthorne-Hayes,” she said. “I recognize you from the magazine article in
Chicago Today.
I absolutely love the new chocolate diamonds you were modeling in the magazine.”
“Thank you,” Lorraine said, concealing a grimace. That magazine spread had been her father’s idea.
“I’m Monica Drayson, by the way, Carter’s cousin.”
“It is very nice to meet you, Monica. Is Carter here?” Lorraine asked, anxious to speak to him.
“Yes, he’s in the kitchen. I’ll get him.” Another person entered the store and Monica held up one finger. “As soon as I take care of this customer,” she said.
As she stood among the desserts in the bakery’s showroom, Lorraine had to physically stop herself from going into the kitchen and getting Carter herself. No more than three minutes had passed, but it seemed like an hour.
Monica finally returned her attention to Lorraine, saying, “Sorry about that. Let me get Carter.”
She left, and a minute later, returned to the showroom...without Carter.
Lorraine’s stomach plummeted. Was he going to refuse to see her?
The urge to strangle her mother nearly overwhelmed her, but then the door leading to the back portion of the building swung open and Carter walked out. He was dressed as he was before, but with the added devastating effect of an apron tied around his waist and a smidgen of flour on his cheek. He looked absolutely edible.
“Hello, Carter,” Lorraine said, her heart thumping.
“Hi.” He crossed his arms over his chest. The defensive stance was not the least bit encouraging.
Lorraine glanced to the right and found his cousin Monica staring unabashedly at them.
“Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” Lorraine asked. “Perhaps that office we visited before, if it’s unoccupied?”
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and motioned for her to follow him. As soon as Carter closed the door to the office, Lorraine started to apologize.
She never got the chance.
Carter spun her around, pinned her against the door and attacked her mouth with a deep, stirring kiss that had her knees weak and her entire body quaking with want. He pushed his tongue past her lips, surging in and out of her mouth with delicious strokes. His hands climbed up her sides, resting next to her breasts for a few moments before covering them. His thumbs grazed her nipples, causing them to pebble despite the barrier her bra and sweater created.
Lorraine glided her hand up to the back of his head, cradling it. She held his head firm, needing to keep it right where it was.
After another full minute, Carter finally ended the assault on her mouth and her senses. He took a step back, his eyes as dazed as she knew her own must be.
“I needed to get that out of the way first,” he said, rubbing his hands against his thighs.
“O-okay,” Lorraine stammered, a bit dazed.
“How did everything go with your sister’s shower?” he asked, much quicker on the recovery than she was.
“Quite well,” she said. “Trina was very happy, and everyone loved the cake.”
He nodded. “Good.”
“Carter—” Lorraine started, but he cut her off.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said.
“No.” She shook her head. “I must apologize for the way my mother treated you. She...” Lorraine decided to be honest. “She is one of the most shallow, self-absorbed people you will ever meet.”
“Sounds lovely,” he said sardonically.
Lorraine couldn’t help feeling horrible for painting her mother in such a light, but it was the truth.
“Carter, my family life is...complicated,” she said.
“You think mine isn’t?” He laughed, then stretched his hands out, as if trying to encompass the room. “You just stepped into the den of complicated family life. You hear how nice and quiet everything is right now? Just stick around for another twenty minutes or so. It’ll be pure chaos.”
“Everyone has their share of family drama,” she agreed. “I suppose there are varying degrees of it.” She took a deep breath, lacing her hands in front of her. “As much as I resent it, I have a certain obligation as a Hawthorne-Hayes. I didn’t ask for it. I was born into it, but it’s there.”
“Which means you can’t be seen with a guy who’s just a baker? Is that it? Are you trying to tell me that I’m not good enough for you, Lorraine?”
“No!” she practically shouted. “Carter, you are one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. No one has made me laugh the way you do. You are exactly what I need, even though I had no idea how much I needed it.”
“So, even though your mother doesn’t approve, you’re not going to kick me to the curb?”
She stepped up to him and cradled his face in her hands. “Never,” she said. “I’ve had to sacrifice too much of myself already because of my obligations as a Hawthorne-Hayes. I will not sacrifice you, too.”
She touched her lips to his in what she’d intended to be an easy, sedate kiss, but she was quickly learning that
easy
and
sedate
were not parts of Carter’s vocabulary. The kiss quickly became more heated, and several minutes later, when she was finally able to tear herself away from his tempting mouth, Lorraine had come to a conclusion.
She wanted this man. She wanted him in a way she had never wanted another man. It was more than that; she
deserved
Carter. She’d sacrificed enough; it was time she go after what she really wanted.
“How much longer will you be here at the bakery?” she asked.
“I’m officially off the clock,” he told her. “I was putting the finishing touches on my final cake of the day when Monica came in to tell me you were here.”
Lorraine took a deep breath. She could do this. She was ready for this.
“In that case, is there somewhere we can go?” she asked. “Somewhere private?”
Lorraine could tell he understood what she was asking by the way his eyes instantly smoldered.
“We could go to my place,” he said.
She stared into his eyes, making her feelings known. Then she nodded. Carter grabbed her by the hand and quickly left the office.
Chapter 7
B
y the time they arrived at his apartment, Carter was practically shaking with anticipation. The thirty-minute drive had taken nearly twice that long because of traffic, but it felt as if it had taken a lifetime. He needed to calm down and get his body under control before he pounced on Lorraine and was finished before they really had the chance to start.
This wasn’t him. He took his time, seeing to his partner’s pleasure first. Always.
Except, when it came to Lorraine, everything he knew about himself seemed to go out the window. She brought out a side of him he didn’t know existed. He craved this woman like no other before her, which was why he needed to make sure he did this right. He needed to slow down, take his time. The fact that he wanted to pin her to the wall as soon as he got her inside made the thought of slowing down unbearable.
Carter unlocked his front door and opened it, gesturing for her to go in ahead of him.
“Welcome to my humble abode.”
“Thank you,” Lorraine said.
Gone was the temptress who’d boldly asked him to take her somewhere more private. Her smile was shy, her voice barely a whisper. Carter wondered if she would really go through with this. He should prepare himself for the likelihood that he would spontaneously combust if she decided she wasn’t ready.
“Your mother would probably say you were slumming it,” Carter added with a laugh, but he could tell from Lorraine’s instant mood change that it was the wrong thing to say.
“Carter, I’m truly sorry about the way she behaved. Please don’t hold it against me.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. It was a bad joke.”
She looked around. “I wouldn’t exactly call this slumming it. This apartment is amazing.”
By most standards, his apartment was to die for. He was lucky enough to live in one of the Chicago area’s most enviable neighborhoods, and had had the place professionally decorated by a sought-after interior designer. It was far more than most men his age could ever hope to afford. But when he tried to see it from Lorraine’s eyes, it felt a bit lacking. Compared to that palace overlooking Lake Michigan where she lived, his stylish home really
was
slumming it.
“I must admit that I’m jealous,” Lorraine said.
“Why would you be jealous of this? Have you taken a good look at your place?”
“There is a big difference, Carter. It is not
my
place. It’s my parents’ home.”
“But I thought you liked living there?”
Lorraine paused for a moment. “It’s not a matter of whether I like or dislike living with my parents. For the most part, I continue to live there because it’s what has been expected of me. As I mentioned before, it’s complicated. But once Trina leaves, I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to go on living there. I’m ready for a change in my life.”
“Do I have something to do with that change?” Carter asked.
“You have everything to do with that change,” she said, walking up to him and linking her hands behind his head. She looked into his eyes and he saw so much in there: gratitude, acceptance, heat. He loved seeing that heat in her eyes.
“I’ve spent so much time these past few years trying to be what everyone expects me to be. I lost track of who I really am inside. You’ve helped me to rediscover the real Lorraine.”