You Belong With Me (17 page)

              “Layla! We saw you dancing and laughing. Can I dance with you too?” she asked with big hopeful eyes.

              Layla sighed to herself but picked Stella up in her arms and twirled around with her, dipping her low as she tried to ignore Michael’s presence. She pulled Stella up and kissed her on the cheek.              

              “You are by far the prettiest senorita I’ve ever seen,” she promised setting Stella down.

              Stella wobbled a little dizzily before Michael scooped her up in his arms. “Hi,” Michael said quietly.

              Layla glanced at her sisters, sitting quietly now, listening and watching. Layla’s ridiculous heart leaped but she took an internal baseball bat and smacked it back into submission.

              “Hi Michael. I’ll let you get back to your date,” she said looking at her feet as she waited for him to move so she could sit down.

              “Did you get my note?” he asked as Stella ran her hands through his hair.

              Layla fought the urge to smooth his hair down and crossed her arms. “No,” she said lying. If he didn’t have the guts to be with her and tell her how he felt to her face, then she didn’t feel obligated to acknowledge his feelings.

              Michael frowned and glanced at Stella. “Stella, will you run back to the table and tell your mom you can order some ice-cream?”

              Stella squealed excitedly and ran off. Layla watched her go and noticed Ashley standing in the shadows watching them. Stella ran to her mom and held her hands up to be held. Ashley shook her head and took her hand instead, leading her back to the table. Layla frowned, hoping Stella didn’t get her feelings hurt by Ashley’s cold treatment.

              Michael stepped closer to her and put his hands on her arms, leaning in closely. He put his mouth down by her ear. “I wrote you a note and told you that I loved you.
I love you
,” he said gripping her arms tightly.

              Layla sighed. “Oh,
that
note,” she said softly.

              Michael leaned his forehead against hers. “
Please
Layla,” he said, not specifying what exactly he wanted from her.

              Layla looked up into his face and frowned. “We’ve only been out a couple times Michael. We really
just
met. You can’t love me,” she said softly, feeling her heart beat so hard it felt like it might fly out of her chest.

              Michael closed his eyes and brought her in closer to his body. “I know what I feel and I know what this is.”

              Layla felt a snap of anger zip down her arms and she pushed him away. “Well, for a man so in love, you have a weird way of showing it,” she said and pushed out of his arms. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish my dinner and I’m sure your date doesn’t appreciate you being over here with me,” she said coldly, putting her nose in the air and clenching her hands.

              Michael stared down into her eyes grimly but then his face changed and he grinned. He leaned in close and whispered just for her to hear. “You don’t fool me. You never have,” he said and then walked away.

              Layla stood there and watched him go.
How could he have seen her heart?
She’d locked it away and buried the key. At least she could have sworn she had. She let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding and sat down next to Kit.

              “Well, that was fun, huh?” she asked, looking for Ricardo. “Where’s our bill? We need to get to bed early tonight,” she said glancing at her sister’s faces.

              Jane’s eyes were big and Kit had a small smile on her face. “
What?”
Layla asked. “If you guys wanted to dance with Ricardo, you should have grabbed the chance,” she said airily, as she began to organize the salt and pepper packets.

              Kit shook her head. “You are in so much trouble.”

              Layla laughed nervously and shrugged. “What are you talking about?” she said, craning her neck to see Ricardo. He was talking to a few men at the bar, but he did glance back at their table.

              Jane grabbed Layla’s hand and her attention. “He did that thing again. Where he looks into your soul. You should have seen your face Layla. You are so snagged.”

              Layla snorted, scoffing at her sisters and praying that Ricardo would just get his rear in gear when he showed up with a tray of drinks. “Ladies, you have a few admirers at the bar who insist on buying you drinks. They would love to join you if you’re willing,” he said with a wink and a grin.

              Layla’s mouth fell open as she looked beyond Ricardo to the bar. Yep, three men were craning in their seats to see them. They looked young, handsome and bored. Typical social piranhas.
Yikes
.

              Jane sighed. “Oh brother, why did you have to do that salsa move with your hips, Layla?”

              Kit looked tired and irritated too. “It’s not Layla’s fault Jane. Ricardo, be a sweetie and tell them thanks but no thanks. Take the drinks back and tell them we’re all married or something and that our husbands are all huge, super possessive firefighters. Just make something up,” she said with a wave of her hand.

              Layla winced and grabbed Ricardo’s arm before he could disappear. “Check please.”

              An hour later as all three women were in their own rooms, getting ready for bed, Layla stared in the bathroom mirror as she washed her face and put on moisturizer. Michael’s words kept running through her mind over and over again until she felt like banging her head into the wall

Chapter 15 – Ready or Not

              When the bakery opened up at nine the next morning, they were ready. Their cases were full, the smells in the air were heavenly and Max stood back and smiled at them proudly as they flipped the sign to open. They had even ordered big balloon bouquets to decorate the front porch. Ready or not, they were in business.

              Their first customer was a kind, older Jewish man who ordered cannolis and a hot chocolate. He insisted on telling the sisters his favorite memories of Belinda. Layla smiled sadly, wishing again that they’d had a closer relationship. After that, it was a steady stream until two o’clock.

              Jane leaned over and whispered in Layla’s ear. “We’re hiring counter help today by the way. I’m calling in the ad right now,” she said walking back to the kitchen to grab her lap top and take a five minute break.

              Kit smiled and waved off another customer and her two children and then collapsed on the counter. Layla grinned and stretched, feeling the tiredness in her muscles.

              “We’re doing pretty good Kit. If it keeps up like this, we’re going to be just fine,” she said, smiling tiredly.

              Kit raised her head up off the counter and stared at her. “If you don’t hire counter help today I’m quitting,” she said, not blinking.

              Layla grimaced and pointed to the kitchen behind them. “Jane’s putting in an ad right now. But until we get the help, this is a good way for the community to get to know us. We’re closing at six tonight. We can handle four more hours. Easy,” she said, wincing as she realized how tired and sore her feet were starting to feel.

              Kit closed her eyes and stood up. “Kill me now,” she muttered. “Remind me again, whose bright idea it was to offer everything half off? We’re running out of eclairs and we only have a few trays of cupcakes left. We might have to shut down early because we’re sold out,” she said, frowning at their depleted cases.

              Layla grinned. “That would be awesome. Can you imagine? Jane made a call yesterday to the local news station. A reporter is supposed to come by soon and take pictures and do a little story on us.”

              Kit squeaked and hurried around the counter. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’m going to take my break and freshen my makeup and fix my hair. Call me if the reporter comes,” she called over her shoulder as she ran out of the room.

              Layla laughed and leaned against the counter. They were doing it. They were really doing it. She’d had major doubts, but with Max’s tutelage and Jane’s business sense. Things were coming together. She stared at their empty bakery and narrowed her eyes. Next week they were definitely adding croissant sandwiches and soup to get the afternoon crowd. She laughed softly to herself and perched on the stool by the till. She was having the time of her life being a baker. Who would have ever thought that Layla Kendall would have ended up in Fircrest Washington, wearing an apron?
Not her
.

              Layla sat up straight on her stool as the bell rang over the door and new customers walked in. She kept her smile firmly in place as she saw Stella holding her mom’s hand in hers.
Oh great
.

              “Hi Layla!” Stella called, running to the cases and pushing her nose against the glass as she stared at all of the cookies, cupcakes, cannolis, brownies and breads.

              Layla grinned at Stella’s awestruck expression and then looked at Ashley who was standing in front, of her.
Not
looking so awestruck.

              “Hi Ashley. What would you like today?” she asked with a polite smile.

              Ashley smiled coldly and leaned forward. “For starters, I want you to stay away from my husband,” she whispered so Stella wouldn’t hear.

              Layla’s smile froze on her face as she raised an eyebrow. “Your
husband
huh? Do you mean the
ex
-husband you abandoned?”

              Ashley’s face tightened and she glanced down at Stella who was chattering to herself as she tried to make up her mind. “That’s about to change unless you mess everything up. Stay away from my family,” she hissed.

              Layla sighed and looked down at her feet. Her job as a social worker was to keep families together if at all possible. Most of the time that hadn’t worked, but when it had, she’d felt a special elation that kept her up and going through the harder cases that weren’t so successful. She glanced down at Stella and felt her heart tear a little. Would she really be willing to take away Stella’s chance at having her mom and dad back together?

              No. She wouldn’t.

              “Look Ashley, if you and Michael get back together, that’s great. I’ll be happy for Stella. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be because of me,” she finally said, looking Ashley in the eyes, serious and determined.

              Ashley glared at her for a few more minutes before her face and shoulders relaxed. “Okay,” she said and then closed her eyes as if a big weight was off her shoulders. “Good. I was so worried when I saw you and Michael talking to each other last night. I thought I might have been too late or something,” she said with a breezy laugh.

              Layla frowned and shook her head. Not her problem.

              Ashley leaned down and looked at the case. “You know what Stella, why don’t I get you an ice cream cone instead? This stuff doesn’t really look all that great. I have to stay away from carbs anyway. I want to look my best for your dad,” she said smiling happily as she pulled Stella’s hand off the glass case.

              Layla frowned as Ashley dragged Stella, now crying and kicking her feet, out of the bakery. Jane walked in, yawning and then paused as they listened to Stella’s screams. Jane walked over to the window and watched silently as Ashely and Stella drove away.

              Jane turned around, frowning as she stared at her sister. “I take it that didn’t go well?”

              Layla shrugged and looked away. “As good as that kind of thing can go. She came to warn me away from Michael and I agreed with her. But she let Stella stare at everything in the cases for five minutes, the poor kid is just dying to have something and then she drags her out complaining that carbs are bad and that she wanted to look good for Michael.”

              Jane frowned and walked over to the case, grabbing a cloth to wipe Stella’s hand prints and nose prints off the glass. “You know, Michael has a say in all of this too. He might not love her anymore,” she said softly.

              Layla straightened the stack of flyers and coupons on the counter and bit her lip. “Does it matter? He loves Stella. She’s his daughter and if he can give her her mother back, he’s going to.”

              Jane winced and put her hands on her hips. “But it’s so unfair! He was falling in love with you and she just waltzes back into his life expecting to pick up where she left off. Who does that?”

              Layla smiled sadly. “Someone who wasn’t ready before. Jane, it’s okay. It hurts, yes, but I agree with Ashley. It’s better for everyone if I back off and let them put their family back together. Don’t you remember what it was like growing up with just Mom? We’d look at our friends going to ball games with their dads or going for bike rides and we’d be so jealous. Stella hasn’t had a mom. What kind of a person would I be to deny her that chance?” she asked softly.

              Jane shook her head, breathing out in irritation. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Look, I sympathize with Ashley having to deal with postpartum depression. It’s crappy. I had a friend in college who had to deal with it and it sucks. Layla Stella is four now.
You’re
not denying Stella anything Layla. If you and Michael decide to be together then Stella would be getting the best, most loving, kind hearted step-mother in the world. And there’s no reason that should stop Ashley from being a good mother to her daughter.”

              Layla frowned and turned away from her sister, her head wanting to explode in three different directions. Jane had some good points, but Stella wouldn’t see it that way. She’d see her as trying to take her mom’s place.

              The bell chimed over the door and Layla turned to see Officer Tate and two other police officers walk in, smiling and looking around. Jane glanced at her and waved a hand. “I’ll be in the back,” she sang out and disappeared within seconds.