A Workplace Affair (15 page)

“Are you taking me somewhere to kill me?” It’s not a serious question, but I am curious where we are going as we get onto the interstate heading north.

“Ha ha, no, but be patient and you’ll see.” He goes silent and stays that way for the rest of the ride. After about twenty minutes the driver takes an exit, but I am unable to see which exit it is as we drive past the sign. We take a right off the exit and after another ten minutes on the road, the driver pulls into what appears to be a driveway. “This is us.” He helps me out of the car and I see that we are standing in front of very large, very beautiful house. I start toward the front door, but Leland grabs my arm to stop me.

“What is it?” I’ve done ok on the ride here, but any more time alone with him and I fear that I might break down.

“Victoria, I’m not very good at giving big speeches and honestly, I suck at being romantic, but I have something to say to you. The last couple months have been one big roller coaster ride for me, for us. There were times when you wanted to kill me, and quite frankly there were times when I wanted to kill you.” He takes both of my hands in his and looks me dead in the eye. “There’s just one thing I need to know. You told me a few days ago that you were in love with me, is that still true?” He waits until I give him an answer. An almost imperceptible nod of my head is all I can manage right now. “You came to me and told me you wanted to move to New York with me, and I told you no. I’m so sorry that I hurt you that way, but there was a very good reason for it. I’m not going back to New York.” He pauses letting it sink in. “I love you, Victoria, I started falling in love with you the night I saw you singing Spice Girls, and I couldn’t stop it even if I tried. When we went to New York, and I saw you in my apartment I could only think one thing; that you belong there, that you belong with me. I was just too stupid to realize that New York wasn’t the only option.” I don’t really know what to say as tears start rolling down my face. He loves me. “The day I realized what you were considering giving up for me, I realized that I could never ask that of you, not if I loved you. I don’t know if you still want me, but if you do I want you, all of you. I’m not saying let’s go get married, but I do want you to live with me, if you’ll have me.”

When he stops talking, it takes my brain a few minutes to catch up, and a few minutes more for it to really register. Leland Ambrose, this beautiful man of my dreams, is in love with me. “Of course I want you, I’m so sorry I acted like such a fool, I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kisses me, and I realize that he’s crying too, and as our tears mix together I finally know what happiness really means.

“Where are we going to live?” It’s a legitimate question, which he ignores.

“Come on, let’s go join the party.” Grabbing my hand he leads the way to the door. I can’t see any lights on, and in the fading sunlight I don’t notice any cars, and my suspicions are peaked again. When he pushes the door a light flashes on and everyone I love is standing there underneath a banner that reads,
Welcome Home!

“Surprise!” Everyone yells at once.

“Welcome home, my love,” Leland says quietly as he slips a key into my hand. Looking around my new home, I realize that I never could have left these people, and I love Leland even more for knowing it before I did. These people are my world, and now my world has just gotten bigger.

Sage is the first to come up and give me a huge hug, “I’m sorry sweetie, it killed me to watch you these last few days, but he made me promise I wouldn’t tell you anything.” I may have gotten good at being dramatic, but Sage has gotten even better at playing Benedict Arnold. Considering how happy I am, I can forgive her, this time. Behind Sage is Nick who decides it is better if he does not embrace me the way Sage did, but still offers his congratulations.

“Congrats, it looks like he makes you very happy.”

“He does, Nick, thank you.” Finally Carter steps up, picks me up, and spins me around, it’s a good thing he is gay.

“Well, I should be mad that you stole my man, but you two look too good together to argue.” Smiling he plants a big kiss on my lips before sauntering off to find his date. I never imagined anyone would go to these lengths to be with me, but as I watch Leland move through the crowd, I know I am the luckiest woman in the room.

The next morning, I get up and take a tour of the house. Heading back to the front door, I am standing in a large two-story foyer with an elegant staircase in the center. From the front door, I walk to the left and enter a large living room that is empty aside from the tables that were brought in for the party last night. Through the other side of the living room I walk into a room containing a treadmill, an elliptical bike, and a set of free weights. I guess I won’t have an excuse to skip the gym anymore. Closing the door, I return to the stairs and continue passed them into an average sized dining room connected to an over-sized kitchen. Back in the foyer I walk behind the stairs, and walk out into a large bricked courtyard that leads to a pool and a hot tub. In the distance, I can see the city, reminding me I’m not that far away.

Heading upstairs, I move to the right, in the opposite direction of the master suite, and find three guest bedrooms, as well as a large room set up with a pool table and dart board. I’m guessing this will be his escape. Retracing my steps, I make my way back to the master suite I find Leland still in bed.

“Why are you up?” He says as he pulls me down next to him

“I wanted to see my new home in the daylight.”

“And what’s the verdict?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Just like you.” He pulls me into a deep kiss that lets me know we won’t be spending much time out of bed today.

Chapter 49

Waking up on Saturday, I am overcome with happiness knowing that Victoria and I are together. I know that we have a lot of things to figure out, such as what to do with my apartment in New York, but I cannot wait to start each day with her. The last month has been wild and dramatic, but honestly I don’t think I would change anything about it. I have always believed that your past makes you who you are, so if you regret your past and the decisions you have made that you are basically regretting who you have become. Knowing that I have made Victoria happy puts a huge smile on my face.

I felt Victoria get up, and now I am lying in bed waiting for her to return. I can hear her moving throughout the house, and get excited at the idea of making this place our home. For the first time in a long time I can close my eyes and picture a future with a woman beside me. Just then, Victoria comes back into the bedroom and she looks ridiculously beautiful. Her hair is falling messily around her face, and she is wearing nothing but panties and my dress shirt from last night. I can’t imagine there is a sexier woman alive.

“Why are you up?”

“I wanted to see my new home in the daylight.”

“And what’s the verdict?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Just like you.”

Epilogue

It’s been a week since Leland asked me to live with him, and it has been one of the best weeks of my life. Saturday was spent sleeping in and making up for all the time we spent apart, and after we had exhausted each other we relaxed in our new hot tub. Sunday, Sage brought over my things from her apartment and helped me unpack, while Leland and Connor moved everything from my house. I was kind of disappointed at first to give up my house. My lease is going to be up soon, and the owners had decided to sell, so I would have had to move anyway.

On Monday I got up for work, and Leland informed me that he has a new assistant. This almost caused a huge fight until he explained that, if I wanted to, he is giving me his partnership in the bakery. I’m still not sure I like him making that decision without asking me, but I am grateful that I get to work with Sage every day. The rest of the week was spent getting the bakery ready, and baking hundreds of amazing desserts and pastries for the grand re-opening party. By Thursday, we had one hundred and sixty confirmed for the party.

Now, as I stand in my closet getting ready with two of my best friends, I know that I have joined them in living my dream.

The End

Recipe for Apple Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
  
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar (or dark brown)
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup milk
  
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 2 small Gala or Fuji apples, diced (about 1.5 cups)
  

Salted Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
  

• 1 cup dark brown sugar
  

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
  

• 1/4 tsp. salt
  

• 4-6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  
• ½ cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
  
• water optional
  

Instructions

1.
                  
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cups. Set aside.

2.
                 
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, sugars, milk, and vanilla until completely smooth. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Slowly add the wet ingredients and stir until JUST combined. Do not over mix. Slowly mix in the apples.

3.
                 
Fill each baking cup about 2/3 full and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check after 22 minutes.

4.
                 
Make the frosting: While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Once melted, add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. Add shortening and beat until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency and the taste of the shortening is gone, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time if the mixture gets too thick. Frost cooled cupcakes and adorn with caramel sauce. Cupcakes stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days.

How to contact Isabella Rae

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/isabellarae1984

Twitter: @Isabella_Rae84

Email:
[email protected]

Come try her desserts at:

My House Restaurant and Bar

2775 Highway 54w

Peachtree City, GA, 30269

(Please do not send mail to this address)

Please enjoy this sneak-peek into “A Sweet Affair” by Isabella Rae book 2 in the Atlanta Affair Series.

The series continues with Sage McCarthy and Connor Reed as they struggle to trust again after a lifetime of failed relationships and cheating exes.

Coming soon!

Prologue

Today will be the best day yet. I’m in bed, starring at the ceiling, lying to myself. My name is Sage Andrews and today is day 176 of my marriage. The first thirty days were amazing, and then married life lost its appeal. Scott isn’t a bad guy so much as he is just not good at being a husband. Every morning I lay in bed and tell myself the same thing, today will be the best day yet. Every morning I lie to myself, but that lie gets me through the day. Now, lying in bed next to my husband, I hope that today, it is not a lie. He snores so loudly, breaking through my morning mantra. I guess now is as good of time as any to start my day. Getting up, I tiptoe to the bathroom to get ready for work.

Thirty-five minutes later, I am slipping an apron on and diving in to today’s orders. I work for a small bakery on the south-side of Atlanta, and I hate it. I don’t hate the work, actually I love the work, it’s working for someone else when I am so close to opening my own bakery, that I hate. Today, I have three cakes, fifty cupcakes, and two dozen donuts to get done. I start with the donuts since they are being picked up first, and then work my way through the orders. By 2 o’clock I am boxing up the last cake and heading out the door. Taking advantage of getting off early, I head home to finish up the last of the paperwork for the bakery.

When I pull into the parking lot of our small apartment building I notice that Scott’s car is still where it was parked this morning when I left. He was supposed to look for a job today. Taking the stairs to our apartment, I mentally kick myself for not waking him up this morning. Tired from working and taking care of a fully capable adult, I decide to take a nap first. When I get near the bedroom, I hear voices behind the door.

“So your wife doesn’t ever ask what you do all day?”

“She’s too caught up in this pipe dream of a bakery to even care.” I hear the woman laugh and my stomach turns, how could he do this.

“Ok babe, I should get out of here, my boyfriend will be home soon, and if I’m not there he’ll freak.” Still in shock, I get out of the apartment as fast as I can, I am not ready to face this yet. Running to my car, I throw my keys into the ignition and speed away. I drive around for three hours, throwing a string of curse words inside my car while Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” blasts out of my radio. When I finally pull by into our parking lot, I have a plan. Tomorrow will be the best day yet; tomorrow I am going to leave my husband.

I make dinner as I usually do, and pretend that I know nothing about Scott’s afternoon guest. We watch TV for a few hours and then get ready for bed. Within ten minutes Scott is snoring away and I know that it’s only a matter of hours before I am free. I roll over and fight to fall asleep, but finally drift off around 2am. I wake to the sound of the front door slamming shut. It takes me a few minutes to realize that Scott is not in bed with me. Something feels off, and as I get out of bed I see the note on my desk.