Thirty-Eight Days (12 page)

The fragrance in the air was homely and comforting; it was the only thing so predictable and consistent in Clara’s life. She knew that the smell would trigger old memories for her customers. The familiarity from the scent was like a grandmother cooking freshly baked goods on a Sunday afternoon.

"Don't you dare run, Lawrence!" Stevie stood outside the bakery doors, pounding on the glass as she yelled. Clara put down the chair she was straightening and scooted it up against the small bistro table in front of her. The bakery was almost ready for business, so Clara walked to the door and unlocked it before Stevie broke her way in.

"Good morning to you, too, Stevie." The bitterness in Clara’s voice was evident. Stevie was interrupting Clara’s baking and alone time with Liam. He watched her as she prepared the cupcakes the shop would sell during the day. Liam never seemed bored, but rather intrigued by the way she baked.

Looking up, Clara saw Stevie in a pair of tight black jeans, black studded heel boots, and a white tank. Stevie was the blonde bombshell on campus, strikingly beautiful, and with a personality that would make only the bravest of men have a try. Stevie took off her aviator sunglasses and rested them on her head. Clara noticed Stevie’s handbag hanging off her arm, and the keys to her BMW in the palm of her hand.

Clara felt inadequate in Stevie’s presence. She turned around to see Liam towards the back of the store, placing the chairs on the wooden floors.

"Right, chai latte?" Stevie asked as she took out her phone and started to type.

"No worries," Clara replied, heading round the counter, and started to get Stevie’s latte ready.

"Oh, Annie should be here," Stevie pointed out as she popped her head up from her phone and looked at Clara.

"Annie?"

"Yeah, she said she would be here before me…" Stevie started to say as her phone vibrated for her attention.

"Oh, that's her now; Lollipop Annie will be late
.
Looks like you can explain it all to me, then." Apparently Annie had her ditsy moments, so Stevie called her Lollipop Annie.

Clara handed the hot glass over to Stevie. She looked over to Liam, who was still sorting out the chairs and tables, his shirt tight around his body; she had him in her arms not too long ago. Now she was kicking herself for not acting on it.

Liam turned and looked in her direction; he smiled his trademark smirk at her. Her cheeks automatically burned.

Oh, crap!

Clara quickly removed her gaze so Liam wouldn’t see her blush. When she looked up, Stevie was raising her eyebrow at her. Clara's eyes widened and Stevie turned her head to the right; her focus set on Liam's well-defined back.

"How long has he been standing there?” Stevie asked, her mouth falling open in awe. "Who is he?"

Clara let out a defeated sigh. “That's Liam. He's my upstairs neighbour."

"Your… neighbour?" Stevie asked, and Clara nodded.

"Hmm, has Liam got a last name?"

"O'Connor," he said, approaching them. "Liam O'Connor," he said, reaching out a hand to Stevie.

"Stephanie Appleton," Stevie replied, shaking her hand with his. "But I go by Stevie. Stephanie Appleton is one terrible name." She laughed, and so did Liam.

"You don't seem like a Stephanie. Stevie... hmm I like it!" Liam replied.

Yup, I just lost out. They laughed. It was easy for them.

"I better go check on the cupcakes. Be back in a few," she said, neither one of them replying to her.

Clara stood in the warm kitchen. She was invisible. Stevie and Liam made a connection, far quicker than she and him had. Clara knew she'd lost out. It was Stevie; she was God’s gift to men.

Walking over to the industrial size oven, Clara took out her second batch of cupcakes. They were ready, all one hundred of them. As she set them down to cool, she looked back at the entry. She would let them talk. She needed space from Liam, and this was her chance. It was a good sign, even if jealousy coursed through her veins.

She picked up the icing bag and started to frost the first batch of cupcakes—ninety-nine of them, since she gave Liam one to try. Clara positioned the iced cupcakes on a tray and placed a small mint leaf on top of all of them. When she was satisfied with the presentation, she took in a deep breath and walked with the tray back to the counter.

Clara's eyes set on the both of them as they laughed and smiled. She sighed a little, but ignored them. She approached the glass display shelves and placed the cupcakes on the top shelf. She smiled at herself. It was stupid, but it always made her grin when her cupcakes were finished and on show. That was her hard work, ready to sell and ready to please.

She stood back up and smoothed out her serving apron—a separate apron worn on the shop floor. They were both staring at her like they shared a secret.

"Right, well, thanks for letting me walk and bake with you, Clara. I had fun. It was lovely meeting you, Stevie." Liam glanced down at Stevie with what looked like a lustful smile.

Game lost.

"Wait! Before you go,” Clara said. She went back to the cupcakes and placed four of the ones she just iced in a small box and tied a ribbon over it.

"Here," she said, giving Liam the box. They were friends. That's all. The fact that she thought she could have wanted more was ridiculous. Clara knew her attitude changed, but having Stevie around was an eye-opener. Liam was always the player.

"How much do I owe you?" Liam asked as he reached for his wallet.

"No, it's on the house. You helped make them and got the shop sorted. I've never been ready this early. Thank you." Clara smiled; a hint of disappointment settled in her.

Clara Lawrence… always so luckless in love and romance.

"Okay, thanks. I'll see you later, Stevie," he said, letting her name hang in the air.

"See you, Clara," was all he said as he walked out the door.

I guess he doesn't like me at all…

“I wanted to rip his clothes off and have him naked in this store," Stevie said, slicing through Clara's thoughts.

"What?"

"I'd just appreciate his nakedness. I wouldn't have sex with him in the middle of the shop. I'd just stand there and admire him. He is one hot piece of ass! I approve of him,” Stevie said matter-of-factly. Clara’s brows met in confusion.

"You approve of?"

"Liam."

"Liam?"

"For Pete's sakes, Clara. I might have to call you Lollipop Annie soon, because you just stole that right off her. I approve of Liam for you!"

For me?

"But you and him…”

"He seems too good for me. I know Liam O'Connor, by reputation of course. He needs a girl like you." Stevie winked as she sipped her latte.

"A girl like me?"

"Look, I don't want to go into detail, but just trust me, Clara," Stevie said as she placed her glass back on the counter. Clara wasn't sure what to think.

"You can have him, Stevie; honestly, he’s all yours,” Clara confessed as she adjusted her apron.

"I'm not going anywhere near Liam. I'll corrupt him. He wouldn't be able to handle me." Stevie shrugged.

The sound of the bell rang through the shop as the door opened.

"Hi! I'm sorry I'm late," Annie flustered out as she entered the bakery.

"Where the hell have you been?" Stevie shot Annie an icy look. 

"A meeting," Annie said, not looking at either one of them.

"A meeting for the virgin protection society?" Stevie replied mockingly.

"I'm not that uptight!"

"Might as well put your prudeness to use. Gather up all your devotees and assemble. Be a proper party. But seriously, where have you been, and why was I on time?" Stevie asked, annoyed.

"I told you, a meeting! And I'm not religious like that. Drop it, Stevie!"

"Don't be shy. It's just us. We know you were having hot sex. You’re flustered! That must have been one hell of a meeting!"

Annie glared at Stevie. "I wasn't having sex. I was at a meeting, Stevie." Annie's tone was stern.

"Which one Alcoholics Anonymous, or Sex Addicts Anonymous? You've been a bad girl, Saint Annie."

Clara knew she had to stop them both before things turned ugly.

"Stevie, she said she was at a meeting. Why would she lie?" Clara said, defending Annie. A bright smile developed on Annie’s face. Clara wasn't sure, but for a moment she thought she saw guilt in Annie’s eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm not here to interrogate you, Annie. We can do that later! By the way, I want all the saucy details of you and Jarred. But we’re here to interrogate Clara," Stevie said before her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No! I do not want the details of Jarred!" Stevie’s father had married Jarred’s mother when they were kids. Even though they weren’t blood related, they still treated each other like they were.

Clara let out a laugh. “Glad you cleared that up, Stevie. I don’t even want details of Jarred and Annie’s sex life.”

Stevie rolled her eyes and escorted them to the table next to the window closest to the entrance.

"Actually, last night Jarred and I broke up."

"What the hell? Annie, we’re here for Clara. Now, you spring this shit on me. I'm sorry, Clara, this will have to wait."

Clara nodded; she was glad the attention was off her.

"He got drunk last night and tried to hook up with another girl from Melbourne Uni," Annie said as her tears started to spill.

"Oh, Annie, I'm sorry. Boys are awful!" Clara said as she rubbed Annie's back.

"He didn't kiss her, but I told him that it was time we ended things, you know, space. Maybe I was asking too much of him." Clara could relate, but then again she was worse off; her boyfriend slept with someone else. Numerous times.

“Okay, side bar. Annie, I'll beat the shit out of my stepbrother later, okay? Can we please move on to Clara and a very hot piece of ass named Liam?"

"Who's Liam?" Annie probed as she wiped the last tear away.

"He's my neighbour, but it's nothing. Liam had nothing to do with what happened last night. That was Noel," Clara clarified.

"Noel?" Stevie spat out. "You’ve been very busy, Clara. Who’s this Noel?"

"My brother's best friend,” Clara stated. She watched a smile develop on Annie’s face.

“Is Noel why you didn’t come last night?” Annie asked.

Clara sighed. At least she could unload. They were her closest things to friends. She would tell them everything.

"Kinda, it all started when Noel arrived at my door," Clara trailed. It took her fifteen minutes to explain the last few days with Noel, subtracting the fact that he was naked, and even adding Liam in there, too. She watched Annie's face sadden and Stevie's face tense. When she finished, she took in a deserving, deep breath and mentally noted the need for a cup of tea.

"It must be so bloody easy to have a penis! Noel thinking he has a right to tell you off. What a dick! So quick to pass judgment, and he knows nothing!" Stevie went off, making Clara smile. Ever since
that
night, Stevie protected her.

"It's fine. I'm sorry I didn't come last night," Clara said, smiling at Stevie for her support.

"I actually think Noel’s
right," Annie said, twiddling her fingers.

What?

"Excuse me, Saint Annie? What the hell? You breaking up with Jarred has made your common sense fizz out. Noel was wrong, and his comments were out of line," Stevie argued. Clara sat there stunned.

"No, he was protecting Clara. I'm sure of it."

Protecting me?

"Say what you want, Stevie. I believe Noel was right. Clara, give him another chance." Annie’s voice was stern. Clara was completely dumbfounded that Annie had sided with Noel. A sense of betrayl pierced her chest. One of her only friends was a Noel supporter, and it stung Clara.

"Annie, it's not that simple," Clara started to clarify.

"Actually it is. You’re just making this harder than it needs to be."

Clara and Stevie looked at each other. Annie had really lost her mind if she was defending Nolan Parker.

S
tanding across the road from the bakery, Noel saw Clara chatting with her friends at a table near the window. They spoke for a few more minutes before her friends left the bakery. He looked both ways, and when it was clear he crossed the road. His heart started to race and his body started to fidget. He was walking into his version of hell, the one where Clara hated him for his stupid actions. He arrived at the white shop’s front door and took in a breath of air to calm him. When he felt confident that he could face Clara, he opened the door.

The sound of the bell rung in his ear; he watched as the same man he saw through the glass shop window walked out of the kitchen and smiled at Noel.

"Good morning, welcome to The Little Bakery. How can I help you?" the man asked, holding a tray of deliciously decorated cupcakes.

Uhh, what the hell do I say?

“Actually, sir, I'm here to grovel for Clara’s forgiveness and apologise for last night," Noel said as he placed his hands on the counter. He hoped he hadn’t shot himself in the foot for being so up-front. The man raised his eyebrow at Noel, looked him up and down, and then smiled.