Page 80
Story: Delicious
“Well, today’s your lucky day.”
“I’m beginning to think it might be,” he mumbles as he stares at me.
“Anyway, I’m going to buy you an ice cream and we’re going to stare at the water and you can either stand in silence and just be all zen and shit or you can tell me what’s bugging you. No pressure, zero judgement. Plus, as an added bonus,mijo, you get the whole cone of silence thing. I won’t breathe a word to another soul about anything you tell me in confidence, ’kay?”
He studies me for a moment longer, then nods.
“And put your sunglasses on. It’s bright and you don’t want to end up with a headache.” Chuckling, he reaches into his own pocket and slips them on. “Oh my god, they are as bad as I thought. We’ll get you some new ones.”
Quinn
I watch him strut away, and for a moment I forget to move as I watch those mesmerising hips wiggling. I scramble to catch up, not sure why I’m following him like he’s a sparkly five-and-a-half-foot Pied Piper. There’s just something about him, from his sexy accent to his dark, fathomless gaze. Being the object of his focus stirs an unfamiliar sensation in my belly and makes me want to spill my secrets. Maybe he’s right, maybe it would be easier to tell someone unconnected with everything that came before. Someone who didn’t know me before, or as part of the Ainsley family, or… as Sully’s kid. Someone who wouldn’t care if I’d actually gone to uni or not.
“Ground control to Major Tom.”
Jolted from my thoughts, I look over at the fascinating man I’ve fallen into step alongside, and I have to admit, I’m a little dazzled by his smile.
“Pardon?”
“You look like you’re a million miles away.”
I shrug, not quite ready to confess my life story, no matter how much I might be tempted to. “So you’re from Long Beach? How did you end up in a little Cornish bay baking cupcakes?”
“Seriously awesome cupcakes,” he corrects airily, raising his chin.
“I can’t even argue that with you,” I reply. “If my family is going to torture me with a welcome home party that I don’t want, can you please at least make sure your cupcakes are part of the order?”
“What, instead of the giant sheet cake with your face printed on it?” He tilts his head towards me, and I can’t tell if he’s being serious on account of being partially blinded by the sun reflected off his glittery star-shaped sunglasses.
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
He laughs delightedly and my belly does that lazy roll. Jesus, am I getting an ulcer? My stomach is never this jittery.
“I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for you,” he says. I reallyreallyhope he’s just messing with me. “But in answer to your earlier questions, yes, there will be some of my cupcakes at your party, and yes, I’m mostly from Long Beach. Although I was born in Puerto Rico, I moved to the States when I was five.”
“So how did you end up here? It’s a bit of a downgrade from California for a holiday destination.”
“I don’t know.” Cookie draws in a deep breath of fresh air, his body language relaxed. “I think this place is adorable. Ty grew up around here.”
“And Ty is?”
“My absolute BFF, my brother from another mother. We’re family. His dad passed away recently, and although he hadn’t spoken to Ty in years, there wasn’t anyone else. So Ty came back to deal with the funeral arrangements. I wasn’t doing anything in particular and, with the way things are back home at the moment, we decided we wanted a change of scenery. Once he’s wrapped up his family stuff, we’re heading to London.”
“He grew up here? What did you say his name was again?” I ask curiously.
“Tyler Evans. I think he went to school with your brothers, Beck and—what was the other one?”
“Jesse,” I supply, trying to cast my mind back.
“Yeah, and Ty sure knows your brothers’ friend Ryan.” Cookies wiggles his brows above the rim of his sunglasses.
“I don’t really remember Tyler,” I reply as we wander companionably down the boardwalk along the seafront. “But then again, Beck and Jesse are older than me.”
“God, I love these little stores.” Cookie grins when we stop by one of the little tourist shops at the edge of the sand. “They’re so cute!”
He picks up one of the little foil windmills in a display and oohs in delight. Neon-coloured buckets and spades are stacked alongside them, and an inflatable plastic dingy hangs above the open entrance, flapping slightly in the breeze.
To the side of the entrance are two circular stands, one holding rows of postcards and magnets and the other containing sunglasses. Cookie sets the little windmill down and slowly spins the display carousel, humming thoughtfully before picking out a pair and holding them out to me.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80 (Reading here)
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254
- Page 255
- Page 256
- Page 257
- Page 258
- Page 259
- Page 260
- Page 261
- Page 262
- Page 263
- Page 264
- Page 265
- Page 266
- Page 267
- Page 268
- Page 269
- Page 270
- Page 271
- Page 272
- Page 273
- Page 274
- Page 275
- Page 276
- Page 277
- Page 278
- Page 279
- Page 280
- Page 281
- Page 282
- Page 283
- Page 284
- Page 285
- Page 286
- Page 287
- Page 288
- Page 289
- Page 290
- Page 291
- Page 292
- Page 293
- Page 294
- Page 295
- Page 296
- Page 297
- Page 298
- Page 299
- Page 300
- Page 301
- Page 302