Page 12 of Semi Sweet (Working For Love #1)

I t took two agonizing days before I got my next cupcake.

I sat through a night of grad school classes practically twitching.

Even working on my manuscript, which had become far spicier than my real life, I couldn't take my mind off what cupcake I would receive next, and more importantly, what my mystery person would write back.

I wasn't sure why, but I was confident they would.

They had enclosed something in every other bakery box so far.

Work wasn't much better. I'd take my break and my heart would practically shatter when no one would call out to me as I passed the bakery department.

Then I would scold myself because I was engaged to Evan Quittero.

I was supposed to love him and only have feelings for him.

I would be his wife some day and here I was feeling heartbroken over something that I might have been reading far too deeply into.

It might have been a prank–a new way of getting back at me for being associated with the Quittero family.

I needed to be sensible about this! What if the person was a stalker or someone with bad intentions?

If I wasn't careful, I was going to be a story on the news.

The suspect targeted the girl by sending her cupcakes and cryptic messages. A double homicide was reported when her fiancé discovered the love notes in her backpack. He took his own life after he finished the deed.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt I should be a writer. My overactive imagination was no coincidence.

I tried to tell myself I was going to have a decent life.

It might not be how I pictured it, but I would get used to it.

Trying to convince myself only made me more miserable.

I was going to have to figure out what that all meant some day, and probably soon.

I was going to have to come to grips with reality when we eventually set a wedding date.

On my next shift, the phone rang at the courtesy desk and I jumped so high people probably saw it across the store. It was an inside extension.

"Hello?"

"Hey," an excited voice whispered. "It's Beth from the bakery."

"What's up?" There was no reason to assume this was anything other than Beth asking for an outside line to call a customer or if the small to-go kiosk by the registers needed refilling. Still, my heart felt hopeful that maybe, just maybe….

"It's here." Beth sounded almost as thrilled as I felt. "A new cupcake."

I was ready to tell the girl to rip it open and tell me what was inside when I saw Evan come down from his uncle's office. I exhaled, smoothing my face into the mask that had started to become my primary expression around him.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll be over as soon as I can."

When I put the receiver down, Evan was beside me. "Who was that?"

Seriously? How was it that sometimes he was so oblivious that it was painful, and now when I needed him to be overly invested in his job, he was in my business?

This is a normal relationship, I sang to myself as I attempted to lie.

I had gotten really good at bending the truth around him.

It was how we avoided arguments half the time.

No, this isn't fiction, it's for grad school!

There was no entry fee for this writing contest.

I wasn't talking about a gift that may or may not be from a secret admirer….

Well, I supposed I hadn't mentioned the last one to him, so it probably wouldn't have come up in conversation. Not that I would ever divulge that information to him. I wasn't dumb. He'd probably have his parents fire the entire department.

Oh yes, perfectly normal relationship. Healthy. People envy me.

"The bakery department needs paid stickers. I can bring them some."

"Sure," he replied as he checked his watch.

"Isn't it almost break time for you? I'm not even supposed to be here today.

I've got to get back to corporate." He kissed my head as he always did.

I almost wished Evan kept it more professional than that.

I could see a few girls whispering in front of their registers after the public display of affection.

"I'll see you tonight after class," he said with a smile. "Something Italian for dinner maybe?" Evan never cooked on the nights I had class, so I knew the fanciest place in town would be providing takeout when I returned.

As soon as he was out of the building, I grabbed the stickers and got someone to cover my break. I practically flew to the other end of the store.

I slammed the paid stickers on the counter and Beth looked at me, bewildered. "We don't need those…."

"Can you pretend that you do? It's a long story."

Beth placed them by the register under the roll they already had going. Then she smiled broadly and snatched a white box from the pick up shelf.

"Come on, you have to know something," I pleaded.

Beth looked at me sheepishly. "If I did, I would tell you, trust me. I want to know who this guy is just as much as you do."

"So you think it's a guy?"

Beth's eyes went wide for the quickest of seconds.

She nodded excitedly, getting ready to state her theory, when Sean was suddenly behind her, carrying the self-serve coffee canisters that apparently needed a refill.

I didn't know why, but my stomach flipped just like it was going to in a few minutes when I opened up my new cupcake.

"I think it's two girls blocking my counter space," he snapped, setting the canisters down with a loud thud. "Beth, happy birthday doesn't write itself."

"Sometimes he just sucks," Beth hissed as she rolled her eyes and headed toward a prep table.

I studied the man for a moment as he walked into the back, still trying to figure out why he was allowing this to happen.

Couldn't he get into trouble for helping someone put fancy treats and notes into Cash Value Market boxes?

I almost wished I had the nerve to ask him.

Instead, I took my box and went to my usual spot.

I wondered if Sean had delivered my message as I opened it up.

His behavior just now gave no indication.

Inside was a cupcake more beautiful than the rose one before it.

It was vanilla cake with frosting that looked like the night sky.

There were stars that seemed to twinkle and the frosting was shades of blue and purple.

I turned it and even stood up, trying to get the best angle for a picture.

Social media would be a blaze tonight. I picked my favorite one and the best filter before I typed,

I think this one might be out of this world.

Then it dawned on me that I hadn't checked for a note yet! That was almost more important than the cupcake itself. I was nervous when I found a folded up piece of paper where the cupcake had been sitting. My fingers were clammy and strange as I reached for it.

Tell you who I am?

Sorry, but that's lame.

Wasn't it you yourself

That called this a game?

I can't reveal my name,

But perhaps a clue:

You've talked to me before

And I'm older than you.

Writing is definitely your talent,

I'm afraid I can't tell you mine.

I live alone, have a dog,

And did I mention I think you're fine?

I put the note on the table before wrenching my eyes shut and mumbling nonsense as I attempted to process the poem.

"You feeling okay, Princess Q?" Bruce stared at me with an eyebrow raised from his usual perch at the counter.

"Not. Now. Bruce."

The man shrugged and turned back to his sandwich.

I picked up the note and read it again. Fine?

Did people still use that term? Once I got past the somewhat dated term of endearment, I realized that what they had written had narrowed down my search.

You've talked to me before and I'm older than you.

They were indeed someone in the store and were at least twenty-five.

While that ruled out the young teen kids they hired every summer like I had once been, that still left so many options.

They knew I liked to write.... But then again, I would talk about it to anyone who would tolerate listening to me, and Evan was also not shy about diminishing it in front of me or behind my back.

This person also could have learned of it that way.

"Olivia to the courtesy desk, please. Olivia to the courtesy desk."

I cursed when I realized I'd been sitting and mulling this over longer than fifteen minutes.

The gossipy front end girls would be accusing me of abusing my breaks because of Evan for sure.

I hadn't even gotten a chance to eat the cupcake.

I hastily put it back in its box, vowing to enjoy it fully at my class later.

I grasped the note tightly because I planned on inspecting it between customers.

"Love note?" Bruce teased as I collected my things and began to make my way towards my department.

I was still too excited and jumpy to let him get me down.

"Oh yeah!" I exclaimed. "Racy as hell, it would make your hair curl.

" I turned on my heel and power walked to my post before they paged me again.

I could have sworn a gaggle of bakery employees were standing together taking in the interaction.

There wasn't time to salute.