Page 17 of Semi Sweet (Working For Love #1)

T he next morning, I felt the uncomfortable scratch of my area rug on my face. I opened my eyes and found myself still laying on the floor of my entryway.

"If there was ever a good weekend for Evan to be away, this was it," I murmured to myself.

If I was being honest, though, I would have never been at that party last night if he had been home.

When I lifted my head and it felt like someone had hit me with a bottle of tequila, I almost regretted going.

I counted on my fingers of the arm outstretched in front of me all the shots I’d had. Five, that was a new record.

I attempted to sit and not only did my head feel worse, but a wave of nausea ran through me.

"Oh God," I cried as I scrambled to my feet. "Ew!"

I made it to the bathroom in time to get sick. Five shots. Why the hell did I think I could handle five shots? My night probably could have gone very differently had I just kept it to three.

I got sick twice more before I finally felt well enough to attempt a shower.

I turned on the water and got ready to ditch my dress when I caught my reflection in the mirror.

I was disheveled, my hair was snarled and my makeup smudged, but the more glaring issue was an angry red spot on the side of my neck.

"Oh no." I panicked, getting closer to the mirror to inspect myself and examine the bruise. I pulled the strap of my dress to the side. "No, no, no, no!"

There were more blemishes on my collarbone as well. Hickeys. This would happen. I'd hook up with someone and my bad karma would leave me riddled with marks that could be noticed. I didn't have to go to Cash Value Market today, but I did have class later tonight.

It all came back to me then. The secret admirer and the dance we quickly shared.

The kiss that started off sweet, but had led to the marks on my body.

At the time, I’d been impulsive. Now I wasn't sure how I felt.

I had kissed another man. I'd held his hand, let him put his hands all over me without protest. Hell, I all but told him to. Had I cheated on Evan?

I took the longest shower of my life. So long, the water became tepid and then cold.

I didn't know if I stood there to soak myself clean of what happened or if I was waiting for the guilt to hit me and the tears to start falling.

When I began to shake from the cold and there was no change in my feelings, I admitted defeat and toweled off.

Was this the sign I needed? That after this drunken escapade, was I completely out of love with Evan?

It didn't change the fact that without him, I had crippling debt and nowhere to live.

This mystery person had no reason to care about my well being and it wasn't his job to save me.

This man, whoever he was, had told me nothing about himself, and though I highly doubted it, he could be worse than Evan. I told myself I had no option but Evan.

I had been so excited to be alone. Now, I couldn't sit still and when I tried to watch my guilty pleasure shows, the quiet I usually craved was making me want to scream.

Before I knew better, I was putting on real clothes and wrapping a chunky scarf around my neck half a dozen times to hide the shameful marks.

I slung my school bag over my shoulder and walked to the train station.

I had purposely planned my schedule so that I only had to work one of the days that Evan was gone.

I didn't even have anything to do for school, so I felt conflicted after the fifteen minute commute downtown.

Would my would-be admirer be there? Would I know him when I saw him?

Would he come up to me? Was that why I was coming to Cash Value Market on a day I didn't need to be there? Was that wrong?

I almost felt relieved that things seemed normal as I walked through the automatic doors and towards the café.

If anything, things seemed subdued for the middle of the day.

I attempted to read for one of my classes, but the fluorescent lights were making my head pound.

I stomped over to the coffee canisters and poured myself the largest dark roast they had.

Five shots. Why the hell had I done five shots?

"Rough night?"

I looked up to see Max watching me struggle. I shuffled to the counter and showed him the coffee I started to chug, bitter and black. I handed him a five dollar bill.

"What do you think?" I groaned. "Keep the change, I don't have the brain capacity to sort coins right now."

Max looked at me, amused. "Did you have fun at least? Was the hangover worth it?"

I wailed as I remembered. Yes, it had been exciting and there would be consequences because of that fun. I felt a cross between nauseous and embarrassed when Sean came back from the ovens. What would he think of my night? Five shots, practically blackout drunk, kissing another guy?

Max smiled devilishly. "Sean had a fun night, too."

"Shut up," Sean grouched.

"He got attacked last night."

I jumped when Sean slammed the cookie sheet he had been carrying on the nearest prep table.

"We've been over this," he spoke through his gritted teeth. "My dog jumped on me and scratched me." He stared at Max like he had laser beams for eyes and would vaporize him on the spot.

It was then that I noticed the white rectangular bandage on the side of his neck.

I tried to tell myself that it was a totally acceptable reason.

I thought about the marks on my neck and collarbone.

Did my mysterious person have marks to match?

I looked at Sean, the coincidences a bit hard to deny.

Was he too obvious to be my mystery person?

I felt like we didn't talk much, but surely we spoke enough that I could get some sort of indication.

I had to stop thinking and over-analyzing. It was making my head feel worse.

"Yeah,” Max continued to push the envelope. "Your dog scratched you and I'm the Pope on Monday afternoons." He chuckled and turned his back to Sean.

I should have walked away, but it was like a train wreck or social media war. I couldn't tear myself away.

There was a loud thwack as Sean's slip resistant work sneaker hit the bakery clerk in the back of his white work coat.

"Look what you've made me do." Sean hobbled over to claim his shoe, his voice so even that it was unnerving. "Now I have to wash my hands."

He closed the space between him and his employee and even though Max was taller than even Evan, Sean still seemed to tower over him.

"Change your coat,” he ordered. “Package that tray and the rest that should be coming out now.

" As if on cue, the timer for the oven began to chime in the distance.

"I'm going to be in the back. So help me God, if you come in or say anything about what you think happened to me or anyone last night, I'll write you up for.

.." he faltered, " I don't even know, but I'll find a reason. "

Sean turned, but not before giving me a long look.

There was no way someone who had kissed and touched me like that would look at me that way.

Still, I pitied him. Whether it was a bad hangover, bruised pride, or a painful cut, he seemed to be hurting.

I headed to the painkiller section and bought some Excedrin before I headed back to the bakery.

"Back again?" Max asked. He was now in the dirtiest, most icing-stained work coat they had in case of emergencies.

"I'm here with a peace offering." I held out the medicine. "Though maybe someone else should give it to him."

Max smirked and waved me over to the display case.

"Homeboy puts up a good front, but he is probably listening to everything we are saying and feeling sorry for himself.

" He checked over his shoulder to make sure another shoe wasn't being flung in his direction.

"Beth and I are convinced he is so serious because of his ‘youngest manager in the company’ title.

Apparently people at his old job doubted him because he got the position when he was twenty-two. "

That made sense. Evan carried himself a certain way because he was young and new to corporate. I didn't think it was necessary for Sean to be so stoic, though. To the best of my knowledge, he'd earned his position and didn't have it gifted to him like someone else I knew.

Max took the bottle of Excedrin and rolled it carefully towards the back where Sean's office was.

"Thanks," a sheepish voice called. "Even though it changes nothing."

"That was all Olivia, not me," Max called back.

"Statement retracted."

The bakery clerk looked like he suddenly remembered something. "I almost forgot. This was waiting for you this morning." He placed the box on the counter. "Beth and I were wondering if you were right about your cupcake dude being at the party."

When I blushed and reached for the scarf around my neck, Max sucked nearly all of the air from the room with his gasp.

"Beth gets here in half an hour,” he said. “Come back and spill the tea."

From the back office was the sound of someone loudly and deliberately clearing their throat. Max rolled his eyes and began to box everything he'd pulled from the ovens. I made my way back to my booth with an upset stomach that wasn't from the hangover.

This was where things could get messy. I supposed things were already messy since I'd made out with the man, but this was where he told me he regretted it and that the game was over.

There was also a small chance that it could go the other way, that whoever this was would tell me he was in love with me.

Then what? Was it enough of a promise for me to walk away from the only job I ever had because leaving Evan was self sabotage?

What did I even feel for this person? Was I overthinking again?