Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,111
you back and I will never trust you.”
“We were great together,” he insists, his voice losing any level of control he might’ve had. “You know we were, so don’t stand there and pretend that you don’t love me anymore.”
Laughing, I can’t hold it in any longer. “Oh, Asher… I don’t. You know, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I think I might’ve stopped a long time ago. Trying to have a baby was my way of trying to miraculously fix everything. But now, I see I was badly mistaken. And one of these days, when I finally have a baby, it’ll be with someone I am madly, deeply… crazy in love with. Not you.”
He braces his hands on the counter. “What do you want me to do to fix this… I’ll do it.”
“Go home, Asher,” I tell him. “Go home to Mindy and the baby… might I remind you that baby did not ask for this, so be a good dad, it might be your only chance. You should take it.”
After a few painfully awkward moments of him staring at me, waiting for me to reconsider or change my mind, he finally turns around and walks out.
“What was that?” Mikey asks.
“Mikey, always remember: chickens come home to roost.”
It’s been four days since I talked to Cage, four painfully long, agonizing days, and still I’ve had no word from him. The last time I saw him was almost two weeks ago, and I miss him.
Lying in bed, trying to keep myself awake just a few more hours to try and reverse this ridiculously early rising, I pick up my phone and dial my mama. She’s called me a few times over the past week, but I just wasn’t in the mood for her reprimand or advice, which I’m sure she’s been storing up.
I can only imagine the stories going around about me after the reunion.
After a couple rings, she picks up. “Tempest.”
“Mama.”
There’s something frying in the background and I wonder if she wouldn’t mind another mouth to feed, because I’m actually really hungry. Cooking for one is for the birds and after the last two weeks, I just haven’t felt up to it, so I’ve been living off of a diet of cereal and beef jerky.
Don’t ask.
I was trying to balance out my food groups.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asks and I roll my eyes. It’s time for her to play her part as the martyr. She should be up for an Academy Award the way she sells this role. “I was just telling your daddy the other day that we never hear from you anymore unless you need something.”
“I’m sorry, Mama. I’ve been busy.”
“Well,” she huffs. “Don’t start with me about busy. Mildred talked me into doing this beginner’s quilting class on Friday mornings. Between that, women’s bible study I started hosting here at the house, and bridge on Tuesdays, I’m swamped. And then, there’s your daddy…”
“I know, Mama… you’re busy too.” I shake my head and bite my tongue. “I’m sorry I haven’t called or been over.”
After nothing but silence from the other end, I pull my phone back to check and make sure it didn’t drop my call. “Mama?”
“I heard about the little incident at the Lodge…”
Oh, here we go.
“Donna Pemberton said her daughter, Cynthia… remember her, long black hair… so tall she could hunt geese with a rake? Anyway, Cynthia was there and she saw the whole thing happen… told her mama it was a sight to behold.”
Sitting up in bed, I brush my hair out of my face.
Am I hearing this right?
Does she sound… happy? Proud?
When she starts chuckling into the phone, I really start to get worried. Maybe this is all too much and she’s snapping. I’ve often thought she was one freak out away from the loony bin. “She said the look on Mindy’s face when you stomped out of the room was priceless… trying to pass that baby off as Asher’s… well, I’ve never…”
This is where she’s going to start telling me I should give him another chance—poor guy was duped, this isn’t his fault… blah, blah, blah.
“If you want to know what I think,” she pauses, but I already know she’s not waiting for me to ask. “I think they’re meant for each other.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I mutter into the phone, shocked those words came out of my mouth while talking to my mother.
She sighs, “Oh, honey… I know I said I was praying for a