Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Gabby

W e've had another super busy day, but we're looking to celebrate Valentina's birthday tonight, and I want us to be able to have a few hours before we get ready and leave. "What do you think about closing early?" I slip the idea into our conversation, not wanting her to think that I'm doing something because of her. It's special, but she shies away from attention." That way we can get ready, and you can have a few hours off before your party."

There's excitement in her eyes, and I think she wants to say yes, but at the same time I think she's afraid to. If there's one thing I've learned about her in the past couple of weeks, it's that she's almost terrified to give voice to anything she actually wants. She doesn't ask for anything, and she's scared to put anyone out. I haven't been able to get her to confide in me yet, but I hope one day I'll be able to do so.

She looks over at me. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble. I got a new outfit to wear."

Excitement rises in my throat, but somehow I keep from squealing, afraid I'll scare her. "Did you?" My eyebrows raise to my hairline. The only thing I've ever seen her wear are dresses, and a few skirts with tops that completely covered her arms. I hope this one will show off a little bit of the amazing figure she's concealing. "I can't wait to see it."

She seems to make a decision in that moment. "I'm scared to wear it, but I'm going to. I know I haven't talked much about my family, but we're not supposed to show our legs, which means we can't wear shorts or pants. We're supposed to only wear dresses. I bought my first pair of shorts to wear tonight. They're short too." She whispers, dipping her chin into her chest. "God won't strike me dead, right?"

"Oh my gosh, Val! No, He won't. I'm so proud of you! I know that had to be hard. I've never been religious, or worried too much about what others thought of me, so I haven't been in that situation. I know it must have been hard for you to even try them on."

"It was." She nods. "But I left my family for a reason, and if I continue going by their rules, even when I've left, then they've won, and I refuse to let them do that."

This is the first time I've seen this kind of fire in her, and I like it. "Good for you! I don't know a lot about your life before you came to work here. I want to respect your privacy, so I don't ask a lot of questions, but any time you want to talk about it to me? Feel free."

"I appreciate it, Gabby. You're the first true friend I've ever had."

That makes me so sad for her, but I hide it with a bright smile. "I'm so glad. Barrett will be here to pick us both up at seven. If you decide you want to stay a little later when we leave, we'll make sure that someone we know brings you home. By the way, if you want to take tomorrow off, you can. I have a few students from the culinary program over at the high school and college coming over to help with prep work. They're going to start coming over a few times a week, so hopefully we won't have to be working as hard."

"Thank you. I might take the day off, I haven't decided yet though. I'll see you in a bit."

When she turns to leave, I hurry to turn the sign to closed, and finish all the closing before heading up to my apartment to get ready. It's nice to take it easy for the day, and while the old me would be worried about the money, the me that's completely overwhelmed with what's been happening at Get Baked is beyond grateful.

Just as I'm about to head upstairs, I get a ping from my phone. It says I've received an email into the bakery inbox. While I wish I could turn it all off for the day, I know I still need to keep up with what's going on. I can read the email, and make a note, take care of it tomorrow.

But when I open it, my stomach drops.

Gabriella,

Looks like your little venture is doing well. Did you use the money I gave you to start it up? I think you might remember what you signed in our prenuptial agreement? Or maybe you don't?

In layman's terms, it says that if I give you the startup for anything, you'll owe me a percentage. Did you really think about that? If I know you, I know you wanted to stick it to me, and you don't ever read anything all the way through.

If I found out you used my money, Gabs? I'll come to you for payment. Be ready.

Jeff

I hate the way he uses the name Gabs. That's what Barrett calls me, and I love the way it rolls off his tongue. The way Jeff said it? It was smug, and I hated it.

Tonight though? I'll push all these thoughts away and have a great time with friends.

"You ready?" Barrett asks a few hours later when I open my door to him. "Alexis told me there's a cake and everything at Monroe's for Val. They've really gone all out for her."

"Oh, that makes me happy, I know about the cake obviously, but I didn't know about the rest of it. Lex and Kara told me to let them take care of it, and I did, but you know I'm a micro-manager who wanted to be completely involved."

He laughs, before kissing my cheek. "I absolutely do know that about you."

Val's door opens and I turn around to see what she's decided to wear tonight. I'm excited since this seems to be her taking a part of her life back that she's never had before. My jaw drops as I see her in a pair of cut-off, blue-jean shorts. Her legs are long and toned, nothing that I would have thought would be under the skirts and dresses she wears. "Holy shit, Val. You're legs are amazing."

"Do I look okay?" she asks, pulling at the frayed edges, seeming to want to hide the flesh she's exposing.

They aren't short, short by any means, but they hug her in a way that shows off her figure. "You look amazing, and they look great on you. They aren't too short at all, and they don't show anything that a bathing suit wouldn't. You're beautiful, Val, it's time for you to embrace it. I'm not sure what the people in your life did to you before you showed up at Get Baked, but they were wrong. I'm here to tell you they were wrong. Let's get out of here and go celebrate your birthday. How does that sound?"

She gives me a smile. A real one. It reaches her eyes, showing off white straight teeth, and two dimples in her cheeks. It transforms her. "Sounds great. I'm ready whenever y'all are."