5. Shaw

5

SHAW

T here's a red light blinking on my answering machine.

I notice it the moment I get to the bakery this morning. Throwing the door closed behind me, I go straight over to the machine and press the button to listen to the message.

"Hi, Shaw. It's Juliet. I'm very sorry to do this, but I need to cancel the wedding cake order. My circumstances have…changed. I know I already put down a deposit and I understand that I won't be getting that back. Again, I'm sorry. Okay. Bye."

I have to listen to the message a second time before I understand that she's telling me that her wedding has been called off.

At least that's what I think she's saying. Isn't it?

Yeah. Has to be. There's a rawness in her voice that wouldn't be there otherwise.

Hearing the hurt in her voice cuts me to my core. I find no joy in the fact that she's now a single woman. All I can think about is the pain she must be going through right now.

And all I want is to go to her. Comfort her. Be her person.

But I don't think that's what she wants.

In the days that follow, I'm completely off my game. I keep messing up batches of dough. I accidentally give customers too much change. I almost grab a searing hot baking sheet out of the oven with my bare hands.

I keep hoping that Juliet will walk into my bakery, but every time the door opens, it's someone else.

And yet my hope persists. Every time the bells ring, I look up with anticipation. Every time I'm walking around town, I keep an eye out for her.

Too many times, I think it's her, only to realize it's just my mind playing tricks on me.

After a while, it feels like she was a mirage that never actually existed at all.

A few weeks later, I'm sitting alone at The Paddock when I find myself looking at the poster for the outdoor movie series. One of the movies, some kind of romantic comedy, is showing tonight. I don't think anything of it and go back to my beer.

But then I find myself looking at the poster again. And I remember the excitement on Juliet's face when she was looking at it, too.

Which is why, after paying my tab, I go over to the park.

What is usually an empty park at this time of day is currently packed. There's a large projector screen set up, and tons of people are spread out across the grass, sitting on picnic blankets and low lawn chairs. A few vendors are selling snacks on the side of the park, infusing the air with the scent of buttery popcorn and sugary desserts.

I look around for Juliet, but I don't see her anywhere.

I take a seat anyway, in case she just hasn't shown up yet. I don't want to block anyone's view, so I pick a spot at the back.

There's still no sign of her when the movie starts playing, and I almost get up and leave. But then I figure, well, what the hell. I'm here. I may as well stay and watch the flick.

Or at least mostly watch it. I spend half the time looking out for Juliet.

Is that her?

I lean forward, trying to get a better look across the crowded park. I'm sitting in the same spot I've sat in five times in a row, but with the bigger crowd tonight, I don't have as good of a view of the whole area.

Maybe since tonight is the last movie on the lineup, my mind has decided to hallucinate Juliet's presence.

No. It's really her. My chest expands as I get a better view of Juliet's gorgeous face. She's standing at the edge of the park in a knee-length summer dress, hugging a gingham blanket to her chest as she looks across the packed lawn for a spot to sit.

When her gaze sweeps toward me, I raise my hand and wave. Even from this far away, I can see her eyes widen with surprise.

I can't keep my eyes off her as she makes her way over to me, navigating around people and chairs and bags. When Juliet reaches me, she gives me a curious smile. "Hey. I thought you weren't interested in this."

"Turns out it's not bad." I gesture to the spot on the grass beside me. "Want to join me?"

"Sure. I'd love to. Here, we can use my blanket."

I get up to help her unfold the blanket and spread it out. As we get settled, I steal a glance at her ring finger. There's no diamond ring on it anymore. There's not even a mark left behind from it.

But I know that doesn't mean she's not still hurting. And now that she's sitting right next to me, I can see the emotional toll of the past few weeks etched in her face. Her skin lacks its usual glow, and her eyes are a little puffy.

I wish I could pull her into my arms and comfort her. But we aren't in a place like that yet.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you," she says as she smooths the skirt of her dress over her gorgeously thick thighs. "It's so much more crowded than I expected."

I nod. "Tonight's been the most packed of all the nights I've been here."

Her eyebrows lift. "How many times have you come?"

"This will be the fifth."

She laughs. "Again, I thought you weren't interested in this."

"I'm going to be totally honest with you, Juliet," I say. "I've been coming here in hopes of running into you."

She blinks at me. Then blushes a little. "I see."

"Was that too forward?"

"No. I like that you just came out and said it."

Her words warm my chest. I glance over at the food vendors. "Want something sweet? It's my treat. I've tried everything and can confidently say that the cherry pie ice cream is the best thing here."

"That sounds amazing."

"Cup or cone?"

She smiles. "Cone. Always a cone."

I know this isn't a date, but I like that it's starting to feel like one. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but I hope it's a sign that something more can come from this.

I know I shouldn't get ahead of myself. But I still can't shake the feeling that she's the one I've been waiting my whole life for.

When I return to Juliet, she looks even more comfortable on the blanket. She happily takes the ice cream cone from me and gives it an eager lick. The sight of her pink tongue gliding over the ice cream and the sound of the little moan that subsequently slips out of her lips makes my blood pulse hard, but I reign myself in.

"Good, right?" I say.

She nods. "It's delicious. Didn't you get any for yourself?"

"Nah. I've had plenty already."

"I think I'm going to need your help finishing this. These are huge scoops." She peers around the cone. "Oh, no. It's already dripping on my hand."

"Ah, shit. I forgot napkins."

"It's okay." She tilts her head and quickly swipes her tongue over the ice cream dripping down her fingers. "There. I'm good. Please help me eat some of this, though."

She has such an insistent look on her face that I don't bother asking if she's sure she wants me to lick her ice cream. I lean in and help myself to it.

It tastes even better than I remember.

"Oh, you have a little…" Juliet says, gesturing to her own mouth.

I lick the corner of my mouth. "All good?"

"All good."

She smiles at me, sending another surge of warmth rushing through me. Fuck, she's so pretty. If I could see that smile every day, I would be the world's happiest man.

It takes everything in me not to lean over and kiss her right then and there.

After the movie, I ask Juliet if I can walk her back to her car. I've already made up my mind that I'm going to ask her out on a real date, but I haven't figured out how to go about it. Despite all the encouraging signals I've been getting from her, I don't want to do the wrong thing and mess everything up.

As we walk away from the crowd, moving into a more private space of our own, I clear my throat and ask her the question I've been wondering for weeks.

"So…about that message you left me," I say. "How have you been?"

Her shoulders deflate a little. "Uh…it's been a rough few weeks."

"I'm sorry."

"I mean, it's all for the best. Eric and I never should have gotten engaged in the first place. But it's been a mess." She looks at me cautiously. "Do you really want to hear about my personal drama?"

"If you want to talk about it, I want to hear about it. As much or as little as you want to share."

As we continue to walk, she tells me about how she learned that Eric was using her to maintain a facade. She tells me about how betrayed she felt, but also how relieved she was to finally be freed from an engagement she never truly wanted. And then she tells me how upset both of their parents were when they told them the wedding was off, and how ever since then, her parents have been blaming her for everything falling apart.

"Jesus," I say, shaking my head. "That's awful, Juliet. I'm so sorry."

She swallows and looks down at the folded blanket in her arms. By then, we've reached her car, but she hasn't pulled out her keys.

"The thing is, I blame myself, too," she says.

I frown. "You do? Why?"

"From the first day I met Eric, I knew there wasn't any potential, but I went along with it because my parents liked him so much. I should have had the courage to do the right thing instead of the easy thing. And I really shouldn't have said yes when he proposed to me. But it felt like it was my one and only chance."

"What are you talking about?"

She shrugs. "I've always just been viewed as the chubby girl who has her nose stuck in a book. No one has ever shown any interest in me. So when Eric started paying attention to me, it was a big deal. It felt like I was in no position to turn him down. But I should have known better."

"I really don't think you should blame yourself." I reach out and gently tip her chin up. "And I hope this doesn't come across as dismissive of your feelings, but I have an impossible time believing that men don't notice you. You're beautiful."

She chokes out a laugh, her cheeks turning rosy. "Stop."

"Why don't you believe me?"

She shrugs again.

"All right," I say. "I guess I'll just have to keep telling you until you do."

Even though that makes her blush harder, she also looks pleased. And it finally feels like the perfect time to ask her what I've been wanting to ask.

"Can I take you out on a date, Juliet?"

She doesn't answer right away, but the smile on her lips reveals her answer before she speaks. "I'd really like that."

"How's tomorrow sound? Wait. Forget I said that. How's tonight ?"

Her laugh rings out into the evening air. "It's almost ten o'clock, Shaw."

"Exactly. The night is young."

"Don't bakers have to get up very, very early in the morning?"

"Normally, yes. But tomorrow's my day off."

"Ah. I see. Well, coincidentally, tomorrow's my day off, too." She looks at me playfully as she considers my proposition. "What are we going to do if we go on this late-night date?"

"We'll get some food. Do a little stargazing. Then maybe drive around a while, looking for trouble."

She laughs again. God, I love that angelic sound. "Sounds like a plan. Is it okay if I run home first, though? I should probably put on some warmer clothes if we're going to be out all night."

"Sure," I say. "Or you could just wear the sweatshirt I have in my car."

Her lips quirk. "Oh? How good of a sweatshirt are we talking about?"

"It's top-notch. You won't ever want to take it off."

"Consider me intrigued." She tilts her chin up a little, her eyes beaming with sweetness. "Okay. Lead the way."