8. Matt

8

MATT

Five hours later, I’m exhausted, but I refuse to let it show. I’m a professional athlete, but I swear working in a hot kitchen, with all the bending, cleaning, and mixing is a lot.

“You doing okay?” April asks as she finishes icing the last of the cupcakes. She’s really good at what she does. And it’s obvious she loves it. She’s smiled the whole day, and I know she has to be exhausted too. Neither one of us got a lot of sleep last night.

I roll my eyes and lean over her. “Yes, I’m fine. I am a trained athlete. You know that, right?”

She lifts up with a smile. “Is that why I see you keep rolling your shoulders and stretching your neck?”

I grab on to my neck and massage it a little. “Old football injury. I just tweaked it.”

She drops the icing bag in her hand and comes toward me. “Oh no, are you okay? Let me see.”

I drop my hands and sit down on the stool so she can reach me better. She starts digging deeply into my shoulders, and I pat across my collarbone. “This too. This is hurting too.”

She moves around to the front of me and starts rubbing me on the sides of my neck. I put my hands on her waist and pull her into the V of my legs. It takes her a minute, but she finally gets what I’m trying to do.

She puts her hand on my chest and pushes away. “Oh no. You have to go and get changed and take these to the party. I promised Violet they would get there on time.”

I grab her hand to stop her. “You’re going too.”

She shakes her head and looks around at the spotless kitchen. “No, I’m not. I need to clean up.”

“Try again. I already cleaned it while you were icing all those.”

She blinks, trying to come up with an excuse. “I wasn’t invited.”

“I’m inviting you. Plus, you made the cupcakes. I mean, it’s a given you’re invited.”

She bites her lip. “I dunno...”

I close the lid on the last box. “You’re going. That’s final.”

I try to keep my face stern, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her pop her hip out and put her hand there. “Excuse me. You can’t tell me...”

I bust out laughing, and she figures out I was playing with her. “Fine, I can’t make you go. But I can ask you. Will you please go with me?” I’m afraid she’s going to say no, so I tell her the only thing I can think of where there’s no way she can refuse me. “I’m a bit of a klutz. What if I drop the boxes while I’m carrying them?”

“You don’t carry them all at once,” she says.

I play dumb and flex my arms for her. “Really? I’m pretty sure I can carry the cake and all four boxes of cupcakes at the same time. Have you seen these arms?”

She shakes her head. “Fine, you win. I’ll go with you... to help set up.”

“Deal,” I say, leaning in to sneak a kiss.

She pulls back. “Deal? What do I get in this deal?”

I wiggle my eyebrows, and she starts walking away. “Forget it. C’mon, we gotta go if we’re going to make it on time.”

I load my truck up and drive us into Jasper. After a quick stop at my apartment to change clothes and to grab some more because I’m hoping that I may get another night with April, we bolt over to Brody Andrews’ house.

When we get there, I leave April with Violet and Brody’s wife Callie as the guys and I carry in the boxes of cupcakes.

“This is so perfect!” Callie exclaims.

I look at the dessert table and am completely amazed. April had me bring in some stands out of the truck, and she has everything displayed perfectly. The three-year-old is so excited as he stands next to his mom, jumping up and down.

April is all smiles, and I can tell she’s really happy with everyone bragging on the cake and cupcakes. Little B, as Brody and Callie call their son, is thrilled with the way she made the cake look like a football field and every one of the cupcakes are designed like footballs. I saw her do it with my own eyes, but I still don’t know how she did it.

Callie puts her hand on April. “Okay, so I need to know: What is the name of the bakery? Do you have any business cards?”

April nods and pats her purse. She pulls out one and hands it over. “Yeah, I have one right here.”

Callie takes it. “Do you have any more?”

April’s eyes widen in surprise, but she brings out more business cards. “Yeah.”

Callie claps her hands together excitedly. “This is great. The moms that come will love this. The bakery we’ve been using has been so unreliable lately. We need someone new. Get ready; you’re going to be very busy.”

Callie walks over to the table and sets out the business cards before walking over to a group of moms that are admiring the table. I watch as she hands them each a card. April is speechless. Her mouth is hanging open, and she seems to get herself together when Violet draws her in for a side hug. That’s the most she can do with her son JJ on her hip. I walk toward them and hear Violet ask her, “So you and Matt, huh?”

I stop mid stride, waiting to see what April is going to say when Brody and Josh holler at me from across the room. April looks up at me, wide-eyed. Dammit. I force a smile onto my face. “I’ll be right back. You okay?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she says. I can see it on her face. She’s thinking about last night. Or maybe even about early this morning.

I go across the room and stop next to Josh and Brody. “What’s up?”

Josh elbows me and gives me a stern look. “Dude, I asked you to walk her to her car. What are you still doing with her? I swear if you hurt her, Violet will have my balls in a vise. I told her you were a good guy.”

Brody puts his hands up. “Wait a minute. What happened? I missed it.”

Josh goes to fill him in, and all I can think is man, we’re like a bunch of ol’ gossiping men sitting outside the barber shop.

Brody barks a laugh when Josh finishes the story.

“What?” I ask, thinking I missed something.

“Are you kidding right now? Neither one of you know?”

Josh and I look at each other and then at Brody. “Know what?” we both ask.

Brody shakes his head. “You mean to tell me that neither one of you figured it out? Josh, she’s your wife, man.”

Josh looks perplexed. “What are you talking about?”

“Violet is known for matchmaking. Callie talks about it all the time how she always sets people up and they end up getting married and having babies and all that shit. Violet did that last night on purpose.” He points at me. “She was setting you up with April.”

Josh’s mouth drops, and then he starts to laugh. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure that out.”

I hold my hands up. “Wait. What are you talking about?”

Brody claps me on the shoulder. “You were set up, dude. You better get while the getting’s good, or you’re going to be married this time next year. I guarantee.”

I wait for the shock, fear, or panic to set off, but it doesn’t. There’s a calm that settles over me. I look over to where I left April, and she’s gone. I see Violet over in the corner talking to Callie, but April’s nowhere to be seen. “I’ll be back,” I tell the guys before making the rounds through the big expansive living and dining area. I even go out the back door and search the yard, but she’s nowhere to be found. As I come back in, I know I looked panicked. Violet waves at me and points to a door to the side. I go in it, and there sitting at a stool at the kitchen island is April, and there’s a boy of around ten sitting next to her, eating a cupcake.

I shake my head. “I swear I can’t leave you alone for a minute.” It seems no matter the age, boys and men are going to flock to April.