Chapter 7: 06- When I Was Nine I Thought I Ruled The World

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06

A lot of things have slipped out of my mouth.

Like when I was nine I thought I ruled the world and it would fall out of space without me so I decided to talk back to my mom, with sass I might add. And it was one of the sassiest battle ever.

Never mind, it wasn’t even close to a battle because by the time I had seven words out of my mouth, my mom cut me off and snapped at me.

Warning: Please whatever happens never ever attempt to do that or even put that thought in your mind. To cut it short she made me kneel in front of the altar for half an hour chanting prayers of forgiveness over and over again.

I thought I learned from that. Guess I didn’t:

When I was twelve one of my teachers pissed me off because he thought I was cheating when I was just merely picking up my eraser on the floor and sent me to the principal. So I talked back, defending myself. I told him that the cold weather was getting in his hairless head and that his humongous nose made his brain think I was copying the answers of my seatmate. My grade was even higher than hers.

Again I warn, do not attempt if you know your mother will find out. She made me kneel in front of the altar again but this time for almost an hour. And I got suspended for a day.

It’s safe to say that I learned my lesson.

When I was seventeen, I had my first ever boyfriend. He attempted to kiss me but I was eating pizza at the time. So when his lips crashed onto mine, I was in shock. That was my first ever kiss and well, the first time I spit pizza bits on to someone’s face.

This time was no different. When I came back from the laundry room with Blake’s clothes on top of my hands, something slipped off my tongue too.

“You smell good.”

I was handing him his clothes when his cologne hit my nose for the first time. I knew he’d been wearing it but I was too preoccupied with his face to even notice the scent. He smelled amazing, better than the baking room in fact.

That tiny slip of the tongue made me want to bury myself alive right in my yard. My face started to become hot as I blushed franticly. This has got to be worse than the pizza spitting moment and I would gladly kneel in front of the altar for a good hour and a half for those three words not to spill out of my mouth.

I swear the universe makes me want to make a fool of myself.

Blake was taken aback at first of my bluntness but then he grinned at me and leaned in, sniffing my neck. Oh god.

Oh. My. God.

I hope I put on deodorant this morning.

“You smell good too.”

I don’t know if he was lying or not but I gave a shy sheepish grin and thrust his clothes to him. He gladly took them from my hands.

A few hours later I was back in the kitchen, a spatula in one hand and the other on the cake stand. I was frosting it already and Blake was watching me intently like I had grown five hands more. His steel gray eyes were fixed on my handiwork and it was suffice to say that I felt good.

Liam and Allie were already on the bar stools, a plate in front of them as they held on their forks like it was their life. Their gaze never left the cake too.

After giving the cake one last good swirl, I took the knife and started cutting into it. Liam was already jumping in his, not able to contain his excitement. He eats this stuff at least twice a month but he still acts like it was his first time.

“Would you like one too or staring at it is enough?” I asked teasingly at Blake who just grinned at me sheepishly and nodded.

“It’s good.” He nods and shoves another forkful of cake in his mouth. Liam and Allie nods in unison, their faces smeared with the frosting.

“Thanks.”

“So did you just move in here?”

“What?” I was confused and flattered at the same time because the thought of him thinking the house looks brand new meant I kept a darn good job of the cleaning the house every two weeks. I know I should do it at least once a week but I’m a lazy girl.

“I saw the boxes and bags when I was changing.” He shrugs as if he was saying something illegal. “It’s a nice house.”

“Thanks.” I repeated and smack myself internally. Thanks? That’s all I could say? “Those are Liam’s stuff. He’s staying with me for a while his parents are in their late honeymoon.”

Monday came in the blink of an eye and I was back in the bakery annoyed as ever. Everyone and I literally mean everyone even Marcus has said that I was in an extremely good mood today and was wondering if I scored a hook up or a one night stand over the weekend.

Was I that happy? And more importantly, was I always grumpy in front of them?

“Honestly Beth.” Marcus nudged me by the arm. “You are in such a good mood today. What happened?”

“Yeah that’s true.” Dani, one of my decorators chimed in. “Did you meet someone?”

“Why do you guys assume that I found someone whenever I’m in a good mood?”

“Well for starters, you’re never in the best mood on Monday.” She says and I have a feeling she has a long list with her. “Second, I’ve never seen you this happy before even when we were able to deliver the biggest cake we made safe and sound after a two hour journey.”

That was the most heart wrecking two hour journey of my life. I was panicking the entire time what was going to happen. It was for a brat’s sweet sixteenth and she apparently wanted a sculpture of her and it had to be, in her words, ‘glamorous, fierce, sexy yet demure’. How do you mash fierce and demure in one? That gave me a headache.

“Third, for as long I have been working here and if my memory serves me well, I have never seen you with a guy before. Ever” she emphasized the last word.

Dani has been with me ever since the start and she’s one of the few who are not afraid to tease me. Marcus is new but granting that he is my cousin, that gave him the privilege.

“And you don’t look like the type to be lesbian.” Marcus joined us once again. “Not that I would mind of course, but are you?”

“Of course not.” I answer almost immediately.

A lot of people have been wondering why I haven’t shagged a boyfriend for over five years. I’ve heard some rumors that I was either lesbian, becoming a nun, or wanted to grow old a virgin.

“So tell us Miss Bethany Hamilton,” Dani mentioned my full name which was a new ring to my ears since so far, the only person who insisted on using it was Blake. “Who is this lucky guy that got you dreaming like a hormonal teenager?”

“It’s no one.” I shook my head. The thought of Blake himself made my insides churn but in a good way. “Seriously guys, get back to work.”

“So there is a someone!” Dani concluded. “Tell me, is he hot?”

“Guys get back to work!” I exclaimed and I could feel that blush about to make its way up my cheeks and betray my words. “Seriously can we not talk about my nonexistent love life and concentrate on working?”

Dani chortled at me and rolled her eyes. “Fine, just stay in your denial phase. It’ll wear out soon.”

I in reply roll my eyes too, mimicking her actions. “Get back to work Dani.”

When her words sink into my head, I began to worry. Not because she knew but because she was right. Blake had been the cause to all of my happiness in the past few hours that had passed. I barely even know the man yet here I am thinking of him every damn second. It’s getting unhealthy.

And I’m becoming terrified.

The last I felt like this or a fraction of what I felt was when I was seventeen and my ultimate crush had just asked me out. It was like I was in candy land. But with Blake, it wasn’t just candy land, I felt like I was in heaven whenever I was with him.

And I shouldn’t feel like this. I don’t even know what he does for a living and I am already thinking about where to spend our honeymoon and make tons of babies.

Jesus Beth, get your head out of the gutter for a second

I have my walls protect me for so long that these feelings I feel are foreign, and I’m not even exaggerating.  I do not want my walls going down. I’ve sacrificed enough for it, I’ve seen too much, and I’ve felt enough to know my cover ups are substantial enough but why is it that I could sense it disintegrating slowly?

To make things worse, I just allowed Blake to have this effect on me.

“Hey Beth,” a head popped out from my office door. It was Dani. “Someone’s here for a consultation.”

I gave her a nod and pushed my boy off the leather swivel chair of my office.

The consultation room had a large wooden round table in the center and a few comfy chairs around it. A few photo albums were neatly arranged on the shelves. Pictures of cakes and everyone working in the bakery were up on the walls.

I took my seat on one of the chairs and noticed a few birthday albums on the table. When I glanced at my customer, I could recognize his dazzling gray eyes, his brown hair and the athletic build he had concealed by his button up shirt which really didn’t do a good job since I could still see the form of his muscles.

“Blake.” I was surprised to see him here. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m checking out elephants.” He says in a matter of fact tone with a hint of glee. “Is this not the place where elephants are sold?”

That caused me to chuckle.  “I’m so sorry Mr. Greene but we only sell unicorns. No elephants although I know someone who sells some damn big ones. If you like, I could give you his number.”

“I’m good.”

We both laugh it off.

“What brings you here? No elephant answers please.”

Yesterday when he said that he had to see me when he stops by someday, I didn’t realize that someday was today. I don’t even look presentable right now. I have my hair up in a messy bun and baby hairs are sticking out of my head in random directions. I had stains on my apron and my face right now wasn’t I would like to picture as fresh from the shower.

I looked like I use shortening as my facial wash.

“Allie’s birthday is coming up this Saturday.”

And immediately I know where this was going.

“And let me take a wild guess, you’d want a cake?”

“Good guess.” He smiled. She loves chocolate, and pink and strawberries.”

I nodded and started scribbling away in my notepad. I teased him, my face nonchalant. “And Liam right? She has got to love Liam.”

“Bethany please, not my princess. She’s still three.”

“And going four, right?” I was nodding to myself and a few seconds later, an image of an untidy cake drawing was on my notepad. “I was thinking of three tiers, chocolate brown and strawberry pink in color. Fresh strawberries will in between layers, and a sculpture of Allie and Liam at the top.”

“Yeah that’s good…wait what?!” Blake nodded as he heard me but when Liam’s name reached his ears, his eyes widened and jaw dropped. “No boys.”

I let out a chuckle. “Yeah, yeah. I get it. Your princess is still too young.”

“She’s not dating until she’s forty.” He declared and crossed his arms to make a point.

I silently mutter, “I don’t think Liam would appreciate that but he’ll wait. But it looks like she ain’t getting pregnant.”

“Can we please stop talking about my daughter’s love life for the next few years?” I could see he was getting irritated at the topic so I lay it off, cool down. I didn’t want him getting mad at me.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep on teasing about Allie and Liam. That was stupid of me.” My head dropped and I just stared at my black apron with white flour scuff marks. “I’m sorry.”

“Relax, I’m just messing with you.”

My eyes widened and looked at him like I was about to jump him- not an innuendo. He started laughing, throwing his head back, and his brown hair going along with him. I could see the muscles of throat contract. His laughter filled the consultation room, deep, husky and just downright sexy.

I shook my head to remove my thoughts I was making to the man in front of me.

“I shouldn’t laugh. I’m sorry.” He broke my train of thoughts when he finally calmed down. “You just looked so cute.”

And again for umpteenth time, I broke in scarlet.

“Do you really know a person who sells ‘damn big’ elephants.” He air quotes me.

I shook my head. “No I don’t but I know someone who owns some.”

We talked for a while, a few minutes passed and by the time I checked my wrist watch, almost an hour had passed. As much as I would love to just sit here and chat with him, we both still have work to do. And I have a delivery to make in twenty minutes.

Blake and I stood up, and I dusted imaginary dirt off my waist apron.

“Liam will go, right?”

“What?” I asked in confusion. Where will he be going?

“Allie’s birthday party this Saturday.”

Then it dawned on me. Reese mentioned about another birthday party coming up this Saturday. I just didn’t realize it was Allie’s (although the cake order made it pretty clear).

“Oh right of course.”

Just as he was about to leave, I remembered something so I called out to him.

“Yes?”

“I need the address of the location of the party so I could drop off the cake.” I muttered. “And apparently drop Liam off too.”

He raised a brow at me but jotted down an address to the piece of paper I was handing him.

“It’s going to be at home.”

I nodded not bothering to say anything, scared that something might slip out of my mouth. When Blake had finally left, Dani was leaning by the door frame with a sly smirk.

“Was that him?”

“What was he?”

The smirk never left her face. “Your mystery man.”

“Mystery man has a name, you know.” I rolled my eyes and pushed my chair back in its original position.

“Which is?” Dani propped herself off the frame. “So he is the one, and obviously there is a man involved.”

“Blake.” I responded, ignoring her latter statements.

Her eyes lit up. “Ooh Blake, such a hot name.”

I fought back to grin but somewhat failed. Okay so I find Blake a hot name. It sounds sexy.

Blake Greene is sexy.

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OMG Josh won the voice!! I was originally rooting for Christina but then her last minute twitter save made me think differently, although I am still a fan of hers.

Have you guys watched Molly Maxwell? Charlie Carrick is H-O-T.  I swear he is just drool worthy.

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