PIPER

After returning from the mansion, I cried and cried some more in my bed. My chest hurt and I felt like dying. Was this how a heartbreak felt? I knew that Helena’s words could have been all lies, but it still hurt to know that Donovan kept secrets from me. First lying about the updates of the people from the auction house and now hiding the fact that he was engaged to another. Just thinking about him being with someone else made my chest feel heavy. That night I cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up the next day, I was tired and my eyes were red from all the crying. I realized that if what that woman had said was a lie then Donovan would contact me, so I managed to get out of my bed. I had to go to work. I needed a distraction and baking was the perfect one. I made a lot of batches of bread, cake, and pastries. The day went smoothly and a familiar face walked into the store.

“Welcome, Victor. You are in luck. I have some cake.” I said with a smile on my face.

“Hi, Piper! And omg! Yes, I was craving your cakes. I’m so glad I came at a good time.” He said excitedly approaching the counter to see what I had.

“Well, I have chocolate, vanilla, and some red velvet,” I said signaling to the cakes I had on display and then signaled to the kitchen door. “I also have flan in the back.” 

“Oh~ All of them sound so amazing. Mmm, what to choose?” He said thinking for a moment and then looked down at his belly. “What do you want little bean? Chocolate or red velvet? Mmm yes, chocolate. Nice choice little bean.” 

I smiled watching that scene. I found adorable the way he talked to the baby in his belly. It made me feel envy too. I never wished to have kids but I wouldn’t mind if it was Donovan’s. I shook the thought away not to start crying in the middle of work and started packing the things Victor requested. I even added an extra portion of red velvet to the house. 

“Here you go.” I handed him the bag and he handed me a card to pay with.

“Mmm, Piper?” Victor called my name and I looked up at him finishing the payment and handing him the credit card back.

“Yes?” I answered with a soft smile.

“Are you okay?” He asked me with a worried look.

“Yes, why do you ask?” I said trying to hide the fact that I was not okay at all.

“Your eyes are a little red.” He mentioned and I tried to hold back from frowning.  “Were you crying?”

“Oh, no no. I just had a bad sleep last night.” I lied to him and then decided to change the topic. “I added a portion of red velvet on the house.”

“Okay. Thank you and if you need someone to talk to you can call me.” He said giving me a card that had his artistic name and his number.

I appreciated his worries so I just nodded and smiled. He smiled back, picked up his bags, and left the shop. The rest of the day went just as calmly but still no news about Donovan. Was I really just a toy to him?

~oOoOo~

A week had passed and still no news about Donovan. I was starting to give up on waiting for him, Priya reassured me every time saying he was a busy man. But that was no excuse, he had my number. A call or a text would’ve been enough for me but still, there was nothing. There was also something weird happening to me, I felt like I was being watched at some times, but this time I knew it was probably nothing wrong. Work went as smoothly as always. I saw someone familiar walk inside the door and I smiled welcoming him.

“Hello, Officer Shaw. How can I help you?” I smiled kindly at him, he had come several times the past week because Victor had some cravings. 

“Hello. Victor told me to come pick up his order instead of him.” He said with a soft smile and I nodded. 

“Oh, yes. I have his order in the back. Let me get it.” I said with a smile and walked to the kitchen. Victor had called and ordered a personalized cake for him, it was another announcement cake and this one had even me excited. I walked back to the front and placed the box on the counter. “Here you go. He paid already and congratulations.”

“Thank you.” He said and then took his phone out because he got a text. He sighed. “So I’ll have to get some other things, someone just had a craving for sweet cheese bread.”

“I still have some. Must be hard when he gets these last-minute cravings.” I giggled placing some of the bread inside a bag. 

“Sometimes it is, but I’m happy to fulfill his cravings. He is not feeding only one baby after all.” Kang Dae said with a soft smile. 

“Here you go, it’s on the house. A congratulatory gift.” I handed him the bag, placing it on the box with the cake. 

“Thank you. Oh, and you don’t happen to—” Kang Dae started to say but was interrupted by someone who walked inside the shop.

“Kang Dae, what’s taking you so long? Did you ask?” Said the other man, he was wearing a police uniform so I assumed he was Kang Dae’s teammate. 

“I was just about to. You are so impatient, Loui.” Kang Dae said with a sigh.

“Well, I’ll ask on my own now.” He said to Kang Dae and then looked at me. I managed to see the badge in his uniform. Powell. Officer Powell.  “Hi, you are the owner right?”

“Yes, I am. How can I help you?” I said with a soft smile.

“Okay so, the thing is every day I go to Deja Brew to get my coffee and I always get some donuts with it. I know it’s kind of a stereotype as a cop, but yes, I love donuts. So I haven’t been getting my coffee with donuts lately and I’ve been suffering.” He was saying and I had a thought of where this was going. Deja Brew was Ezra’s shop. “And I found out you are the one that provides the donuts. I heard you were on vacation and now that you are back I was wondering if you had some available.” 

“Wait for a moment,” I said to him and went back to the kitchen. Lucky for him, I was already preparing batches of donuts to send to Ezra. I came back after I packed a dozen for the officer. I came back and Officer Powell’s face lit up when he saw me carrying the box. “I was preparing a batch to send to the cafe already, you can take this. It’s on the house.”

“No, no no. I’ll pay. I can’t take this for free.” He said taking out his wallet and pulling out some cash. 

“Okay, but I will gift you some of this sweet cheese bread to apologize for the inconvenience,” I said packing up some of the remaining bread for him. 

“No need to apologize, Piper. Loui is just dramatic.” Kang Dae said with a sigh.

“I’m not dramatic. These are the best donuts in town.” Loui said to Kang Dae and then looked at me. I felt happy knowing how much he loved my donuts. “Thank you so much, Piper.”

After that, both men left and I was alone again in the shop. I checked the time and it was close to closing time, I was thinking of closing earlier until I heard someone walk in. A tall man with ginger hair came to the counter, looking closely at him I noticed some markings on his neck. Oh. Another reptile. An iguana.

“Welcome, how can I help you?” I said with a soft smile and the man looked like he was in a hurry.

“Hello, I heard you make cakes, right?” The man asked and I nodded. Relieve showing on his face. “Well, I need a cake for tomorrow. I don’t know if it’s too late to ask, but if it is then it’s okay.”

“No, don’t worry. Tell me what you need.” I said with a soft smile and saw him purse his lips.

“Well, I don’t know what I need exactly.” He said and then started to think. “It’s my mate’s birthday.”

“Oh, so a birthday cake. What flavor would you like?” I said, opening my notes in the computer I had on the counter to take his order.

“Uhm…he likes coffee. Do you have coffee cake?” He asked and I nodded.

“I have a coffee and caramel cake. Is that okay to you?” I suggested to him. It was flavors I liked combining. 

“Yes, that’s perfect.” He said with a smile, he looked like he cared for his mate. Even when he forgot to get a cake for him in advance.

“Would you like to put a message in it?” I asked him.

“Ah yes, if you could write ‘Happy birthday Cletus’ I would be thankful.” He said and I nodded.

“Okay. So I placed your order. You can come pick it up tomorrow when you can.” I explained to him and then there was just one thing left to complete. “Can you give me a name for the order? It’s just for the system.”

“Oh, yes. Of course. Ignacio, Ignacio Molina.” He said with a smile. 

“Perfect. Would you like to pay in advance or tomorrow?” I asked. Some like to pay right when making the order or when receiving it just in case they don’t like the outcome, but I never had a problem with that. Everyone was pleased with my work, I was a perfectionist when it came to cakes.

“Tomorrow.” He said.

“Okay. That’s all set.” I mentioned closing the order on the computer. I would have to check the ingredients to see if I needed to buy anything before making it.

“Thank you. You saved me.” He said relieved and I felt content knowing that I had lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders.

The man left just in time for closing. Seems like everyone was lucky in love left and right and here I was, unlucky with a mate who wouldn’t take the time to write or call. Pain was no longer something I felt. I was angry and upset. Where the fuck are you Donovan Howl?