“Tell her how you feel.”
I snorted and downed a mouthful of beer.
“You do know how you feel about her?” she prodded. “Storm?”
“I’m not sure it matters.”
Her expression fell, and she shook her head. Lori was still disappointed in me, and I felt bad she’d come all this way.
“I want to shake the shit out of you,” she declared angrily. “You’re so fucking dumb.”
To add insult to injury, I shrugged.
“One day, you’re going to regret not fighting, Storm,” she said before standing and walking away. “You’re going to regret it big-time.”
21
Callie
Watchingas a pair of builders hammered the last nail into The Fitzroy Cake Company, I smiled. It was halfhearted considering how things had gone the day before.
Mark hadn’t taken the news of my job offer very well. He’d pushed me toward it and practically shut down in the face of it all. If he didn’t want me to go, he hadn’t said. My heart had cracked a little under the pressure, and disappointment had flared the moment he’d walked out. He hadn’t even tried to convince me to stay. Amsterdam is a really long way from here?Pfft!
“What do you think?” Ray asked, standing beside me. The builder assigned to the job by my insurance company had been a complete star. He’d consulted with me the entire time, and what he and his team had produced was nothing short of amazing.
“It’s exactly how I envisioned it,” I replied. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He patted me on the shoulder. “We have a few things to clean up, and then we’ll be out of your hair. Good luck with your opening, Callie.”
I smiled and thanked him again. Retreating into the kitchen, I ducked through the plastic sheeting that had been tacked to the wall to keep dust from floating into the food prep area. With a week to go, there was still a lot to do. My staff would be coming in on Tuesday to begin baking and training for the opening on the following Saturday. Before then, there was a lot of cleaning to do, boxes to unpack, advertising to track. The works.
And I had to make a decision about Hector Vanderhall.
I was actually considering taking it after yesterday’s disastrous conversation with Mark. If he didn’t want to take me seriously, then what was holding me back? There was only so much I could do for a guy like him before he had to do some of the work himself.
Oh, Mark…Why couldn’t you just give me a chance to love you? I could, you know.
“Hello?”
I glanced up to find a woman peering around the plastic sheet, her blue hair taking me by surprise.
“Can I help you?” I asked, frowning. People off the street walking into a closed shop wasn’t exactly kosher, and I tensed.
“Yeah, sorry. Your builder let me in. Sorry to barge in like this.” She flailed through the drop sheet and smiled. “I’m Lori. I know Storm.”
I blinked, totally confused for a split second. I didn’t know him by that name, but he’d told me all about it. The Underground, his broken arm, his only means for supporting himself financially. I knew all about it…and didn’t like it one bit.
“Mark?” I asked. “What…” That was when I realized who was standing in my kitchen. Lori.The Lori. Mark’s ex.
“I didn’t really want to meet like this, but I’m worried about him,” she said.
I raked my gaze over her and couldn’t believe how different she was to me. Bright blue hair, nose piercing, and so many tattoos peeking out of hems and necklines I wondered if her entire body was covered. And what a body it was. Slim, athletic, big boobed, pretty eyes, smooth skin. Mark had been with someone like her? Why was he ever interested in me?
“You’re worried about him?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “The woman he cheated on?”
“It’s a long story.” She shrugged. “He only recently came back into my life.”
“You’re not helping,” I drawled, jealousy rising hot and fast. “What’s this about? Are you starting something with him again, and this is a shakedown? I thought he said you’d moved on.”