Page 28 of Spicy or Sweet
At first, I think I’ve misheard her. Then, I think she must be fucking with me. But thisisWintermore…
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not. Felix was head elf, and then he passed the baton to me. I also played the clarinet,” she adds, as if to prove that Christmas wasn’t her entire identity, “and I was salutatorian.”
That part doesn’t surprise me. No matter how little I know about her, I can tell she’s smart—not to mention dedicated.
“Did you go to college?”
She grits her teeth, but she’s entertaining my questions more than I expected her to, at least.
“I went to Berkley.”
“You’re kidding! I’m from Oakland,” I say, cringing a little at how enthusiastic I sound, knowing we have something so small in common.
I don’t expect Noelle to sound enthusiastic—I don’t expect her to acknowledge it at all.
Idefinitelydon’t expect her to say, “I know. I looked you up on Facebook.”
“I—Wha—When?” I pick my jaw up off the floor just in time for her to look up. Her expression is a mystery to me. Somehow, when it comes to Noelle, I always feel like I’m a step behind.
“Last night. After I kissed you, before you matched with me on Locked.”
Well, there it is. I guess we’re not ignoring the elephant in the room.
She doesn’t ask if it was an intentional match. She probably doesn’t have to, given how into the kiss I was.
“Are we going to talk about it?” I ask.
Noelle takes her time finishing the crumb coat and carrying the cake to the fridge to chill before answering. “The kiss? Or the matching?”
How can she sound so calm about all this? So unbothered. She starts cleaning up, and I follow suit, because I don’t know how I’m supposed to get anything done when all I can think about is how her lips felt on mine yesterday in this exact spot.
“Both,” I answer, as I scoop the meringue buttercream into a container and set my bowl beside the sink.
“I’m sorry. About the kissing, I mean. It’s pretty out of character for me to kiss people I work with. Or people I don’t… you know.”
I round the island, leaning back against the cool worktop, and crossing my arms. “Why?”
“Why don’t I kiss people?”
“Why don’t you like me?” I ask bluntly, and Noelle looks at me, her eyes wide, like she didn’t expect me to call her on it. Which, given my personality, is understandable. “Look,” I continue, “I don’t need everyone to like me. I’m a big girl. But I’ve been trying to figure you out for years. Sure, I’m not close with anyone here, but no one else seems to actively dislike me except for you. Why?”
Something like guilt flashes in Noelle’s eyes. She finishes spraying down her surface and follows my lead, rounding the island and leaning back, across from me. There are only a few feet separating us in this position, and I can smell the sweet, spicy scent of her even more than I usually can.
“I don’t suppose telling you it’s not actually about you would be enough to get you to stop wondering?” she asks, sighing when I shake my head.
Truthfully, I’m surprised she’s not straight-up shutting me down.
“Fine. I recognize that this is irrational and petty, but you stole my dream,” she says, finally, and I’m no less confused.
“I stole your dream?”
“Yeah. You couldn’t have known, but I’ve dreamed of opening the first bakery in Wintermore since I moved here. I was supposed to do it after college, but I couldn’t because Felix couldn’t get his shit together, and I had to work at the toy store. Then you came along and did it first.” She sounds resigned, but her cheeks turn pink, like she’s embarrassed.
It makes sense. Of course she resents me being here. Sure, I couldn’t have known, but to put your dreams on hold for someone else is bad enough, let alone someone swooping in and stealing that dream from right under your feet before you get the chance to make it happen. I’d be pissed off too.
“I’m sorry,” I say, and Noelle shrugs.
