Chapter 8: 07- Can You Two Just Kiss Already?

07

I am not a morning person. I hate mornings, especially early in the morning. I’d rather stay up all night than wake up early the next day.

Who likes mornings anyways? I’ve spent more than twelve years of my life waking up early for school, and I was having my own personal time with sleep when Liam decided to wake me up.

“Wake up Beth!” Liam was pouncing on my stomach, unknowingly crushing me. He might be four and small but I’m not exactly big either. “Wake up! Wake up!”

“Why?” I groaned and covered my face with Liam’s pillow. “It’s so early.”

“I have school.” Liam stopped jumping and just crossed his arms, pouting his lips.

Groaning, I nodded and he stepped off me. “Go take a bath. I’ll prepare breakfast.”

“Cake!”

“No cakes. You had enough during the weekend to last a month.” I reprimanded him. He ate half of the cake I made on Sunday! “Eggs and bacon? Or pancakes?”

“Pancakes and bacon!” his eyes lit up like the fourth of July, and seemingly so did mine.

“Great choice.”

Hopping off the bed, Liam was already in the bathroom and I was tying my hair in a messy bun. Most of Liam’s stuff were now unpacked but his clothes were still inside the bags. I didn’t dare to let him sleep alone in the guest room although he said he had his own room in their house. I didn’t have the heart to let a little four year old sleep alone. Plus, I have a king size bed so what do I have got to lose?

Skittle and Bruce were downstairs by their corner (I named it their corner since it’s where their food bowls are along with their toys and bed. They were waiting for me, their tails wagging left to right.

After feeding them, I went straight to the kitchen where I grabbed a pancake mix from the cupboard. Ten minutes later, Liam was already down and up on the bar stool with a stack of pancakes and a few bacon strips beside it. I had already eaten while cooking- it’s a habit of mine, so I decided to take a quick shower.

When I was done, I was dressed in my usual jeans and a tank top, my whites hung on left arm with my keys, phone and wallet in my hands. I had already stuffed the dishes in the dishwasher.

“Let’s go.” I called out to Liam and opened the door.  He skipped outside with his backpack. I wish I was that happy every morning.

His preschool was only a ten minute drive away from mine, and an approximate five minute more from Sugar Rush. When the building came into view, Liam was already smiling.

I never remembered being this happy going to school even when I was a kid.

Today I had decided to park, unlike yesterday when I woke up late and caused him to be a few minutes late. I was helping him out of the car when I saw someone at the edge of my eyesight.

It was Blake with Allie. He was stooped down so that he was in eye level with his daughter, and was fixing any strays in her hair. Blake was wearing black dress pants, and a long sleeve button up shirt which I assume is his work uniform.

And I love a man in a uniform.

That came out of nowhere.

When Liam step foot out of the car, he saw what I saw too and instead of visibly checking them out, he left me and ran up towards them. With a sigh, I closed the door and followed.

Blake grinned when he saw Liam and messed up the little kid’s hair. They talked about something for a bit. I couldn’t really hear it and I bet they were whispering.

“Hey.” Blake smirked, standing up from his previous position and dusted off imaginary dirt from his pants.

I smiled back. “Hi. Hello Allie.”

“Hi Beth.” Allie gave me a toothy grin and continued talking with Liam.

“You’re going to work?” I asked. So I don’t have the best social skills, not one of my talents. And sometimes, I just wish it was. It would make life a lot easier, and smoother.

“In an hour.” He seemed like he was ready to go though. “What about you? I take it you don’t usually dress like that in work, so are you going home first?”

His eyes raked me down from head to toe, giving my chest a few seconds more than the others. I felt anxious, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. I, sadly, am not blessed in the chest department, unlike my sister who is.

“Nah.” I shook my head. “My whites are in my car. I’m heading to work after I drop Liam off; still have to clean the place and prepare. Nothing much in the morning.”

Blake opened his mouth to say something when a woman appeared at the doors of the building.

“Alright everyone. It’s time to go to school. Time to say goodbye.”

Liam ran and hugged my legs. I messed up his hair even more with a laugh but smoothed it back again.

“Bye Aunt Beth.” He muttered before letting me go.

I kissed his hair and he ran into the building, his hands intertwined with Allie’s.

“Bethany?” Blake called my attention when both were in the building already.

“Would you mind having your first customer for today as early as this time? I really don’t want to waste gas going back home and leaving again for work. Sugar Rush is on the way to the office, so if you don’t mind?” He looked down to his black leather clad feet, like it just became the most interesting thing in the world. The tips of his ears turned into the shade of light pink, and so did his cheeks. He was blushing!

I grinned. Who knew Blake Greene blushes?

“Come on.” I motioned with my head, cutting him off and saving him from the embarrassment he was currently feeling.  “Let’s go.”

Blake looked up but when he saw my smug smirk, he looked back down again and I could see his cheeks return to the shade of light pink. He knew that I noticed him blush.

We went in our separate cars and he tailgated me since I went ahead. Dani, Marcus and a few of fellow co-workers were already waiting outside. I forgot I was the one who closed last night and I have the keys.

When I got out of my car, I tossed the set of keys to Marcus who caught it with ease. Blake parked beside me and when he got out, Dani smirked with one of her brows arched. She eyed him as he went out, and I could see the gears in her head work. I could already hear all the teasing she is going to do to me. She’s like my best friend, except she works with and for me.

“Don’t even.” I said once we were together, holding up my hand to stop her from whatever she was going to say. “Save it for later.”

“When Mr. Gray Eyed Hottie leaves?” Dani said, loud enough for only both of us to hear and wagged her brows suggestively. I shot her a look and she repeated in the same tone, “I mean when Mr. Gray Eyed Blake, the hottest man to ever grace the planet leaves?”

I rolled my eyes. “Since when did he have that title?”

“Are you nuts woman?! Have you seen the man? He looks like he just came out fresh from a Calvin Klein commercial. Look at his face, just his face and you could see panties dropping from a mile away. And that body, don’t even get me started.” She smacked my arm. “Damn girl, you scored big time.”

“Shut up.” I flustered. Okay so he was that gorgeous but I can’t just go up to him and say that. He was handsome, and that fact rubbed on my face every time I see him.

“Ooh here comes Mr. Gray Eyes.” Dani said and straightened up, so did I. “If things don’t work out between you two, can I have him? I’d love to see what he can do in bed-”

“Dani!” I cried. I do not want to know anything about Dani’s sex life. No please. “What about your girlfriend?”

“Correction, she’s not my girlfriend yet.” Dani shrugged. “I am bisexual Beth. I am still open for Mr. Gray Eyes if things don’t work out.”

Blake had one hand in his pocket and the other he used to shield his eyes from the sun when he reached us. “Hello ladies.”

I felt Dani nudge me on side but I decided to ignore it.

“Uh, hi?” I do not have social skills. End of. Dani cleared her throat beside me and I knew what she wanted and I immediately sighed. “Blake, this is Dani. Dani, this is Blake.”

She sent me a smirk. “So are you the boyfriend?”

“Danielle!” I exclaimed using her full name which she hated and she just shrugged, waiting an answer. “He’s a… friend.”

“For now?” She really won’t let me be now, would she?

Blake suddenly decided to talk, and when he did he thought of going along with Dani in teasing me. “Yeah for now.”

Flustered, I wished the ground would just swallow me whole. Dani is going to have field day today.

“C-can we just go inside?” I muttered and avoided eye contact with both of them who were laughing. Even Marcus who was busy opening the shop was laughing.

“Looks like someone has a crush.” Marcus teased but his voice was low enough for only both of us to hear. “And someone’s blushing real bad.”

This made me blush even more. “Shut up.”

Fifteen minutes later, I had already finished touring Blake around the decorating room and we were on our way to the last part, my office.

“Well, this is my plain old boring office.” My office had cream walls, a wooden desk in the middle, a television was mounted on the side of the room, a stack of magazines were neatly piled up on one corner and a couple pots of plants; nothing too fancy. “I had meant to have it redecorated but I always seem to forget.”

“I like it actually. Nothing too showy.” He nodded to himself. “It’s like my office, although I have large windows behind my desk.”

Well that was something. I didn’t know where he worked or what he does for a living.

“Speaking of, what do you do?” I asked, intrigued. “I don’t remember you mentioning anything.”

“Really? I thought you knew.” He muttered. “I work at an advertising agency.”

“Advertising agency? Which one?”

He nodded. “Design Accents.”

“I had some of my posters and billboards made from there.”

He furrowed his eyebrows together, searching through his brain. “Ah yes. I was supposed to handle that project but I still had some to finish.”

I led him out of my office and back to the front. We took a seat and started talking.

“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” I queried him. “I wasn’t able to have coffee this morning.”

“I’m good.”

I frowned. “Are you sure? It’s on me.”

“Well now that you mentioned that,” Blake suddenly grins, and I could tell he was playing. “I’d have everything on the menu.”

“That’s a lot of calories.” I shook my head. “You don’t want your clothes to not fit you anymore, do you?”

He shrugged. “I can manage.”

Then he flexed his arms, his muscles threatening to rip his shirt sleeves. That was uncalled for. I blushed, yet again, and this time I think my entire face was red from both embarrassment and seeing him flex.

“Y-You should stop that.” Well that sounded better in my head. I wanted to go for the blasé approach but I just came off weird, and squirmy, and intimidated. “I’m serious.”

“Jesus, you’re too cute.” Blake chuckled, his voice deep. “I’m just messing with you Bethany.”

Please just transport me to the bottom. I am done.

“W-Whatever.”

That caused him to laugh even more. “You blush a lot, did you know that?’

“Of course I know that.” I snapped. “It’s annoying.”

“It’s cute actually.” Blake grins at me. “I like it. You look adorable.”

This caused me to flush. He called me adorable.

I bit my cheeks to stop myself from saying anything else that would further embarrass me. I can only handle so much awkwardness in one day. I blush enough for a hundred people a day!

Life is getting pretty unfair. I never saw Reese blush. And she has all the rack, I barely have any.

“I’d have what you’re having.” Blake continues to grin at me, but kind enough to put me out of misery and I am eternally grateful of that.

I gave a timid nod and went behind the counter where Dani was replenishing the display racks. She was grinning from ear to ear and gave me a nudge.

“Can you two just kiss already?”

I smacked her arm. “Dani, shut up.”

I poured coffee on the two mugs and placed two muffins beside them.

“Girl I don’t know how blind you two can get.” She rolled her eyes and went back placing cupcakes on the trays. “You like him, he likes you. It’s that simple. And you can kiss, and screw each other and make a lot of cute babies.”

“No he doesn’t like me.”

“Oh just shut up and have confidence in yourself for once Beth.” She continued supplying the trays.

It was now my turn to roll my eyes. I picked up the tray and headed back to the table. But before I could, I heard Dani cheer me on with a voice loud enough for only both of us to hear,

“Go kiss him, tiger.”

I bit my lips, in attempt to stop myself from blushing and surprisingly, it worked. I should do it more often if it helps me with my blushing issues. Could a condition of excessive blushing exist? If so, I think I have it.

Or maybe it’s just Blake.

Maybe. Wait what? No. No. No.

I shot her a look before placing the tray on the table. “Forgive me but I only know how to make plain coffee. The tricks are from Dani.”

“Plain is fine Bethany.”

I love the way my name slips off his tongue.

So we talked, and talked, and talked about anything until he had to leave, about half an hour later. When he left, most of my employees were already grinning at me. Dani and Marcus were smirking a sly one at me, wagging their brows up and down provocatively.

“Oh my God, can you two please stop?” I muttered exasperated. “So I like him, is that such a big of a deal?”

Dani continued smirking but instead this time turned to Marcus. “Pay up.”

My jaw literally dropped as Marcus fished out a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and smacked it on Dani’s awaiting palm.

“You two betted on me?!” I shrieked.

“Marcus wouldn’t believe me yesterday that he was the one.” She shrugged at me. “Now, I’m twenty dollars richer. I should’ve gambled with everyone in the store then I wouldn’t need to work anymore.”

“I can’t believe you two.” I shook my head at them.

“We find your love life interesting.” Dani stuck her tongue at me. “So sue us.”

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I actually like writing Dani here. She's going to be my favorite character from now on, that sounds good.

I changed the genre of this story from General Fiction to ChickLit and I must say that I am beyond ecstatic when I saw Sugar Rush reached #42 in ChickLit and #235 in Romance! Thank you!

Don't forget to fan me, comment what you think down below, vote for the story, and share! Voting and commenting gives me more inspiration to write, but I write because I want to but a little appreaciation does no harm.