Over Again (Baker Boy Sequel) Book 3

Chapter 2

 Maedbh’s POV

He was back. What was he doing back? This is his town you idiot, I think to myself. But why did he have to come back to the bakery? I’d have thought he’d want to forget all about his past life. Especially after what I’d done to him… I’d often wondered if he ever found out the truth. That Luke and I hadn’t betrayed him. But if he had, he’d have called wouldn’t he? He’d have tried to get back in touch. I’d felt bad about dragging Luke into it with me, but it had been the only way and I didn’t regret it at all. It’s what he’d needed. And the group had gone on to be so successful. He’d probably forgotten all about me, about us. Yet… in the bakery… he’d seemed genuinely interested in what little of my life I’d told him. Don’t think like that, I tell myself. You know how he is. Flirting with everything that moves. Don’t fall back under his spell, it will spell disaster.  

“How was the rest of the shift?” Uncle Simon asks when I get back home. I shrug slightly, dropping my car keys on the counter before slipping into the stool at the kitchen island.

“It was fine.” I say. “Busy when fans discovered that’s where Harry was.”

“Music Man was there?” Caellum asks, perking to attention. Despite being two years older, and not having seen Harry since then, Caellum still idolized him. He’d followed their career so closely, voted for them every week during the X Factor and voted for them for every award.

“Yea, he’s home on break for a bit” Uncle Simon grins at Caellum, ruffling his hair. His face lights up and he looks at me eagerly.

“Is he going to come over?” he asks hopefully.

“No” I say, shaking my head, watching his face fall with disappointment.  “I’m sure he’s busy”

“But he used to come over all the time” he complains. “You did something to him didn’t you” he accuses.

“It’s a long story Cae” I sigh.

“No it’s not. You broke up with him. Now he hates us” he spits, stomping up the stairs to his room. I put my head in my hands, shaking my head.

“Don’t worry, he’s not mad at you. He’s just disappointed” Uncle Simon says, resting a hand on my back. “Besides, Harry certainly didn’t seem to hate you at work today.”

“Yea well…” I grumble. “He was just being polite. We haven’t talked in two years and I can guarantee it will be the last. We won’t see him around the bakery again.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure” he says, a hint of amusement in his voice as he begins to prepare dinner.

The next day, the bakery was even busier. One Direction fans were swarming the place to see where Harry had been less than 24 hours earlier. It was only 2 and we were already down to the very last of our items.

“Yes, right away” I say, grabbing the last of the scones from the display, plopping them in a bag and bringing up the price on the cash register. “That’ll be 3.50” I say.  As I drop the money in the register I’m already looking at the next person in line.

“Hi, how may I help you?”

“Go take a break” Mary says, coming up behind me. “You’ve been at it all day.” I breathe a sigh of relief, not even trying to protest as I let her take my place at the register. I make myself a cup of tea before going to the back room for a ten-minute break.

I hear a scream and I know instantly what must have happened.

“Mary” the low voice calls out, confirming my thoughts. I cringe, my lips tightening, hoping I won’t be heard and maybe he’d just go away.  “Yea sure,” he says and I assume he’s talking to a few of his high-pitched fans as their squeals echo throughout the shop. After about 20 minutes or so, I’m beginning to relax, thinking maybe he left, but my hopes are dashed as his head appears in the doorway. “Mary said I’d find you back here,” he says with a wide grin.