WE SHOULD STOP NOW

PART 17 - NO.6

CALEB

For most of the week I've ended up sleeping over at J's apartment, only going back to my mum's house for some clean clothes. One sleep over just turned out not to be enough for either of us and I swear to god I've never slept better in my life than I have this week. Most nights we've ended up lying in each other's arms just talking, laughing and kissing. Each morning, I wake up to the smell of wild jasmine and honey coloured hair in my face and Joanie's delicate body entangled in my arms and legs. Her small hands always finding themselves slid under my t.shirt and around my torso enjoying the feel of my skin just as I enjoy hers. I'm already thinking about tonight, wondering if she'll let me stay over again or if I need to go back to that cold mansion, counting down the hours before I can come back to work to see her again.

In all honesty, I just can't get enough of her.

It's nearly 11am and I'm watching my girl laughing and giggling with Coach Dean at my favourite window seat whilst I'm setting up some display trays and serving customers. Bruce is lying in the bay window next to them, his new favourite sun trap spot and even Joanie now admits that he's a pretty perfect dog who just wants love and affection. Useless fucking guard dog so far though, he's as dopey as a mop.

Coach Dean has asked me to do more assistant coaching and training for him as his old assistant left not long ago and he's yet to find a replacement. The hours work pretty perfectly as the bakery closes at 15.30 each day and he needs someone a few hours on an evening during the week and Sunday morning for an hour or two. To say I'm excited to get my foot back into teaching and do it with my old Coach is an understatement, he's even hinted that a full time job might be on the cards after Christmas if it goes well.

As much as I know Joanie likes me being around, I'm pretty sure I'd put her out of business if I stayed on here long term as all I seem to do is eat her cakes and distract her. Just the thought of how I like to distract her when she's trying to work makes me smile and I look back over to Joanie who's now making her way back over to the counter with a big grin on her face.

"Hey, did you have a good catch up?" I ask.

"Yeah, he's not changed at all has he?" She smiles back at me, before coming around the counter and taking off her apron to grab her coat, but I hook an arm around her waist and pull her into my arms for a quick kiss.

"Hey, hey, you kids are gonna make a grown man sick over here!" Coach Dean yells over making Joanie giggle and pull away whereas I just roll my eyes at him unimpressed with the interruption. What a cock blocker!

"You all set, you got everything you need?" I say to Joanie as I hand her the tupperware tub of cupcakes.

Joanie bites her lip nervously and nods her head. "Do you think they'll like the idea and go for it?"

"Yeah, they'd be mad not to. Bruce can't get enough of these doggy cakes. They're gonna be a hit for sure. I know you'll ace this." I smile at her proudly.

All week Joanie has been trialing out lots of different types of dog friendly muffins using Bruce as a more than willing taste taster. She even went as far as to call up a local vet to make sure the ingredients were healthy and nutritious for a dog. At the end of each month our town of Westcroft always runs a big artisan fair down the high street that Joanie has tried to get a stall on several times but her application with the committee always gets rejected as 'they've enough cakes stalls already'. What a bunch of pricks! So today Joanie's showcasing her doggy muffins in the hope to sway them, if she can win a stall slot it's a big deal as everyone who gets a slot always seems to see growth in their businesses. It would be a big boost to her bakery that she really needs.