Sugar, Spice & Secrets

39

I finally found a moment to steal away for a much-needed break. With a sigh of relief, I sank into the couch in the changing room.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly dialed Gabriele's number, my heart fluttering with anticipation at the thought of seeing him again. After a few rings, he answered, his voice smooth and velvety over the line.

"Julie," he greeted warmly, the sound of his voice sending a shiver of excitement down my spine.

"I promised I'd call," I bit my bottom lip. "Are you free now? I can bring the cupcakes now since I'm on break."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I held my breath, wondering if he would be available to meet me. Then, to my relief, he spoke again, his voice tinged with excitement.

"I'm actually just finishing up a meeting," he replied eagerly. "I would send my driver down now. Is that okay?

I couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at my lips at his words. "Yeah," I replied, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of seeing him again. "That sounds good."

With plans in place, I hung up the phone and quickly set to work packing the cupcakes I had promised to bring for him. As I carefully arranged them in a box, my mind wandered back to our morning together, the memory of his kiss still fresh in my mind.

"An errand?"

Startled by Avery's sudden appearance, I paused mid-motion, turning to see her leaning against the door, her head peaking out from the kitchen, watching as I packed the cupcakes. 

"Uh, yeah," I stammered, quickly regaining my composure as I flashed her a sheepish smile. "I'm going to deliver some cupcakes."

Avery's eyebrows shot up in surprise, her gaze flickering between me and the box of cupcakes on the counter. "Is it for Gabriele?" She asked, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Heat flooded my cheeks at her insinuation, and I quickly averted my gaze, pretending to focus on rearranging the cupcakes in the box. "Why would you think that?" I asked, my voice a little too forced.

With a knowing glint in her eyes, she stepped further into the room, her curiosity piqued by my evasive response. "The cupcakes are the ones you told me he likes," she echoed, pointing to the salted caramel chocolate cupcakes.

I could feel her scrutinizing gaze on me, and I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her scrutiny. "Gabriele's not the only one who eats them," I chuckled nervously.

"Oh,"

"You must really like him?" I asked, subtly trying to gauge the extent to which her feelings ran for him.

Avery's reaction was immediate, her cheeks flushing pink as she nodded hesitantly, her gaze dropping to the floor as if unable to meet my eyes. "Yeah," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I really like him. I guess it's pretty obvious, right?"

My heart sank at her words, a pang of guilt gnawing at the edges of my conscience as I realized the depth of her feelings for Gabriele.

"And I just don't understand," she sighed. "We had a really great time during the date. And even when we went up to the room–"

As Avery's voice trailed off, we were both interrupted by the arrival of a short man in a smart suit, his presence drawing our attention away from our conversation. With a sinking feeling in my chest, I couldn't help but wonder if he that Gabriele's driver.

"Miss Julie?" The man inquired, his voice polite but firm as he addressed me.

I glanced up, meeting his gaze with a sense of trepidation, unsure of what to expect. "Yes?" I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty.