Bake Me Out Tonight

Chapter 1

Griffin

Present Day

I've been in a terrible mood all week. It got worse on Thursday when I found out I was going to have to temporarily move out of my apartment because a surprise audit uncovered the owner had been embezzling funds for the complex for years. It led to an immediate takeover by the bank as the owner didn't have any kin to pass the building down to. We were given 2 weeks to get out.

The only silver lining was the fact that the apartment I found was closer to work than my current one. It wasn't as big, but it was something. They had an opening, and I used my name to get to the top of the list.

My father, Joseph Flynn, was the owner of Flynn Media, one of the top media outlets in the country. It was never a question of what I'd do in life. As the eldest son, I'd always known I'd take over my father's empire one day. Trained for it my whole life. Now that my dad was retiring, I thought it meant that day had finally come.

Maybe it was entitled of me to assume I'd get it because it's my family's business but according to the meeting they had Monday morning, they had two other candidates besides me, and they wanted to make it clear that there would be a fair chance for each of them. Regardless of the name I have, I deserve it the most. I've been working hard to prove myself as something other than just the boss' son.

I was already stressed out enough about the presentation I have to curate but now I'm a ball of high-strung energy not to mention incredibly grouchy.

I tell myself that the living situation is temporary. Just until I find a new place. I signed a six-month lease and, coincidentally, the presentation is right around that time. A series of interviews lead up to the presentation and then a max two-week waiting period before they announce the CEO decision.

I was leaving work early to meet the movers at the apartment. I didn't have many boxes, but I'll need help with the furniture. I plan to spend the weekend unpacking and settling in.

As I make my way to the parking garage my phone starts to vibrate with a call from my mother.

"Hi darling." She says in her light southern drawl. My mother is a southern woman through and through. It's all 'darlings, honeys, and sweethearts. Caroline Roberts grew up in Georgia and met my father their sophomore year of college. My mother says he fell in love with her accent on the first date. My father says he had no clue what she was saying but he thought she was breathtaking.

The story goes: They went on a few dates and mom said she wasn't interested in being in a relationship at the time. They didn't stay in touch. A couple of years after they both graduated, they ran into each other on a cruise and spent the two weeks together, catching up. They did long distance for a while, my mom teaching in Georgia and my dad trying to start his business in New York. Once the school year was over my mom moved to be with my dad and the rest is history.

They were sickeningly in love and had me and my younger identical twin sisters, Greer and Genevieve. It's all very textbook happily ever after.

"Hi mom. How are you doing?"

"Oh, just fine, thank you for asking. I wanted to check up on you because you're moving into your new place today." I get several 'check-up' calls a week.

"I'm doing okay. I'm leaving work now to meet the movers."

"That's wonderful dear. Although, I wish you had just stayed here and saved the money. You know you can always come back home."

"I just don't think it'll look good for me if someone at work finds out I'm living with you. With the promotion and everything going on." I say and it's true. I don't know if it'll affect the decision, but it'll definitely cause a tiff in the office. Rumors. Also, living with my parents as a grown man is not something I want to do.

"You're probably right. Well, I'll let you go. I'll see you at Sunday brunch. Maybe you'll finally bring a girl home?" She's been asking me to bring a girl home for years. It's not that I haven't wanted to but, I haven't found someone to bring home. I've had flings, I would take them to galas and other events. But nothing was ever serious, at least not for me. I see how in love my parents have always been and part of me wants that. I just don't know if it will ever happen.

"Not this time mom." I laugh into the phone.

We say our goodbyes and I pull up to the apartment shortly after. The movers are pulling in at the same time. After a quick greeting, I show them where the apartment is, and they get to work. I had put most of my stuff in storage being that this would be temporary, so they within the hour.

I went to get myself something to eat since I missed my lunch. I get to work unpacking once I'm done. The first thing I did was unpack my bedroom items, especially my work clothes. Next was the kitchen.

I'm halfway through the boxes when I hear shouting.

"OH. MY. GOD. Oh my god. OH MY GOD!!!!" A female voice yells.

Great, that must be my neighbor. I assume she's on the phone with a friend and choose to ignore it, go inside and shut the door, and it'll go away. But it doesn't.

"What the absolute fuck? Get the fuck out! GET OUT!" The same voice yells even louder. Now I don't ignore it because she could be in danger. I get up and open my front door, expecting to see someone holding a woman at gunpoint or something. I don't know. I don't even know what I plan on doing if she is in trouble. What I do see is the back of a woman, presumably the one doing all the shouting, as she stands in her doorway. She's small, easily a foot shorter than me. Long fiery waves fall down to the middle of her back. Her fists are balled up by her sides. I try not to stare at her ass but it's hard not to when she's wearing white athletic leggings that look like a second skin. Grocery bags surround her feet. I need to focus. Obviously she's yelling at someone inside her apartment. I take a step closer.

"Hey, is every-" I start to say but stop short when I see what the woman sees.

Two very naked people. A man and a woman. The woman scrambling for her clothes as the man by the kitchen island is completely exasperated. I avert my eyes from the man standing there, still sporting a hard on. Jesus Christ. At least the woman is trying to cloth herself. The dots start connecting. Two naked people and one coming in yelling at them. I don't think she's in danger and I might be crossing a line staying and listening in on her business, but I can't bring myself to go inside. He finally speaks.

"Come on J, let me explain."

"Explain what Ryan? That you fucked your coworker on my kitchen island? Yeah, I saw that." She says, still hasn't noticed me standing just a few feet from her. This is incredibly awkward, but I still can't leave. It's like a car crash; you just can't look away.

The man, Ryan I'm assuming, who is still naked starts to speak but she cuts him off again.

"For god's sake, Ryan, put your fucking clothes on and get out." She looks at the woman. "Lauren, get out of my apartment." She says so cooly it's a little scary. Lauren makes to leave but she stops her. "Everyone at the gym talks about how shitty of a personal trainer you are. Including your boss. And Ryan here," She gestures to the idiot. "Started the conversation." She turns to let Lauren leave and that's when she finally spots me. Her face comes into view.

She is beautiful. Big green eyes hide behind circle glasses, a perfect little nose, and she has round full lips. What kind of moron would cheat on this gorgeous woman. She looks so soft and delicate. The apples of her cheeks turn pink when she sees me. The anger on her face turned to shock then to embarrassment. I should probably stop staring.

"You heard most of that, didn't you?" She asks and I nod. I see her notice my open door; she probably sees the boxes. "Right. You're my new neighbor, aren't you?" I give another nod. "Of course, you are."