Wanting His Girl

Chapter | 2

Taking off the apron, Emily headed into the bathroom to wash the stray bits of icing and flour off her hands and arms and changing her shirt she headed to the front of the shop. Customers filled the sitting area and along with the sweet scent of vanilla, coffee filled the air. Finding on the lilac take away boxes she got a couple of Carla and Paul's favorite flavors from the display cabinet.

"Send Carla our love" Jodie took the box and put in a carry bag before pushing back a stray piece of black hair back behind the floral headband.

"I will. Call if you get stuck" Emily instructed, grabbing her purse and the cupcakes. Jodie had been one of her original employees three years ago when the shop first opened. She was also a couple of years older than Emily and more than capable of closing up. She wouldn't be doing it alone either as the other girls o knew how to close up too. She had enough in the cabinets to last until closing and grabbing the trays of coffee Sarah had made for her she waved them goodbye and headed back to the hospital.

"Oooh caramel" Paul greedily broke into the box and pulled out his cupcake as Emily took the chance to steal Anna from his arms.

"So how was work?" Carla asked casually, sipping the coffee that was welcomed after having the instant stuff the hospital provided.

"Work" Emily shrugged. Baking had been a hobby and when a friend of Greg's had come up with the idea to open her own cupcake store, Emily had agreed to go co-owner and run it all. Considering she spent the majority of her time travelling with her husband, she was very much the silent partner. "Jodie sends her love"

Passing the coffee to Paul, Carla looked at him expectantly only with his mouth full of cake he had to chew quickly before being able to speak.

"So you've known Jake long?" He managed to get out before taking a big gulp of coffee to help swallow the lump of icing stuck against the roof of his mouth.

"Jack. I guess a week?" Emily rolled her eyes, she had only been there ten minutes and already they were prying.

"How did you meet?" Carla asked curiously, licking the icing from her own cup cake.

"At the airport when I dropped Greg off. Guys come on, he is new in town and needs a friend" It wasn't the first time in her life when she wondered why she surrounded herself with such pessimistic people. They could only see the worse of things before the good.

"Does he know you're engaged?" Paul asked, earning a glare from Emily as she rocked his daughter by the window. "I take that as a yes. I saw him looking at you Em, not all guys can just be friends" He warned.

"What he means is, be careful Emmy. You attract people like stray animals; they get what they want from you and move on. We don't know this guy and just want to protect you" It was true though, her friend was too nice to people and refused to see their flaws. At least since being engaged she had started to wake up to the fact her fiancé was an asshole but it wasn't there place to interfere. They would do what they could and be there when she needed them.

"He isn't a stray animal. He works for a bank or something and is originally from London. He came from Sydney and will be here for six months for work. He knows no one other than his boss and his Aunty who is living with. Trust my judgment ok?" As if sensing her growing tension, Anna began to cry in her arms and she quickly passed her over to her Mum as the nurse came in.

"I'll see you guys later, call if you need anything" She kissed Anna on the head as she continued to scream and hugged Paul briefly. Waiting at the elevator Paul stopped her, frowning as he saw she was upset.

"I'm sorry Em, you know we love you" Sighing she was quick to forgive, it was stupid to get so worked up over but just once she'd like her friends to be on the same page. Just because they were a few years older than her, they didn't need to baby her. She had parents for that.