Every Rose has a Thorne (last chapter being redrafted & all editing being done)

Chapter 8

I did not want to get up the next morning, the last 2 days had gone past like a blur. Married a man who doesn't love me, almost raped, saved by the husband, kissed by the husband and then kinky sex dreams about the husband all while the husband was hiding the fact that he had an ex-fiance. A beautiful, storybook kind of beauty, ex-fiance. What was going on with my, my hormones were out of whack. I checked the calendar wondering if I could expect Aunt Flo anytime soon. Nope, its not her making me so cranky.

 I climbed out of bed and decided to jump in the shower to wake up. 

Putting the coffee machine on I smelt the delicious aroma throughout my suite. I love caffiene, maybe a little too much. Knowing the work load I have today, I'm going to need coffee on a tap.

Opening my business after I was qualified was difficult, but I needed it and I don't regret that decision at all. I was tired of working day and night for someone else's benefit. Roxy's Bakery was a huge success. The community supports me, and I have a few out of towners requesting my cakes and tarts. I am lucky to be able to do something I love.

Pulling out the driveway of the Thorne estate, I was glad to be going back to some form of normality. Back to work, with my staff who were also close friends. I was looking forward to a 30th Birthday Cake I had to make today. I was planning on pulling out all the stops. 

I can just imagine what someone as corporate as Marco would think of my little homely business. Quite frankly I don't care, but lately I'm constantly wondering what his take would be on a lot of my daily life and decisions. 

As I got to my store, I saw one of my closets friends, Kim, already waiting for me. Kim was a magician with the savory side of the bakery. I stuck to the sweet and our balance of the two worked perfectly. We were constantly busy.

I jumped into all the cake orders, grateful for my baker who allowed me to concentrate of the decorations while she baked the most delicious cakes. I lost myself in my work. Remembering why I loved this so much. There was no pretense, the effort you put into the cake directly resulted in the quality of cake produced. The harder I worked, the more beautiful my creations. Why couldn't men be like this? There always had to be hidden agendas and mixed signals. 

Roxy, focus on the baking! Not on Marco!

I always tried to listen to my gut, and my gut was telling me to stop focusing on a man that will never be able to put me first and put in as much effort as I do.

I had worked so hard, I didn't even realize the time. I was about to ask Kim to put the closed sign up and lock the door, when I heard the bell of the door opening. I tried not to groan, hoping the customer was just popping in for a cupcake or a slice of tart. 

"Roxanne, do you make it a habit of not answering your cellphone?" looking up as soon as I recognized the voice, I could see Marco was not too impressed with me. Flip I had forgotten to take it off silent and had left it in my bag all day.

"Marco, I have been working all day. I have not had a chance to even look at my phone." grabbing my phone I noticed 17 missed calls from Marco and 5 from my sister. Oh no, now I was worried.

"Sorry Marco, but I need to urgently call my sister back." I started walking to the back office to call my sister when I felt Kim grab me and pull me into the kitchen.

"Is that the man you've had to marry to save the day?" Kim whispered with a big grin on her face. 

"Keep your hormones in check Kim, he is quite an obnoxious ass." I laughed back at her.

"Roxy, if I had access to that man on a daily basis I would be the happiest woman alive. He just screams hot kinky sex!" Kim blushed as she peeked out of the glass window to where Marco was waiting for me. Losing his patience as he paced up and down.