The Baker

Chapter 8

“Well, I must admit,” Adam said, sitting in Ben’s living room, drinking a beer, “you work fast, mate. It took me until the tenth date to ask Kate to be my girlfriend! It took you two!” Ben was hardly listening, as he was rushing around the house trying to clean everything up. He got so caught up in shopping for everything he needed, that he didn’t realize it was nearly four-thirty, by the time he got home. Adam wasn’t being any help, just drinking all his beer. “Do you think this looks all right?” Ben asked, completely ignoring Adams comment from a few seconds ago. Adam looked around and nodded in approval. “You never clean up this nicely for me,” he joked. Ben rolled his eyes and said, “That’s because I’m just trying to impress you…or seduce you.” Adam’s eyes widened. “You’re going to try and have sex tonight?” “Only if she wants to. I won’t imply anything really, I’ll just hope that my cooking turns her on. Pressuring a girl into sex is way beyond me, you know that.” “So, if she wanted to wait, let’s say, until your twelfth date, you wouldn’t mind?” Ben shrugged, “If that’s what makes her comfortable, then of course. Hell, if she wanted to wait until our wedding night, then so be it!” “Oh, so there’s a wedding possibility now, is there?” “Shut up. You know what I mean.” “I do know what you mean,” Adam smiled widely. “You’re fucking in love with her, aren't you?” Ben chose to ignore him and continued tidying up the house. “Oh my God,” Adam breathed. “You are! You’re in love with her! Oh, wait until I tell Kate!” Ben quickly spun around and pointed at Adam, saying sternly, “You will not because I’d like to tell Cassie on my own time and you and I both know that Kate can’t keep a secret to save her life.” The only words that came out of Adam’s mouth were, “You didn’t deny it.” Ben furrowed his eyebrows and said, “No, I didn’t, but I’m serious Adam.” “So you’re in love with her, then?” “What? Yes, I’m bloody in love with her! Now will you just promise me that you won’t tell Kate?” Adam just stood up and started walking to the door. “Adam,” Ben warned. Adam spun around and put his hands up in mock surrender, saying, “Alright, alight, I won’t tell! Just call me and tell me what goes on tonight, yeah?” Ben’s face softened and he nodded. Adam opened the door, while saying, “Good! And please…do not spare the dirty details!” Before Ben could throw something at him, he left.