The Fire We Make

chapter twenty five

That night I couldn't sleep. My mind was all over the place. The events that have been occurring the past week had my head spinning. It appeared as if I couldn't get a break. But I knew what would help put my mind at ease: baking.

I rolled over on my side and saw my alarm clock flash the numbers 6:25 AM. Perfect. No one would be inside of the bakery. People usually started to come in around 8 AM on Sundays. This gave me at least 2 solid hours to myself. Though it was my day off, I didn't want to be home and be suffocated with my thoughts. I also didn't want to have another awkward conversation with Brayden. I think we both needed some time apart, so we can cool down and get our heads on straight.

I changed into a plain black t-shirt and some leggings. I swept my hair messily into a low bun and obtained my apron from a mess that has been accumulating on the floor. I also obtained the key Ms. Molly gave me to the bakery. I got my own set of keys after I was promoted to manager so I could open up and close the shop at my own convenience.

I jogged down the stairs and put my stuff on the counter and began to make myself some coffee. Though I was feeling energized right now, I knew I would soon feel the effects of the lack of sleep soon. While my coffee was finishing brewing, I wrote a quick note letting Brayden know where I was so he wouldn't worry. I stuck the note on the fridge with a magnet and poured my coffee into a travel mug before adding some coffee cream. As I was juggling all the things in my hands and locking the front door, I saw Kaiden's truck pull into the driveway.

I huffed a few loose pieces of hair away from my face. Great, just what I needed. More drama.

The sun was just starting to rise. I squinted as the light blinded me. I looked away and walked to my car, placing my mug in the coaster. I put the rest of my stuff in the driver seat but kept the door open so Kaiden would get the hint and try not to stay too long. He hopped out of his truck, wearing his work uniform. His sleeves were folded just above his elbows and his tattoos were on full display. I took a deep breath and tried to tear my eyes away from them and towards his face, but this was an even bigger mistake. His green eyes shined vividly in the sunrise, making him appear angelic. I never noticed how vibrant his eyes were; they were a shade of green that made me think of memories of rolling down hills in the spring as a child. Kaiden's face was clean-shaven as always and his hair was combed back neatly. Despite his overall put-together appearance, there were slight bags underneath his eyes and I wondered if he was having difficulty sleeping at night or he was just working himself too hard.

Kaiden drew in a long breath before he began speaking. "It's nice to see you're actually alive."

His voice was raspy and low, and I concluded he was sleep-deprived. He crossed his arms over his chest, making his muscles bulge more. I watched as he rested his body on the hood of his truck, wondering what my response would be. His truck's headlines were still on and it cast a spotlight on me as he waited for my response.

"I know I've been ghosting you," I pointed out, tucking a piece of hair that slipped from out of my bun behind my ear. "But things have been so busy lately. A lot... a lot has happened. It's also given me some time to think about a lot of stuff... stuff about us."

I sighed and played around with the keys dangling in my hands.

"I thought I could handle this, but I think we should put the brakes on us," I proceeded, gradually looking up to meet his eyes. Kaiden scowled and unfolded his arms. He stood up straight, no longer using his truck as support to stand.

"Put the brakes on what exactly? We've hardly done anything," Kaiden harshly responded.

"Which should make this much easier," I replied in a low whisper. Kaiden shook his head in disbelief.