The Baker

Chapter 28

"I've been...wakin' up to love! Every morning, I've been wakin' up to love! I can hear alarm clocks ringing through the window, while the birds start singing!" 

Cassie and Jess have been dancing around and singing at the top of their lungs for the past hour and a half. They were super excited to be going home for Thanksgiving! They got Alice to look over the bakery for the next 4 days, which was a huge relief, and Cassie just got a very good phone call from her mom. Her dad got home from the hospital yesterday and he already looks like his same old self! He even talked to her on the phone, assuring her he would be alright. On top of all that, Ben would be coming home with her and she was ecstatic!

"Turn it, up!" Jess shouted, as the song "Come on Eileen" came on. They both continued to dance, while packing. Jess was already packed, as she did it last night before she came over to spend the night, so she was just helping her. Ben was at his place and would be over in a little bit to take them all to the airport.

As Cassie and Jess were being distracted by the fantastic song, Cassie glanced over at her phone to see it lighting up. She unlocked it and saw tons of text messages from Ben.

What do I bring??

I'm really stumped here, love. Can you call me?

Please call me.

I am nervous as hell!

Baby, please, I am really stuck here! Do I bring casual? Formal? In between? Will dinner be messy? Will your family think I'm too posh? CALL ME!

Just so you know, I am having a nervous breakdown and really need you to help me calm down. 

Why are you ignoring me? Are you mad? Did I do something? I know Jess is with you, I'll text her.

Just as she read that, Jess shouted over the music, "Your boyfriend keeps texting me to make you call him!" Cassie smile and rolled her eyes, then stepped out into the living room to call him. It rang once, before he answered, "Oh, thank God!" Cassie laughed, "Why didn't you just call?" "I didn't know if you would pick up. Anyways, I really do need your help here. What do people wear on Thanksgiving?" Cassie plopped down on the couch and said, "Well, usually nothing white. My dad and uncles just wear button up golf shirts or something." Ben sighed, "I don't have golf shirts!" Yeah, he was freaking out. "Ben, just wear your blue button up and a pair of jeans. No one really cares, I promise." Again, he sighed. "Alright. And what about for the next four days?" Cassie laughed in disbelief. "Just wear what you usually wear! Jeez, I don't even worry that much about clothes." She could hear him zip up his suitcase in the background. "I suppose I'm ready. Are you packed? Can I come over?" "Yes, you can come over," she told him. 

***

Five hours later, Jess, Ben, and Cassie were all sitting in the airport, waiting for their plane. Jess was already asleep, Cassie had her head on Ben's shoulder, and Ben was shaking his leg and biting his nails.  "Tell me again, who I'm meeting," he said to Cassie. She sighed and said, "Liam, my dad. Julianne, my mom. Leo, my older brother. Kelly, my fifteen-year-old sister. And then, Uncle Mark, Uncle Walt, Uncle Jim, Aunt Judy, Aunt Annette, and Aunt Janice. Then there's the cousins, Nicole, Natalie, and Lauren, all of whom are sisters. Kristina and Rebecca are sisters, too. Jeff and Karen are brother and sister. And that's it." Ben scoffed, "That's it?! How am I supposed to remember everyone?" To calm him down, Cassie brought him down for a tender kiss. He quick eased up and sighed contently into the kiss. When she pulled back, he let out a huge breath and said, "Just don't leave alone, please."

Ben was a little better once they boarded, but every once in a while, he would claim he was nervous in order to get a kiss. Cassie caught on pretty quickly. At one point, the stewardess told them "No PDA", which just encouraged them all the more. Jess was sleeping, so she couldn't complain. 

***

It was a long seven hours, but once Cassie stepped out into the fresh, California air, she didn't care. It was great to be home! Her, Ben, and Jess walked to get their luggage, and then went to the rental car place. The lines were crazy, but luckily, they were able to get one of the last cars. Cassie drove, as Ben didn't know where to go and Jess was, well, sleeping again. 

Ben started shaking his leg when they turned into a residential area. Cassie immediately noticed and started giggling. "You are so adorable," she told him. Ben scoffed, "Am not!" "Are to! You're a big ol' softie." Ben shook his head, then leaned over and said in her ear, "If I'm such a big softie, then how is it that I get you to scream my name every night?" That earned him a whack on the chest and her laughing, "Stop! Not now!" A few seconds later, they heard Jess groan, "Gross."

Cassie pulled up into a rather long driveway and parked the car. Jess was already out of the car when Cassie was just unbuckling her seat belt. She looked over at Ben and saw him clawing at his jeans and taking deep breaths. "Ben," she sighed. "This really is no different from when I met your parents." Ben looked at her and said, "No, you're right, it's not. Because it's actually a lot worse than you meeting my parents. Cassie, if they don't like me, it could change everything. What happens if I want to marry you and I ask your father for your hand, but he says "no" because I was a right arse today? Or I humiliate myself and become the laughing stalk, also making your family think I'm not capable of being a man? Or, even worse, they don't think I'm right for you?" 

Wow. This would need to be fixed with more than just a kiss. As a matter of fact, the only thing she could think of doing was just proving everything was going to be fine. 

Cassie opened the car door and got out without saying another word. Ben, who was now freaking out because he thought he might have upset her, got out quickly and jogged around the car to her. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry," he said quickly. Again, she didn't say anything, instead making herself busy by getting the luggage out of the car. Ben grabbed them from her and followed her lead up to the door with trembling legs. 

Right as she reached the door, she felt Ben take a hold of her wrist, and before she knew it, was turned around and had his soft cupid bow lips against hers. Ben had set the luggage down and cupped her face to make the kiss tighter. He barely grazed his tongue across her bottom lip when they both heard someone clear their throat. Ben quickly retreated and looked up to see a tall, well-built man, who looked had the same color eyes as Cassie's. He had brown hair and gave Ben a look that Cassie gives him when she wasn't happy. He begged this was one of her uncles that Cassie just-so happens to strongly resemble and not--

"Daddy!" 

Shit.