Rekindling Tradition

Chapter Eight: Cake Tasting and Lunch

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are purely fictional. If there are any similarities to real people or places, it is merely coincidental. The plot is written by me and not copied from any other writer.

********** Chapter Eight **********

It's official. I hate cake. Why is cake testing a thing? It's either you like the flavor, or you don't. I never knew how many flavors of cake existed out there. Like Strawberry Thyme, for example. Who decided strawberries and thyme mixed well? Gosh. I'm about sick to my stomach, and Hayden and Mikah are tasting away as if this is the most natural thing in the world. They're unbothered by the fact that they're picking out a cake flavor two weeks before the wedding. 

"I think I like the Earl Grey," Mikah announced after deliberating between the Earl Grey and a Chocolate Mousse. I exhale in relief. A wave of gratitude washes over me. If she needed to try any more flavors, I was going to empty my stomach contents on the floor. 

"Me too," Hayden agreed, smiling sweetly at Mikah. They were still disgustingly adorable after all these years. Even with all the changes in their lives, they were still the same. I envied Hayden for it. It was what I imagined for myself. My heart clenched at the thought of Rylee again. Fuck, she was popping up more these days. 

I found the watch she gave me in my drawer. It took me years to stop wearing it. Seeing it there made me wonder about whether she still wore my ring or was it discarded somewhere in boxes of her past life. I couldn't help but think about Rylee and me when I looked at Hayden and Mikah. Would we be married by now? How many kids would we have? Would Mikah and Rylee be pregnant at the same time, so our kids could be friends? Part of me envied Hayden for having Mikah and Hailee. I wanted to be a father and a husband. Most of my teammates were. I would sit quietly as they gushed about their kids and bragged about their wives. And I was just alone. 

"You think Rylee would like it?" Mikah looked to Hayden and me. Hayd gives me a pleading look. He's begging me to just go with it. Mikah was certain Rylee was going to be present for her wedding. It didn't help that Hayden and I had promised we would ensure her presence there no matter what. She even made sure the seamstress made a dress for her. Even the years didn't separate Mikah's love for Rylee. 

Mikah became a really successful accountant for a few businesses. Between her and Hayden, they were well off. Even after making a few friends, none was able to replace her friendship with Rylee. She clung to Hayden and me. Sometimes, I think Mikah loved Rylee more than I ever could. Where I gave up on finding her, Mikah was in full belief that she was going to return. 

"Of course, babe," Hayden said, pecking her lips. 

"Yeah, Mikah. Rylee would love it," I choked. Saying her name was like nails rubbing against my throat. Mikah smiled happily, before confirming with the assistant. I exhaled before hearing my phone ring. I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Twyla. 

"Hey, babe. How is the cake tasting?" Twyla asked, her voice chirper than usual. 

"It's pretty good. What's up?" I asked, shoving Hayden, who was rolling his eyes at me. He must have heard her voice or something. Mikah frowned. Her loyalty to Rylee was unparalleled. She hated Twyla, and anytime I mentioned her, she would huff or make some remark about how impatient I was. Impatient? I waited for four years for Rylee. I stayed single throughout my college years, hoping she would come back. When I went pro, I prayed she would show up. Even if she was going to ride my wave of success, I would have let her used me. I just wanted her so badly. 

But after I accomplished my dreams, she never showed up. So at the end of my rookie year, I gave up. I drowned myself in women, alcohol, and every hot event in the city. Then, I met Twyla. She was sexy. She was wild. She made me feel alive. So, I found myself clinging to her until she got a bit too crazy for my liking. But she was back, and I needed a safe space while I dive into this ghost hunt for the woman who broke my heart. 

"I'm shopping. How about I make us reservations at Le Blanc and then after dinner and some wine, I let you do that thing you like," Her voice got lower as she spoke. I got a slight hard-on thinking about it. I tried not to lose my composure in front of my friends, but Twyla has a way of ruining me. 

"Sounds amazing," I reply, not trying to give away too much of our conversation. She sends a few kisses through the phone before we hang up. Mikah and Hayden were walking across the room to pay for the cake. I quickly got up and followed them. 

"You got time for a quick lunch, O?" Hayden asked, his hands wrapped around his fiancee. Despite being around each other these past few months, we didn't get a chance to hang out as much as we liked. So a nice lunch with my two good friends sounded like the ideal way to release the tension we all felt. 

"Yeah," I replied, eager to spend time with them. Besides, I needed something to settle my stomach from eating all of that cake. 

We found ourselves in a new cafe in town. The three of us sat down and ate contently as we kept the conversation light. It was refreshing. Even Mikah seemed to relax with me. Things weren't the same between us since Rylee left. We never spoke about it, but we both acknowledge the slight difference in the way we handled each other. But it wasn't to the extremity that would make Hayden feel uncomfortable. We knew our roles, and we played them. 

Just as we were about to ask for the bill, Mikah got a call. She excused herself from the table since it was an unknown number, and she assumed it was a client. Hayden and I were left alone, and he didn't waste any seconds before coming at me about Twyla. 

"How long are you going to be stupid, O?" Hayden asked, throwing the napkin at me. I caught it and laughed at his antics. 

"What?!"

He went to hit me but pulled back, "You know exactly what I mean. Stop using that girl to get over Rylee."

I frowned, "I'm not."

Hayden sighs, "O, you've only ever loved one girl your entire life. You're incapable of loving another. It's Rylee for you. It's always been her. If you think you're done waiting, get some help. But fucking Twyla isn't going to solve shit."

"I like Twyla," I defend. It was true. I did. She made me forget, and I loved being around her. 

Hayden looked me straight in the eyes and asked, "You like her as a person? Or do you like the way she makes you feel? If you can't answer yes to both questions, you're wasting her time."

I frowned, "Can we just drop this? I'm sick of talking about her. She left and walked out of our lives. Why are we still idiots to believe she's going to come back?"

Hayden shrugs, "Because she's our friend. We have to trust that everything she did, she did for a reason."

Before I could respond, Mikah returns to the table. Her make-up is ruined by the tears streaming down her face. She's almost hysterical, small hiccups interrupting her cries. Hayden jumps up and coddles her. 

"What's wrong, babe?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. Mikah sobbed louder. Her cries were gaining the attention of other customers. Hayden cups her face and tries to soothe her. "Tell me what's wrong, babe." He pushes further.

Mikah exhales before responding, "She's back."

Hayden's face scrunches in confusion, "Who's back?"

Mikah hiccups, "Rylee. She's back." 

Hayden looks to me. The wind is knocked out of me. I feel like I got tackled by a monster truck. I can't move. I can't breathe. 

Rylee Scott is back.