Falling for the Enemy (Falling in Love) (3 page)

“Why does it matter?” Putting hands on her hips, she stared between the two, waiting for an answer.

“Well, if you would like a tattoo, I’d be more than happy to make an appointment with you.”

She wrinkled her nose. “No, thanks.”

“Come on, one little tattoo
.”

Checking out the clock on the left wall she saw they had ten minutes before she needed to kick them out. “Can you order? I’ll be shutting soon.”

Trey stepped forward, pointing out what he wanted.

“What are you doing tonight?” Max asked.

“Max, stop it.” Trey took the food from her and gave her some money. She quickly rang up the purchases before handing Trey back his change.

“What are you doing tonight?” Max asked once again.

“Why?” She stared at the last man, wishing he’d stop hassling her. This was the first time he’d entered her bakery, and she hoped it was the last. Max was a pig, even more so than Trey and Dale. All three men had a reputation with the ladies. She listened to the women speak and wished more often than not that she could burn her ears off.

“Do you want to go for a drink with me?” Max smiled at her, obviously expecting her to be excited about
it.

“No.”

She shut him down, moving from behind the counter to go for the door. Their time was up, and she wanted to go home.

“No?”

“That’s right. I don’t want to go for a drink or to have anything to do with you.” Opening the door she pointed at each of them to leave. “Your time is up.”

“You’re seriously turning me down for a drink?”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you, so why would I want a drink? To reminisce on old times?” June chuckled. “It’s a good joke, but I don’t want a drink with you or anything else.”

“I didn’t order anything,” Max said. “I’m a willing, paying customer.”

“You’re a pain in the ass, and you were too busy trying to flirt to order. I want to go home.”

“Do you know how many women would jump at the chance to have a drink with me?” he asked, shouting at her.

“Lucky them. I’m not about to join that club.”

“I’ve got something interesting I can do with my tongue.”

Trey slapped Max over the head.

“I’m happy not to know.”

She closed the door behind them, waved and dropped the blind. Had she seriously just been asked out by Max?

No, she wasn’t even going to let herself think about it.

Chapter Three

“I can’t believe you just asked June out. Are you completely insane?” Trey asked. He was so angry, and all he wanted to do was hurt his friend. Max’s flirting really annoyed him.

“What? Am I the only one who sees the hottie she’s turned into? So she’s got a bit more meat on her than what women want today. I think she’s hot.” Max threw his arms wide cursing the female population. “I’m tired of fucking thin women. I want a woman I can hold on to.”

Trey followed his friends down the street toward the only bar in town. The Sexy Cowgirl was where the party was at on a Friday night, a lot of music, a lot of beer, and a lot of dancing. Most Fridays he left with a woman or two to take the edge off his weekend.

“In case you didn’t notice she shot me down.”

“She’s not going to go for you,” Dale said, finally joining in the conversation.

“And why not?”

“She looked ready to burst out laughing at your mere suggestion of going out. June wants nothing to do with you.”

Trey
was happy with that. Dale hadn’t shown any interest, and Max was shut down. Trey had a stack of respect for June, and it increased knowing she wasn’t easy.

You’re not one to talk.

Ever since he’d lost his virginity at sixteen, Trey had taken more than his fair share of women. He loved sex, but for a long time now, sex had lost its edge. Bringing a woman to orgasm was easy to him. They were putty in his hands, and they’d do everything he asked. Most of the women were happy to do as they were told. Not one of them took the lead with him, and he was tired of doing all the work.

Slinking his way to the bar, he ignored all the greetings from the women and ordered a beer.

“What’s gotten up your ass?” Max asked.

“Nothing. I’m just tired. It was a late night with the dolphin chick.”

The bartender, Joe, handed him an ice cold beer. Trey had given the other man a mean ass tattoo down the length of his arm, and the two had been cool ever since. Joe was a lot older than Trey and had kicked his ass once for hitting on Joe’s girl. After the ass kicking, Joe bought him a drink, thanking him for revealing what a skank the woman was.

It was a strange kind of friendship
, but Trey was thankful for it all the same.

“Had a busy day?” Joe asked.

“The busiest.”

“Hey, Joe, you heard anything about June Armstrong who runs the bakery?” Max asked.

Trey tensed.

“She’s Elliot’s daughter. You touch her, he’ll come after you
, and they won’t be able to recognize your body. That man loves his family more than anything. No one hurts his family.”

Joe left them alone.

“Fuck me, her father sounds like some kind of mafia boss.”

“He owns my building,” Trey said, sipping at the beer.

“Oh crap. I won’t do anything to compromise your career, man. I’m sorry.” Max slapped him on the back. They were his friends, the two men who had his back through high school and through life.

“No worries.” Trey took another swig of beer thinking about the smile on June’s face. She really had thought Max’s suggestion was funny.

“I’m going to get me a woman for the night,” Max said. “See you later.”

Spinning around in his chair,
Trey watched Max head into the throng of people.

“Are you okay?” Dale asked.

“I’m good. I’m always good.”

“You’re looking a little tense with Max.”

Letting out a sigh, Trey looked out at the dance floor seeing the happiness going on all around him. There was a time he’d be in the center of it all, fighting for his spot. When had his perspective on life changed? When did getting drunk and fucking every woman he met become a bore?

“I think I’m getting old.”

“Twenty-four is not old,” Dale said.

“No? Then why am I bored and fucking tired all the time? This is our life, Dale
, and I’m fucking sick of the same old crap all the time.”

It was the first time he’d open
ed up to anyone about his thoughts.

“Trey, we’ve been getting drunk and having sex every weekend since we were sixteen. That has been eight years now. It’s okay to get bored with it. To be honest I wanted to stay home tonight.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Trey asked.

“Because I’d be alone. I’d rather be here than at home all alone. How pathetic is that?”

He didn’t find it pathetic at all.

During the night several women wrapped their arms around his neck, kissing and touching him. For once, Trey wasn’t in the mood to take anything. Dale left first at around midnight. Max left with three women on his arm and a promise to see him Saturday.

At one, the bar closed, and Trey took a beer with him and went for a walk. He needed to clear his head. Something was completely off with how he was feeling.

Since graduation he didn’t have to think about June or how he’d bullied her through high school. Seeing her again had awoken all the guilt
, and the hunger still simmered deep inside him.

He wanted her badly.

Max was right. June was a hottie. He’d always thought so, and time had only enhanced her beauty.

Moving from classroom to classroom he remembered looking for her. She was the only girl in high school with dark black hair that was natural and not out of a bottle,
and she always walked with her head bowed down.

There were times he wanted to see her blue eyes
so he’d knock the books right out of her hands. He always felt like an ass, but at least he got a glimpse at her eyes. The worst was getting shit faced at prom, taking his date to a motel and fucking her. All the time he’d been fucking her, his thoughts were on June. She’d gone to prom, without a date, and she’d looked stunning.

The black full length dress she’d worn had molded to every curve. He’d spent most of the night rock hard
, his date thinking she was the cause of his aroused state.

Circling back to town, he kicked an empty beer can across the street heading toward his shop. The buzz of the alcohol was fading. He’d walked his way to being sober.

He saw the light shining in Just Another Slice. Stopping at the entrance to his shop he watched as June made her way around the bakery. She wore an apron, and from across the way he saw her face covered in flour.

Walking
toward the door, Trey knocked on the glass.

She jumped, looking at him.

Trey waved at her.

****

June looked at the window and saw Trey waving back at her. He looked rough through the glass. Heading toward the door, she unlocked it and opened the door.

“What do you want?” she asked, frowning.

“I was wondering what you’re doing up.”

“Are you drunk?”

“A little.” He smiled down at her. It gave him a dorky look.

“Then why are you here?” she asked, folding her arms.

“I thought I’d come and see you. Your light was on and everything.”

She stared at him, looking past his shoulder.

“I’m alone. No friends with me today. I’m alone.”

“What do you want?”

“How about I keep you company?” he asked.

Why would
he keep her company?

“If you’ve been drinking, where’s your woman? I’ve heard legends of how you take more than one woman at a time.”

Trey let out a sigh. “I’m ruined for all women.”

“Whatever. I’ve got work to do. You should go home and sleep it off.” She didn’t close the door. “Fine, you can stay for one hour
, but then you’ve got to leave. I’m not having you here all the time.”

She let him through. The stench of alcohol clung to him making her wince.

He followed her down to the back where the large industrial sized mixer was kneading her dough. Trey sat down on the spare seat she kept in the back.

“Are you always up this late?” he asked.

“Do you always spend your Saturdays walking around drunk?” She fired a question back at him.

“I’m an artist. I always have to clear my head. Speaking of artistry, would you like me to ink your beautiful skin
?”

Rolling her eyes, June ignored him.

“I see you ignoring me, June Armstrong.”

Considering he was drunk, he sounded pretty coherent to her.

She went through her morning routine, drinking coffee and transferring stuff from the oven through to the main shop.

“I get up
at four and start baking by four-thirty. It’s now five-thirty, and it’s time for you to go.”

“Answer me one question and I’ll leave you alone,” he said, standing up.

“Fine.” She headed for the door intent on getting him out of her shop as quickly as she could.

“Why don’t you want me to ink you?” he asked.

“Are you drunk?”

“No.”

“Out of everything you could ask me, you want to know why I don’t want you to ink me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t trust bullies. You’re a bully, Trey. I wouldn’t have you come near my body even if you were a doctor intent on saving my life. I’ve already got ink from someone else I trust. I don’t want or need you to ink me.”

She shoved him out of the door and locked it behind her.

Her heart was racing at her words. She wished she hadn’t spoken at all. When she was in the comfort and safety of the back of the shop, she pressed her head against the refrigerator. Why did he make her lose control of her emotions? She never held a grudge, but with Trey and his friends she couldn’t get past it.

It’s in the past. It’s in the past.

The weight hadn’t fallen off, but she was confident now in herself. She was more than happy with her life.

Going through the motions of the morning she tried to cut all other thought
s out of her mind. At seven Molly walked through with Luke and Sasha trailing behind her.

June smiled at the two and turned a questioning glance at Molly.

“My parents were up all night drinking and fighting. They can’t have them this morning. My babysitter has informed me that Saturday mornings are her mornings, and I’ve got no one else to look out for them. I’m on my own,” Molly said.

Kneeling down in front of the two kids
June smiled at each of them ruffling their hair in turn. “You two look tired. Would you like some toast with jam and if I can talk your mommy into it, maybe a cookie?”

Sasha wrapped her arms around her neck.
June really did adore these kids.

“You’re like the best boss ever,” Molly said.

June chuckled and headed toward the back, setting up a table for the two little devils. She sectioned off the bakery so they wouldn’t be a problem to their own safety. After getting each of them to promise not to scream or to move outside of the gate, June found Molly in the back.

“
Are you all right?” June asked, folding her arms under her breasts.

Molly’s eyes filled with tears. “No, I’m not okay.”

June saw how broken the other woman was. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“I don’t know. It’s going to be a hard couple of weeks. My parents are now refusing to look after them. I couldn’t tell you the truth in front of them. Mom called them bastards and said until I introduced them to their father, she wasn’t helping out anymore.” The tears started to fall.

June listened, keeping an eye on the shop door. From the spot she was standing she kept a good eye on the shop and the kids as well.

“The babysitter thing is the truth. The girl is seventeen with her whole life ahead of her. I knew what it was like at that age.” Molly looked up at the ceiling
, the tears falling down her face. “I thought I was over this.”

“They’re great kids, Molly. I don’t mind having them here.”

“It’s not that. No, I’m not going to say it. It’s selfish.”

“What? What is it?” June asked.

“Sometimes I feel I made a mistake. I mean, I love my babies, but getting knocked up at eighteen was never my intention. And it was the worst mistake of my life.” Molly dropped her face into her hands. “What kind of a mother thinks that?”

June walked toward her and hugged her. “I think a lot of young mothers think the same thing.
Being a parent is not easy.”

“How would you know?” Molly asked.

“I watch you, and I had another friend at college who was doing it. It’s not easy.” June smiled at her. “I admire you for doing what you do, and if you don’t want to talk about their dad, then don’t.”

“You’re the first person to ever say that,” Molly said.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m awesome.”

They both started laughing.

“How was your Friday night?” Molly asked, changing the subject.

June told her what she did, what book she read and the hot chocolate she had. Molly knew she was always awake early to start working in the bakery.
“Oh, Trey decided to stop by. He was drunk out of his face and all that. I don’t really know why he even bothered. The guy was one mean person back then.”