Sweet Dreams (The Bakery Romance Series Book 3) (7 page)

Adrian sighed and made herself comfortable on the bed. “The bakery is closed on Sundays and Sterling doesn’t mind doing this as a favor to me.”

Misty looked away, wondering if it was a good thing for Sterling to be driving her down to her mother’s house. She didn’t want to inconvenience him. “Adrian, I don’t know…”

“Don’t argue with me. You can sleep in the car. Imagine how excited Jennifer’s going to be when she sees you.”

She pulled herself out of bed, a sudden burst of excitement rushing through her when she thought about seeing her daughter again. She washed up and gathered her bag and keys before taking another dose of medicine.

She strolled into the kitchen and stopped. Sterling lounged at the table. He cradled a cup of coffee in his large brown hands, sipping the steaming brew. “Hi,” she breathed.

“Hi, Misty. I thought we could leave after I finished my coffee.”

She nodded. “That’s fine.” He sported a dark red collared shirt and denim shorts. He’d recently gotten a haircut and the scent of his cologne teased her nose. She eyed his muscular arms and calves. Goodness, this man was big. Big and kind…the thought of spending the day with him filled her mind. What would they talk about while driving to Lehigh Acres? He looked up and caught her staring. She looked away, ashamed that he’d noticed her looking at him.

Sterling finished his coffee and they finally made their trek to the rented car. The humid Florida heat sweltered around them. Sterling unlocked the car doors, wiping his brow. “It’s hot out here.” He rushed over to her side of the car and opened her door for her. Misty hesitated, studied him. Her heart skipped a beat. This was the first time a man had ever opened her car door for her. But, Sterling had taken her to work and urgent care the other day. Had he opened the door for her then? He probably had, but, she’d been so ill that she had not taken note of his kind gesture.

He gestured toward the open door. “What’s wrong? Are you upset about me taking you to your mom’s?” He actually looked worried, as if his actions would upset her. She needed to make sure her reaction didn’t make him feel uneasy. She wanted him to feel as comfortable as possible while they drove to her mom’s.

“Don’t pay me any attention. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” She got into the car and strapped her seatbelt. She continued to peer at him while he buckled his seatbelt. He no longer looked worried, and that was a relief.

When they were comfortably situated in the vehicle, he started the engine and fiddled with the GPS. “What’s your mother’s address?”

She recited the address and he entered the information. “You should rest while I’m driving.” He turned the radio on. “Do you have a favorite radio station?”

She shook her head. “Anything you want to play is fine.” She closed her eyes as the soulful sound of gospel swirled through the car, the harmonious voices of singers praising Jesus soothing her soul. She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until a gentle hand nudged her shoulder. “Misty, we’re here.”

She forced her eyes open. Tears slid down her cheeks when she spotted her mom’s familiar house. After getting out of the car, she rushed to the small white structure, receiving a sudden burst of energy. She swung the door open and scampered through the living room toward the sound of Jennifer’s chatter in the kitchen. She rushed into the room. Her mom and her daughter sat at the table. Jennifer sat in a booster seat, eating a cup of fruit cocktail. Her heart thudded as she ran to the table, swiping her daughter in a huge hug. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she kissed her daughter’s hair, enjoyed the wonderful scent of baby powder and lotion. She sniffed, running her fingers over Jennifer’s kinky hair.

“Mommy! You’re squeezing me too tight.”

“I’m sorry, baby. I missed you so much!” The nightly phone calls were a poor substitute to having her baby in her arms. She sniffed, setting her back into the chair.

Misty’s mother pulled her into her arms. “Hi, Honey.” 

She shared a hug with her mother and they sat at the table. “Where are Lisa and Kim?” She asked about her two older sisters.

Her mother rolled her eyes, as she got up from the table. She started a pot of coffee. “Where do you think? Both of them were gone all night last night with their boyfriends. They still haven’t come home.” She shook her head. “They both should be back later because I know they’ve got stuff around here to do before they go to work in the morning.”

Misty sighed. Her sisters’ behavior started to bother her after she’d accepted Christ, and she didn’t want to raise Jennifer in a house where her sisters were always bringing home different boyfriends and staying out all night.

Her mother’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Lisa’s only known this dude for two weeks and she’s already talking to him every day, staying at his house most of the weekend.” Her mother shook her head, as if saddened by the news. “Like usual, he’ll probably dump her before long. I just wish that I’d had a father around to raise you girls better—”

She placed her hand on her mother’s arm, halting the speech she’d grown tired of hearing over the years. “Mom, don’t. You did the best you could and we’re fine.”

Her mother went to the tap and poured herself a glass of water, gazing out the window. “Child, who is that cute young man walking up our driveway?”

“Oh, my goodness! I forgot about Sterling. He’s Adrian’s neighbor and he drove me over here.” Misty ran into the living room and met him at the door. “I’m sorry for just leaving you out there. I wanted to see Jennifer.”

He chuckled and touched her face. His dark eyes twinkled when he smiled at her. Her heart skittered and she backed away. His smile faltered. “That’s okay. I knew you were anxious to see your daughter.”

Her mom joined her at the front door. “Misty, aren’t you going to introduce me to your…your friend?”

“Mom, like I said, this is Sterling. He’s Adrian’s neighbor and he drove me over here since I wasn’t feeling well.”

Embarrassment filled Misty’s soul as her mother eyed Sterling from head to toe before shaking his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Ms. Stewart.”

They retreated to the kitchen and the room filled with awkward silence. Misty wondered why her mother seemed at a loss for words since she was always so talkative.

Jennifer shied behind Misty when she spotted Sterling.

He grinned, giving Jennifer a playful wink. “What’s your name?” Jennifer didn’t respond, continuing to stare.

He glanced around the spotless kitchen. “Where are your toys?” She remained silent but Sterling continued to smile, coaxing her to come forward. “I won’t bite.”

Soon, Jennifer chuckled and approached him. “I have a doll.”

“You do? Where is she?”

Jennifer ran out of the kitchen, soon returned with her small brown doll and a little white bottle. She shoved both items into his arms, giggling. “She wants lunch.”

Misty’s heart fluttered as he held the small doll and bottle in his brown, muscular arms, playing with her daughter. She blinked, wondering why the scene made her so emotional. She figured it was just lingering remnants of her illness. As Sterling continued to play with Jennifer, she wondered what it would be like to have him around to help her with Jennifer. He’d certainly be a better father-figure than Nate. She imagined both her and Jennifer spending more time with Sterling, bonding. She shook the thought away. She couldn’t allow herself to fantasize about something that would probably never happen. Her mother cleared her throat. “Misty, you should’ve told me you were bringing company. I would’ve cooked dinner.”

He shook his head. “That’s okay. Since we have a long drive back, I’d rather get on the road.”

Misty’s mother shook her head, studied him holding the doll. “I can’t send you guys back on the road until I’ve fed you.” She gestured toward the adjoining bedroom. “Misty, go in there and get my purse.”

Misty obeyed, returning with her mother’s worn black handbag. “I’ll give you some money and you and Sterling can run over to Willie’s Chicken Shack. Get a bucket of fried chicken and some rolls. I already have some potato salad in the fridge. Take your time showing him where it is. Maybe show him around the town a bit.” Misty accepted the money, frowning, wondering why her mother wanted her to show Sterling around Lehigh Acres. Wasn’t her mother glad to see her after all this time?

Sterling furrowed his brow, setting the doll aside. She wondered what he was thinking.

Pushing her thoughts away, she lifted Jennifer, kissing her cheek. “We’ll take Jennifer with us.”

Her mother shook her head before Misty could barely get the request out of her mouth. “No, leave Jennifer here.”

“Mom…”

“Look, Honey. You’ll be taking away my only granddaughter and I don’t know when I’ll be seeing her again. Since I don’t have a car I don’t know when I’ll be taking off to come down and visit you.”

Misty sighed. “Okay.”

“Are you going bye-bye again, Mommy?” asked Jennifer.

Misty touched her daughter’s smooth brown cheek. “Only for a little while. Mr. Sterling and I are going out to get some chicken. We’ll eat an early dinner and then you can go home with me and see cousin Adrian, okay?”

The girl nodded. “Okay.”

The two of them got into the car and drove around Lehigh Acres. She frowned, wondering about her mother’s weird behavior. “What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “Nothing…well, nothing major, anyway. My mom is acting funny.”

He turned a corner. “She didn’t seem too happy to see me.”

“She’s acting weird. I’m sorry about that. Usually, she’s glad to meet new people. You know, I almost got the impression that she wanted us to take a long time to get the chicken.”

She shook the weird feeling away, focusing on showing him around Lehigh Acres. She showed him her old high school and she even stopped through the junior college where she’d received her associate’s degree.

After they’d gotten the chicken from the Willie’s Chicken Shack, they returned to her mother’s home. He carried the bucket of chicken and she led the way to the front steps. She opened the door, anxious to eat their meal before taking Jennifer and returning home. She entered the living room and gasped.

“Hey, Baby.” Nate lounged on her mother’s couch, hugging Jennifer in his tattooed arms.

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you—” He noticed Sterling, his dark eyes lowering into slits. “What’s
he
doing here?”

“Nate, he drove me here.”

He put Jennifer aside, striding toward Sterling, lowering his voice. “Well, I don’t want this guy anywhere near my daughter.”

Jennifer opened her mouth, sobbing. Tears gushed down her fat brown cheeks and her eyes widened as she gazed at her angry father.

Misty grabbed Jennifer, holding her daughter in a tight, vise-like grip, kissing her salty tears. Her mouth quivered as she stared at her ex. “Now look what you’ve done.”

Misty silently prayed, still attempting to calm her daughter. She needed some Tylenol because she felt a headache coming. She sensed it was going to be one doozy of an afternoon.

Chapter 10

Misty kissed Jennifer’s tear-stained cheek. She hummed, rocking her sobbing daughter until she finally calmed down. Before they sat at the kitchen table, she glared at Nate. “Behave yourself while we eat. I don’t want Jennifer getting upset,” she hissed.

Misty sat at the kitchen table with her mother, Jennifer, Nate and Sterling. Jennifer still gazed at Nate, her dark eyes full of sadness. Her mother took the lead, serving everybody a plate of chicken, potato salad and rolls. Misty breathed deeply, willing her erratically beating heart to slow down. Misty stared at the greasy, golden fried chicken and creamy potato salad, losing her appetite. Nate glared at Sterling, but Sterling ignored him, continuing to eat his food while calmly talking to Jennifer. Misty could tell he was trying to get Jennifer into a good mood again.

“Don’t be talking to my daughter!” Nate’s voice sliced through the room like a hot knife, and Misty stood, her chair grating against the kitchen floor.

Sterling finally eyed Nate, frowning. “I was just—”

“I don’t care what you were doing. Don’t be talking—”

Misty grabbed Nate’s arm. Using all of her strength, she forced him from the kitchen. Seconds later, they entered her old bedroom. She slammed the door, struggled to control her anger. “What are you trying to do? I told you to behave yourself.” She lowered her voice, balling her shaky hands into fists.

“Aw, Misty.” His tone turned contrite as he attempted to pull her into a hug. She groaned. Nate always wanted to share a hug and kiss after an argument. She slipped away from his arms, plopping onto her bed. She grabbed the edge of her jade-colored bedspread, fisting the material, gritting her teeth. “Honey, don’t get mad.” He touched her arm. “You’re shaking.”

“Don’t touch me!”

Sterling’s voice bellowed from behind the closed door. “Misty, are you okay?” His deep voice sounded, sad, tired, and concerned. Misty suddenly felt sorry for poor Sterling. He’d been so nice to her over the last few days and he now had to endure Nate’s rude behavior.

“Ain’t nothing wrong with her!”

“Sterling, I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute, I promise.”

His footsteps faded down the hallway and Misty sighed with relief. Continuing to fist the bedspread, she stared at Nate. She didn’t know what else to say, and she figured if she remained silent, he would hurry up and share his thoughts. “What’s up with that big dude out there? Are you trying to let him take my place as Jennifer’s daddy?”

Misty rolled her eyes. “What kind of a question is that? I’ve been raising Jennifer alone since she’s been born. All you do is waltz in and visit whenever you feel like it. You can’t keep a job so you can’t help me take care of her.”

“It ain’t all about money.”

“I know, it’s not all about money, but Nate, your actions scare me. When you came to Adrian’s drunk, trying to force me to talk to you...I hate it when you act like that. I don’t want Jennifer to see you drunk out of your mind.”

His mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry.” He plopped onto the bed beside her, about to take her hand but she pulled her arm away. He flinched, but continued speaking, his voice softening. “Honey, I really miss you, and I don’t like that you moved to Miami without telling me. I miss Jennifer. You know I love her.”

Misty observed Nate, sensing he spoke the truth. She remained silent, waited for him to continue. “Look, I have a cousin who moved to Miami last year. He has his own place and he told me I could use his extra bedroom if I was serious about doing this.”

“Doing what?”

He took a deep breath. “I want to move to Miami.”

She gasped. “No!” Angry, she slammed her fist down on the end table. Was Nate determined to follow her wherever she moved?

“Dang, Misty. You don’t have to get so upset. Do you hate me that much?”

Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths.
Lord, help me.
Taking another deep breath, she swallowed her anger, realized she was over-reacting. “I’m sorry, Nate. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” Questions fluttered through her mind, so many questions that she didn’t know where to start. “Why do you want to move?”

“I want to be close to Jennifer.” He paused, as if gathering his thoughts. “And I want to be close to you,” he finished in a soft voice.

“Nate, we’re through.”

He shook his head, as if he didn’t want to hear the words tumbling from her mouth. “Baby, don’t say that. I’ve been thinking, you know we were together for a long time. We were together for years.” He opened the drawer on the old, scarred bedside table. He pulled out the framed professional photo they’d had taken together when she was pregnant with Jennifer. Misty had tossed the picture into the drawer the day she’d broken up with Nate. “Remember how happy we were on the day we took this picture?” His fingers grazed the glass frame.

Misty blinked, recalling the vivid memory. “I remember.”

“Honey, we can get past our problems and be together again. I want to straighten out my life.”

“How?”

“I want to move to Miami and find a job, a good job, and be the best father for Jennifer that I can be.”

Misty turned away, not sure if she believed him. He’d lied to her so many times she’d lost count. After thinking about his words for a little while, she voiced her thoughts. “Why do you want to do this now?”

“Huh?”

“Why do you want to suddenly make your life better?”

He shrugged, looking away. “I just do, okay?”

“No, it’s not okay. There’s something you’re not telling me and I want to know what it is.” When he remained silent, she voiced her thoughts. “I think you just want to move to Miami because you can’t stand the thought of my being away from you, able to make a better life for myself, being independent. I think it bothers you that I might, eventually, meet somebody else who could be a better father to Jennifer than you.”

“You think that big dude sitting in the kitchen can be a better father to Jennifer than me?” His voice turned low, heated, and his eyes narrowed to slits. “Let me tell you something. There ain’t no man alive who loves that girl more than I do.”

Misty stood, bringing an end to the conversation. “Nate, it’s getting late and I need to get going.”

He looked her up and down. “That’s all you’re going to say?”

Misty sighed, not sure what else she could say. She knew that Nate was prone to lying and until he made an effort to move, and actually showed up living in Miami, she doubted that she needed to give this conversation more thought. Jennifer’s high-pitched laugh carried down the hallway, and her heart fluttered with sudden joy, knowing Jennifer would soon be living with her again. “Yes, that’s all I have to say.”

“You don’t look so good.”

Taken by surprise by the sudden change in subject, she glanced down at the floor, scratching the back of her neck. “I’ve been sick.”

“What happened?”

She told him about her weekend illness, and mentioned how Sterling had helped her.

“Just because
he
helped you doesn’t make him a better man than me.”

She shook her head, walked toward the bedroom door. If she wasn’t more forceful about putting an end to their conversation then Nate would continue talking all evening. “This isn’t a contest. Sterling is my friend and he’s helped me a lot since I’ve moved. He’s Adrian’s neighbor and that’s all there is to it.” She opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

She walked down the short hall to the kitchen. Sterling played with Jennifer and when she entered, he glanced at her, an unasked question in his eyes. She tried to calm down before speaking. “I think we’d better get going. I have to get up early to go to work and drop Jennifer off at the daycare.” She mentally sighed with relief when Nate didn’t follow her into the kitchen.

“But, you didn’t eat any chicken,” her mother protested.

The sight of the golden fried chicken and creamy potato salad curdled her stomach. She squeezed the back of a chair, suddenly wanting to lie down and sleep. She was now glad that Sterling would drive them home.

“Misty, are you okay?” Sterling’s voice was full of concern.

“Yes, I just feel tired.”

Her mother glanced at both of them, and Misty figured her mother would be calling her within the next day or so, asking tons of questions about Sterling. Her mom packed up the leftover food for them to eat later. She also pulled Jennifer’s packed suitcase from the bedroom. After the car was loaded, and Jennifer was in her car seat, Sterling opened her door for her and Misty got into the vehicle. Her mother leaned over Misty’s open window. “Now, take care of my grandchild.”

Misty scoffed. “You know I will, Mom.”

Her mother offered Sterling a tight smile. “Thanks for driving Misty. I appreciate it.”

Sterling nodded, smiling warmly, “My pleasure.”

Once they had left Lehigh Acres and had pulled onto the main road, Misty soon heard Jennifer’s deep breathing from the backseat, signaling that she’d fallen asleep. Palm trees and wildflowers raced by in vivid green and yellow shades as they drove down the highway. Sterling didn’t play his music, and she wondered if he kept the car quiet because Jennifer was asleep, or, if he sensed that she needed some quiet after her troublesome conversation with Nate.

Deep embarrassment filled her soul. Nate had acted horrible, and she wouldn’t be surprised if Sterling never offered to help her again. Since darkness was falling, she was able to easily observe him without his knowing. He drove with confidence, and for some reason, she felt that he enjoyed taking her home today. He was so tall that she sometimes felt dwarfed while standing beside him. He was easily six feet tall and with his thick, muscled arms and trim waist, she wondered if he worked out regularly.

“Are you still tired?” The question popped out of Sterling’s mouth.

“A little.”

“You should go to sleep.”

She glanced out the window, suddenly curious about Sterling. She didn’t know very much about him. Curiosity sprung through her like a newly blossomed flower. “Have you always lived in Miami?”

He nodded, giving her a quick glance. “Yep, my whole life.”

She wondered about his family. When she’d visited his home after he’d helped her move, she’d noticed a picture on his coffee table. In the photo, Sterling looked to be about ten years old and he had his arms around two identical toddlers, obviously twins. She then recalled his father’s recent death. “You’d mentioned your dad recently died.”

He nodded. “Yes?”

“Well, I wondered about your mom. Do you see her very much? Does she live in Miami?”

He shook his head, frowning. “My mom died a long time ago.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “It happens. It was really hard on us when she died.”

So, both of his parents were dead, how sad. She mentioned the picture she’d spotted on his coffee table. “You have two younger brothers who are twins?”

He nodded, but kept silent.

“Do you see them very much? Do they live in Miami?”

“Yes, they live in Miami.”

She recalled that his face had been bruised when they first met. Adrian had mentioned something about his having an argument with his brother. She again wondered why Sterling’s brother would punch him in the face. How could she ask about something like that? Still curious, she repeated her question. “So, do you see them much?”

He glanced at her again, his mouth set in a hard line. “I see them some.” He switched lanes before speaking again, his voice hardening. “What was Nate saying to you back in the bedroom?”

The abrupt change in subject made Misty pause. Why didn’t he want to talk about his brothers?

Forcing herself to stay calm, she told him about her conversation with Nate.

“What? You’re kidding.” Sterling’s reaction boomed throughout the car, causing Jennifer to stir in her car seat. Misty glanced into the back, pleased when Jennifer didn’t wake up. “You told me he couldn’t keep a job. How’s he going to move and start working in Miami?”

Misty touched Sterling’s arm and tried to calm him down. “I’m not taking him seriously until he actually moves.” She explained that Nate didn’t always tell the truth.

“So, what’s the point in telling you that if he’s not going to do it? Did he tell you that just to upset you?”

“Probably.” Misty didn’t mention that Nate might feel threatened that someone else might take his place as Jennifer’s father.

He continued steering with one hand, patting her shoulder with the other. “Well, the last thing you need is to get upset over nothing.” He shook his head. “It’s terrible that he’d tell you something like that just to get you riled up.”

The low hum of the car motor lulled Misty, and she yawned, not wanting to talk about Nate any longer. “I’m going to sleep for the rest of the way.”

Later, when they pulled into Adrian’s driveway, Sterling cut the ignition. “Did you need me to carry Jennifer inside?”

“Do you mind?” Misty just wanted to get into bed and sleep. Plus, she needed Jennifer to be well rested for her first day at her new daycare.

He shook his head. “I don’t mind at all.”