7

“Rose.” My shoulder receives a tap. 

"Leave now. I am asleep. I reach out and shoo the noise away. 

"We have to move on." 

“Ugh. You've started to disturb me in my dreams, too. Can I ever get a break? 

I instantly stand up when I hear a deep chuckle in my ear. My fuzzy vision clears, revealing Edwards standing next to my desk and flashing the smallest smile imaginable. 

"We're late," He extends his hand and removes a sticky note from my forehead. 

“Late? For what? I rasp. 

The cake sampling. 

“Oh no!” On shaky legs, I stand. When was it last? My purse is in the bottom drawer, which I open. My swollen toes protest, but I quickly slam on my heels.

“Ten.” 

“Ten?! We were meant to be there at nine!" 

He sighs. I called and let them know we would be running late. 

I shiver. Have you called? 

I needed two seconds. 

Why not simply awaken me? 

Silence. 

"How much time have I been sleeping?" 

"2 hours." 

"Four hours!" 

Oh no. the changes. I'm so sorry, Edwards. 

He extends his hand. Just send them in the morning tomorrow. 

My mouth opens wide. "I didn't intend to nod off—" 

Drop it. 

“But—” 

Do you want me to become enraged? Now, his voice comes off as much more agitated. 

“Honestly? Yes.” 

"I'm not a complete scumbag. I realize you've got a lot going on," he retorts. 

Stop it. 

“What?” 

"Stop being so...comprehensive. I'm uncomfortable about it. Edwards who is agitated, I can deal with. 

"Stop being so...comprehensive. I'm uncomfortable about it. Edwards who is agitated, I can deal with. A pleasant Edwards who doesn't mind if I doze off and miss deadlines? I get crippling anxiety from that kind of unpredictability. 

His teeth twitch. Let's leave. I'm too busy to watch your shit. 

That response now makes me grin. “Ahh. The big, cranky man I know and like is there. 

"That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day." His tone gets softer. 

I'm not sure which is more perilous—his unspoken promise or the way the single sentence causes something in my stomach to flutter to life. 

 

I'm in paradise. I sigh and take a second deep breath. We are surrounded by a variety of scents, which is making my mouth water with anticipation. 

As Edwards walks into the dimly lit bakery behind me, a bell chimes. We are bathed in bright light as a blonde woman about my age emerges from a back door that has just swung open. “Welcome! I'm overjoyed that you succeeded. "I'm sorry for the delay." I shiver. 

"Oh, kindly! It's not at all a problem. Could you please take a seat over there while I get you some samples? She motions toward a small table with two candles before reentering the kitchen. 

"This is cozy, huh?" When I start to speak to break the awkward silence, soft romantic music begins to play through hidden speakers and silences me. 

For me, Edwards pulls one of the chairs out. Our conversation is fluid and has been repeated countless times. Something that I've egregiously neglected over the years, I realize. 

"I'm grateful," 

Under his firm grip, the wooden chair creaks. “For?” 

Doing that consistently. You're right, about my chair. I make mistakes with the words. 

He sits down across from me but says nothing. 

…And now that he does something nice, I remember why I stopped saying thank you in the first place. "Let's go!" The baker displays a platter filled with miniature cakes. "I'll let you two test everything out on your own. Feel free to call me if you need anything. She runs off once more. I scan the tray while my mouth starts to water. Do you have a favorite type of cake you'd like to try first? Whatever you want is acceptable. He takes out his phone and begins to browse his emails. 

“Seriously? Do you ever go home at night? 

“No.” 

"So why did you even bother to come here?" 

Still more silence. Every time I ask, he closes up, which I'm starting to detest. 

"So why did you even bother to come here?" Still more silence. He always shuts down when I ask a question that requires more than a simple one-sentence response, and I'm starting to hate that. Instead of retreating, I make a stronger effort. "You understand my opinion?" "I'm sure you're going to tell me no matter what I say," I said. I stomp on his chair's leg. It doesn't move a millimeter, but it makes him look back at my face. "I believe you were jealous and didn't want Ross to join me tonight." 

He laughs. "I have no cause to harbor resentment toward my brother." 

“Really? Absolutely no reason?" I dangle my missed call notification in my hand and raise an eyebrow in a mocking tone. 

“Really? absolutely no reason?" I dangle my missed call notification in his face and raise my brow in a mocking manner. “Nope.” Off the tray, he takes a miniature cake and stabs it with a spoon. “Great. Then allow me to FaceTime Ross so I can get his opinion on this matter. All you had to do was ask if you wanted to be our friends. My phone is taken right out of my hand by him. I've previously stated that I don't want to be your friend. His nervousness is visible in the twitch in his right eye. God, oh God. You definitely do!" 

"Stop speaking," 

But I am unable. Not now that I have access to this priceless piece of knowledge. Ross might not want to have you join our duo, But I am unable. "Ross might be reluctant to welcome you into our duo, but I'm sure he would be willing if—""Ross might be reluctant to welcome you into our duo, but I'm sure he would be willing if—" He rams a spoonful of cake into my open mouth, which causes my eyes to swell. I've finally figured out how to get you to stop talking. 

As I savor the tastiest dessert I've ever had, I glare at him. 

He drags the clean spoon past my lips while keeping his eyes fixed on them. "All I have to do is keep your mouth busy all the time," 

I proceed to choke politely.