Sweet Dreams (The Bakery Romance Series Book 3) (4 page)

Sterling shook his head, dumping the burned confection into the garbage can, glad he still had plenty of time to start another batch of chocolate birthday cakes. “I fell asleep.”

Eddie shook his head, frowning. “Man, you need to learn to get yourself some sleep at night.” He pointed to the oven timer. “Why didn’t you just use the timer?”

Sterling shrugged, feeling foolish. “I forgot.”

“You forgot? Man, I’ve been working with you for close to a year now and I’ve never seen you forget anything when you’re in this kitchen.”

Sterling returned to the office and dropped back into his seat, his head suddenly hurting. He needed a few aspirins as he wondered how he’d make it through the day.

Chapter 5

Sterling eyed the display cases, the fragrant atmosphere again reminding him of his father’s death.

“Man, we racked up today!” Eddie whooped with joy. Closing out the register, he grinned, counting the pile of money. “Did you want me to make this deposit at the bank tomorrow?”

He nodded, again noting that they’d sold lots of pastries and cakes. The local paper had run an article about his father’s death. He’d been somewhat of an icon in Miami since he’d been running his bakery for years. Droves of people continued coming since his father had been buried a few days ago.

He pulled a plastic bag from a roll, carefully placed the leftover pastries into the sack. Sometimes he was able to sell day-old pastry at half-price. But tonight he’d be sending the leftover pastry over to the local soup kitchen to feed the homeless. If he didn’t already have plans, he would’ve served in the kitchen tonight.

Eddie locked up the money in a vinyl bag. “I’ll mop the floor.”

Sterling placed the last of the leftover pastries into the bag. He really needed to be alone right now. “Don’t worry about it, Eddie.” His voice came out sounding brusque, and Eddie’s bright smile faded.

He abandoned the plastic bag, clapped his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Don’t mind me. I’ve been upset since my dad died and I miss him.”

The youth sighed, and both males sat in the chairs facing the street. Sunlight streamed through the clean window, highlighting the bakery name in bold black letters. “I miss your dad, too. I still can’t believe he’s gone. He was good to me.”

He nodded, recalling the rapport that his father had shared with Eddie. He figured his dad enjoyed that Eddie had an unending enthusiasm about learning to make breads and sweet treats. His dad fed that enthusiasm by showing Eddie the ropes of the business. Eddie’s unending curiosity proved a welcome reservoir before his father’s untimely death.

He leaned back into his chair, folded his arms in front of him. “Yeah, things have been rough since Dad’s been gone.”

Eddie frowned. He eyed Sterling’s bruised cheek. “Yeah, things look like they’ve been rough for you. At least your bruise is going away. You never told me how you hurt your cheek in the first place.”

Somebody knocked on the locked bakery door. He glanced toward the entrance, spotting his brother Leon. He stood, beckoning to Eddie. “I think it’s time for you to go home.”

Eddie stared at their unexpected visitor. “Isn’t that your brother Louis?”

He shook his head. Eddie had never met Leon and it was easy for people to mistake the twins. “Nope, that’s Louis’s twin, Leon. I think he wants to talk to me in private…so, I think you’d better leave.”

Eddie blew air through his full lips, gathering his belongings. He again glanced at Leon’s sullen expression. “Is he the one that gave you the bruise on your cheek? Did you guys get into a fight or something?”

He glanced at Eddie, stunned that someone so young could easily figure out he was struggling with his relationship with Leon. He didn’t feel like airing his familial dirty laundry to the teenager. Eddie had enough problems of his own, too many, and he didn’t need to worry about Sterling’s sibling-rivalry mess. “Just leave, Eddie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Eddie opened the door, and exited the bakery, barely glancing at Leon as the man entered the room. Leon eyed the practically empty shelves, his stomach growling. “I’m glad I caught you before you left,” he mumbled.

He focused on his younger brother, wondering what to say. He took a deep breath. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

Leon plopped into a chair, folded his arms in front of his chest. His heart pounded as he silently prayed, wondering what he should say. He went into the back and returned with two child-sized cartons of milk and a straw. He set both items in front of Leon and then he went behind the counter. He pulled several large, peanut butter cookies from the display, placing them on a paper plate. He presented the cookies to his brother, and didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until that moment. “I know peanut butter’s your favorite. Why don’t you eat and then we can talk.”

Leon glared at the cookies. He tore the white paper wrapping off of the straw and pressed it into the milk. He ate a cookie, and relief washed over him when he saw a hint of a smile on his brother’s full lips. As he started another cookie, Sterling went into the back, and returned with a paper cup, setting the container in front of his brother. Leon tore open the second container of milk and poured it into the cup. He then dunked the cookie into the milk before eating it. He continued to dunk and eat cookies until they were all gone.

Sterling swallowed, trying to hide his nervousness. “I’d give you more to take home, but that’s all I’ve got left. If you want, I can make extra for you tomorrow.”

Leon shook his head, pushed the plate aside, the frown returning to his handsome features. “I didn’t come here for cookies.” He studied his brother’s face. “The bruise is still there?”

He winced, touched his jaw. “Yeah. I guess you were too drunk last night to notice.” Leon looked away, as if embarrassed. “You hit me pretty hard.” He recalled when they were younger, how he’d wrestle with the twins, and they fought, but he couldn’t recall the fights being as wicked and ugly as the one on the day of their father’s funeral.

Leon shook his head. “I was drinking.” He folded his arms in front of his chest, his eyebrows shooting upward in anger. “Dad just made me mad. Why’d he do that? Dad’s always loved you more than me and Louis.” He shook his head. “I just don’t get it. After mom died, he got even worse. You’d think Leon and I didn’t exist.”

He sighed. “Dad interacted with you guys.”

His lips hardened into a frown and he glared at his brother. “He didn’t treat us the same and you know it.”

He shrugged, tired of the whole situation…tired of everything. He just wanted to go home and sleep for a year. He blinked. He really needed to stay awake. He was supposed to join Adrian and her cousin for dinner later. He wondered if Adrian would mind if he canceled. “Leon, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about the way Dad treated you.”

“Humph. You and Dad are both Christians, but I’ll bet Jesus wouldn’t appreciate the way Dad treated his own sons.”

“Dad didn’t really treat you bad, Leon. He didn’t neglect or abuse you.”

Leon stood, knocking the chair on the floor. “But he didn’t LOVE us!”

He rushed over to his younger sibling. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true.” Hot tears ran down his brother’s cheeks and he just wanted him to feel better.

He clapped his hand on Leon’s shoulder and squeezed. He struggled to say the right words. “Leon, you and Louis are my little brothers and I care about both of you.” Sterling dropped his hand and wiped his wet eyes. He gave his brother a tissue, realizing Leon’s cheeks were wet with tears. “I wish Dad had treated us all the same, but he didn’t. I don’t know how to make it better.”

Leon glanced out the window. A couple strolled by, holding hands. He turned away, scrutinizing his brother. “There is a way you can make everything better.” He frowned, wondering what Leon was about to say. He picked up the chair, setting it upright, bracing himself for Leon’s words. “You can give me and Louis equal shares from the life insurance check.” 

His mouth dropped open. Before he could respond, Leon spoke again. “I know you don’t want to do that—”

He shook his head. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t. But I can’t agree to that right now. I need to think and pray about this—-”

“Pray? You don’t need prayer. You need to do what’s right. Dad was wrong and you can make everything better by giving me and Louis our share of the insurance money!”

“Ah, Leon.” He wondered if there was a reason why his dad made him the only beneficiary in the life insurance policy.

“I think you need to give Louis and me some of that money. Why don’t you want to share it with us? You’re being selfish.” He glared at Sterling, folding his arms in front of him, awaiting his answer.

Sterling sighed. He needed to be honest with Leon. “I need to figure out what Dad wants me to do with the money.”

Leon narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I’m wondering if he wants me to do something with the money.”

Leon threw his hands up in the air. “Like what?”

Sterling shook his head. “I don’t know. Dad always did things for a reason. I just need to figure it out before I take the check and split it.” He looked away from his brother, staring out the window, thinking about their father. “Let’s make a deal. Give me time to figure this out and then we’ll split the money.”

Leon shook his head. “No way. I don’t trust you. You’re going to take that money and spend it all on yourself. Besides, Dad left you this bakery.” He gestured around the room. “You’re all set. Louis and I have nothing.”

Sterling looked away. He forced himself to calm down, knowing that Leon was hurt and didn’t realize what he was saying. He lowered his voice. “Leon, when have I ever lied to you?”

“But Dad—”

He shook his head. “Leave Dad out of this for now. This is about you and me. Have I ever lied to you?”

Leon’s mouth dropped open, and he looked away, as if caught off-guard by the question. “No,” he whispered. He paused before speaking. “What did you want to do?”

“I need time to figure out what Dad wanted me to do. I’m not going to spend the money on myself or anybody else until I can figure this whole thing out.” He balled his hands into fists, the whole situation making him angry. “Maybe Dad wanted me to donate the money to the soup kitchen.”

Leon scoffed. “Do you really believe that? He would’ve told you if that’s what he wanted you to do.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Leon.”

“So, how long are you going to be figuring this out?” Leon spat.

“Give me a couple of months. I promise not to spend any of the money before then. If I can’t figure anything out, then I’ll split the money with you two evenly. Even if I find out that Dad really wants me to keep all of the money for myself, I’ll split between the three of us. Deal?”

Leon shook his head. “Dad hates me and Louis and that’s why he’s doing this. It shouldn’t take you long to figure that out. You don’t need a couple of months to think about it.”

While he continued struggling with his father’s motive, he didn’t feel right going against his father’s wishes right away. He shook the thought aside, focusing on his brother, changing the subject. “Did you go to work today?”

He shook his head. “I’m still on bereavement leave. I’m not scheduled to go back until the end of the week.”

“Well, why don’t you go home and get some rest.”

“Sterling, why don’t you just split the money when you get the check? I don’t want to wait.”

“I’ll think about it, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll do it.”

Leon turned to go. He opened the door, stopping. “I just wanted to apologize for…well . . . ” He shrugged. “For the way I acted on the day of the funeral. I shouldn’t have hit you.”

He clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Apology accepted.” He clapped his brother’s shoulder again, still wondering what he was going to do with the cash. As he watched his brother stroll down the sidewalk, he wondered why Leon was so desperate to get his hands on the money.

Chapter 6

Her first day on the job had turned out great. As the city bus rolled through the streets of Miami, Misty thought about her busy afternoon. Her boss, Carmen had taken her out to lunch to a famous Cuban restaurant downtown. It’d been nice to chat with her while they feasted on black beans and rice with roasted pork. One of her coworkers had informed her that Carmen was a tough but fair boss. She could live with that. This was her first professional job and she just wanted to make sure she excelled at her new position.

The bus stopped in front of an ice cream parlor and some young, beach-clad folks got on, their skin tanned. Their raucous laughter filled the noisy bus. Across from her, two older women occupied their seats, talking animatedly in Spanish. Misty forced herself to ignore her surroundings. She also pushed thoughts of work out of her mind as she focused on her phone, scrolling through her findings. Earlier, she’d researched most of the soup kitchens in Miami and had been flabbergasted. How was she going to volunteer at a soup kitchen when they didn’t have any spots for her? How ridiculous was that?

After visiting the websites for some soup kitchens, she’d discovered that they only took group volunteers. She needed to be a part of a Girl Scout Troop, a book club, or some other type of group in order to volunteer. After work, she’d been determined to call some of the places to plead her case, but, all she’d gotten was a polite voicemail. One kind woman answered one of her phone calls. “We always have more than enough volunteers, honey. But, one of our regulars is going to be out of town for the next week. Can you come day after tomorrow? We could use you for a week and see how things go from there.”

Well, at least it was a start. “Sure.” She made sure she had the correct address. Hopefully, the neighborhood wouldn’t be too bad. She could simply take the bus home after the soup kitchen closed for the night.

She sighed, stared at the sky scrapers and palm trees rushing past her window. Problem was, she really needed to volunteer for more than just scholarship hours. She’d always felt she’d made a difference in someone’s life when she offered them a meal. She closed her eyes as thoughts of making the endless sandwiches that they’d offered to the homeless back in Lehigh Acres rushed through her mind.

She needed to figure out how she’d continue volunteering once Jennifer was back in her care. Adrian hadn’t been very supportive of her quest for admittance into Juliette’s. Would her cousin be willing to babysit Jennifer while Misty volunteered in the soup kitchen? Well, if Adrian wasn’t willing to help her, then Misty figured she’d hire a babysitter. She’d find some way to make her situation work. She simply had no choice.

She again thought about Adrian’s advice. Was she being obtuse, putting all her eggs into one basket? Should she focus on some other schools while still pursuing Juliette’s? She leaned her cheek against the cool glass.
Lord, I really need your guidance now. Please help me.

*

Misty swiped the tears from her cheek as she clutched the phone. “I miss you, Jennifer.”

“Me too, Mommy. Are you coming home?”

Misty sniffed. Oh how she wished she could hold Jennifer in her arms! “I’ll come and get you as soon as I start my new job and after cousin Adrian gets a car. But until then, you need to stay with Grandma and behave yourself, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Baby.” She ended the call on her cell phone, slipping the instrument into the pocket of her blue jeans.

“I hear you crying in there. Cheer up. Your baby will be home soon.” Adrian’s voice floated from the kitchen, and Misty joined her cousin. She took a seat at the kitchen table. Scents of tomatoes and spices filled the air as Adrian fixed their spaghetti dinner with garlic bread. Misty had been in the house for two days now, and it was the first time she’d ever been separated from her daughter for so long. “Dinner will be ready in a minute.”

“Good, I’m hungry.” Misty spotted a bag of trash in the corner of the room. She got up from the table, wanting to do something useful. “I’m going to take the trash out.”

“Thanks.”

She grabbed the plastic bag of garbage, hoisted it up and exited the room. She pushed the back door open and stepped outside. Crickets chirped in the hot night air as she opened the trashcan, dumped the contents into the container and replaced the lid. Sniffing, she gazed at the palm trees surrounding the yard. A hot humid breeze blew, lifting the elongated leaves into the air. An orange tree blossomed in an adjoining yard and the sweet citrus scent fragranced the wind.

She focused on the bright stars dotting the jet black sky, enjoying God’s creation. “Lord, have I made the right choice?” She swiped her wet cheeks.

“No, you haven’t.”

Misty shrieked upon hearing the familiar voice in the shadows. Nate, her ex-boyfriend and Jennifer’s father, walked forward. His caramel brown skin glowed in the night light and his smile gleamed. “Hey, Baby,” he cooed.

She smelled alcohol on his breath. “Nate, what are you doing here? How did you find me?” The last thing she’d wanted was for Nate to visit her here.

“I went to visit Jennifer today—-”

She gasped. “You saw Jennifer?”

“Don’t be upset. Your mother was there the whole time. You know your mom wants us to get back together.”

“Ugh! I can’t get back together with you! I’m a Christian now and I don’t believe in—-”

“I know, I know.” He came closer, his steps faltering. “I’ve heard all this before, so give me a break. Your mama knows that I’m trying to get my life straight. I even went to church last week.”

Anger rippled within her. Would Nate attend church for the sole reason of winning her back? Misty closed her eyes, said a silent prayer to God for mercy. She swallowed, tried to find the courage to forgive Nate for all he’d done to her. “Look, Nate. I still don’t want to get back together with you. We’re through, finished. I’m here to get a fresh start on my life.” Vivid memories flooded her mind. She recalled the night she’d given birth to Jennifer. Nate was nowhere to be found. She’d gone through the difficult birth with her mother and her sisters by her side. Once he’d been found, Misty was already home from the hospital with their new daughter. “You abandoned me the night I gave birth to Jennifer.”

“Aw, you still tripping over that?”

“Nate, that was a big deal.”

“Well, Jennifer’s been born now and she’s fine.”

She stepped away from him. She really needed to get away from his alcoholic stench and rude attitude. If she stayed near him for much longer, there’s no telling what she would say. “Have you ever had a baby before? Do you know what it’s like to go through that, not knowing where the father is?”

He was silent for a few seconds, his full lips hardening into a frown. “Look, I’m sorry. But I know we can find our way back together again.” He lowered his voice. “You got my name tattooed on your neck. When you did that, you’d said that was a symbol of our undying love.”

Misty turned away, again regretting the mistakes from her past. Nate had coerced her into drinking with him one night. While inebriated, she’d gotten the tattoo on her neck. She regretted the decision every morning when she spotted the cursive scrawl when she looked at herself in the mirror. “I wouldn’t have done that if I’d been in my right state of mind.”

“Well, you’re in your right state of mind now. So, why don’t we talk a little bit about us?”

“No.”

“Don’t be telling me no. Your mama told me that you wanted to come here to put Jennifer in that fancy school with all those rich kids. Why you want to do something so stupid? The schools in Lehigh Acres aren’t good enough for you?”

He had to go and mention that? “You have a lot of nerve telling me I’m doing something stupid when you’re standing here, drunk, and acting foolish.” She turned around. She had to get away from him. She needed to get into the house, lock the door, and refuse to let him in. He grabbed her hand, pulling her toward his chest. “Let’s have a little talk.”

“No!”

“Is everything okay out here?” Sterling’s familiar voice was like a ripple of sunshine on a dark, cloudy day. He stepped from the shadows, his mouth set in a tense line.

“Sterling. Hi!” Her heart thudded at the interruption. She was so glad to see him that she wanted to kiss his cheek.

“Are you okay?”

Nate’s voice hardened. “Who’s this? Your new boyfriend?”

Misty said a silent prayer to reign in her temper. “He’s not my new anything. I think it’s time for you to leave, Nate.” She glanced at him as he stumbled. “Did you drive here like this?”

“Nope. My buddy Mike gave me a ride. He’s waiting for me in his car.”

“I think you need to listen to Misty and leave…now.” 

Before he took his exit, his dark eyes pierced into Misty’s. “I’ll be back. You can count on it.”

Nate stumbled toward the street. An engine roared to life and the car sped away. Misty’s racing heart thudded. “Who was that?” Sterling’s deep, soothing voice broke into her troublesome thoughts.

Misty sighed, leaning against the cool bricks of Adrian’s home. “That was Nate, my baby’s father.”

Sterling looked away, and Misty wondered what he was thinking. She squeezed her eyes shut, tried to calm herself down. She thought about the long romance she’d shared with Nate, and then she thought about her salvation. What would things have been like between her and Nate if he’d been a Christian? Would they have been married by now, raising Jennifer together?

What did the Lord want her to do? Did He want her to try and get Nate to see the error of his ways and accept Christ? Should she at least agree to see Nate on a platonic basis so that he could spend time with their daughter?

“Misty, are you okay out here?” Adrian stepped onto her back porch, her sightless eyes probing into the backyard.

“Everything is okay now, Adrian.” Misty stepped onto the porch and Sterling followed. “Nate paid me a surprise visit and Sterling just showed up.”

“Oh, good. I forgot to tell you that I’d asked Sterling to come by.” She stopped and greeted him and he mumbled a response. Adrian’s hand rested on the handle of her back screen door. “What was Nate doing here? Who told him where you were?”

Misty rolled her eyes, still wondering what Sterling thought about all of the drama that had just occurred. “Who do you think? My mother.”

Adrian groaned, re-entering her house. “Your mama…she gets on my nerves sometimes.”

Misty sighed, following Adrian inside. “Yeah, mine, too.”