Monica Murphy - Torn

I keep my expression blank. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Good answer. I just . . . I can’t stand to see the two of you suffer. I know she did wrong and you did wrong.” I never told him exactly what happened, only that Marina kept something very important from me as well. The both of us weren’t perfect in this situation. I probably overreacted, but I’ve been with some bat-shit-crazy women in the past who would’ve probably used a sex tape against me to get whatever they wanted.

Meaning I’ve dated some pretty awful women, women who weren’t worthy of cleaning Marina’s toilet, let alone be in the same league as her.

“You can’t keep this up,” Archer continues when I don’t say anything. “It’s killing you both. You’re a wreck without her. Throwing yourself into your work, fixing up her bakery as some sort of homage to her? I mean, what the hell are you doing?”

“I want to do this. For her, whether she appreciates it or not.”

“Right,” Archer deadpans. “You’re crazy.”

Slowly I nod, knowing I sound crazy, but I’m not changing my mind. “This bakery belongs to Marina. It’s hers, no questions. And if she doesn’t want it, then I fully plan on giving it to Gina. This place needs to stay in the Molina and Knight family. It belongs with them.”

A smile spreads across Archer’s face. “You do have a heart, don’t you?”

“Shut up.” I shove at his shoulder. “Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want it getting out.”

I miss her. My body, my mind, my heart, they all ache without Marina in my life. I refuse to go to her though. Not until I have something to show her. Something that will prove my love to her and let her know without a doubt that I will do anything, and I mean anything for her.

Like revamp her business. From the kitchen to the front end of the store, to the new computer and ordering systems that are going to be installed within the next few days, everything’s state of the art. Top notch.

My girl deserves the absolute best.

“You’re also a sap. You still plan on presenting the bakery to her, right?”

“As long as Ivy’s still bringing Marina to the grand reopening, then yeah. I’m doing it.” No one can say I didn’t go for it with this, now can they?

“She is. Ivy told me. Marina’s thrilled that Ivy’s pregnant,” Archer informs me.

“I bet,” I murmur, not sure what to think. Why does he tell me stuff like this? Only makes me miss her more.

And damn, do I miss her. It’s only been a few weeks but it feels like years. I miss her voice, her smile, the way she yells at me when I make her angry. The whispery little moans that escape her when I make her come. I miss her scent, the way she likes to cook my dinner, how she snuggles up against my back when we sleep together.

I miss everything about her. I want her back in my life.

Within the next two weeks, I’m hoping like crazy I can make it that happen.

Once and for all.

Two weeks later

Marina

“I DON’T WANT to go,” I moan, hiding my head beneath the pillows. It’s way too early for me to have to deal with this. Ever since Ivy’s become pregnant, she’s been on a tear. She turned into a total bossy little thing who has no problem pushing people into doing stuff they normally would never do.

“Tough shit.” Ivy yanks the sheet off me, making me shriek. Damn, the air is cold. Almost as cold and unfeeling as she is. “We’re going to this all-day spa and we’re going to love it, even if it kills us.”

That she’s forcing me to go to a spa shows how ridiculous I am. I’m the biggest baby ever. Since I shut down the bakery and café, I’ve become a total recluse, barely getting out of my pajamas, let alone going to see anyone. I’d rather wallow in my misery.

“I don’t want to be buffed and pampered,” I whimper as I slide out of bed, shuffling toward my bathroom. Ivy’s already dressed and looks adorable, her growing baby belly so cute everyone wants to touch it, which drives her nuts. She’s not a big fan of complete strangers touching her and asking when the baby is due. I’ve even witnessed her pretending she has no clue what they’re talking about.

That always freaks them out.

I force myself into the shower, perking up considerably once I stand beneath the hot spray of water for a solid ten minutes. I emerge from the bathroom a little over twenty minutes later to find the smell of coffee calling to me.

Dang. I should ask Ivy to move in with me.

We sip coffee and talk, Ivy telling me about Archer wanting to take her to Hawaii before the baby is born and how she really doesn’t want to go. I tell her she’s crazy, they need to savor all the alone time they can get before that baby comes and totally changes their lives.

Ivy agrees.

We’re finally on the road in Ivy’s car, ready to head to the spa resort when she turns toward St. Helena, a neutral expression on her face.

“Where are you going?” I ask her, my voice quiet, my thoughts a jumbled-up mess.

I miss Gage. My mom is thrilled we’re finished and wants to talk about what a jerk he is, but I told her any discussion about Gage is off limits. Dad leaves me alone because he knows I’m heartbroken and Mom gave him the same talk I gave her.

No talk of Gage in the house. Ever.

But I want to talk about Gage. How happy he made me. How passionate we were together, both in bed and out of it. He made me think, he made me want to achieve something. Anything. He made me strong.

And now I feel weak and lonely without him.

“I needed to pick up something first,” she says vaguely, waving her hand.

Huh. I don’t like where this is going. I remain calm, though, and notice the colorful bunches of balloons hanging in front of . . . the bakery.

A giant crowd of people are waiting outside, and I see my familiar chalkboard easel, the words GRAND REOPENING written in bold script across the front of it.

No way. I had no clue the bakery was being reopened. Gage sure did move fast.

And doesn’t that leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

Ivy drives by the bakery slowly, coming almost to a complete stop so I can see everything. God, she’s obvious. “I wonder what’s going on in there?” she asks innocently.

I don’t know how she can keep a straight face. “Gee, I don’t know, Ivy. Maybe we should go inside and see what’s going on.”

“That’s perfect!” She claps her hands together and then parks the car. She’s practically leading me by the hand toward the café, and my feet are dragging. I so don’t want to go in there. I don’t want to see the new owners, though I have my suspicions the only owner is Gage.

Still. I don’t want to deal with this. Deal with him.

Not only is the outside of the café and bakery overflowing with people waiting in line to get in, but the inside of the café is packed too. Somehow, the determined pregnant lady gets us inside and I’m immediately shocked by all the changes.

The entire interior has been repainted, and Gage ordered all new tables and chairs, giving the location a cleaner, simpler feel. A new glass case has been installed, as well as new countertops, and I can’t help but gape at everything, too stunned to study any of it for too long for fear it’ll up and disappear.

“The kitchen is revamped too,” Ivy says close to my ear so I can hear her. The chattering crowd is absolutely deafening. “You should go check it out. There’s all state-of-the-art appliances. Your aunt is in seventh heaven.”

“Wait a minute. Gina is working here?”

“How do you think they’re able to have the open house if they have no one here to bake all the goodies? Yes, she still works here. And she’s loving every minute of it, despite Archer wanting to steal her away. Not that I can talk about it.” She clamps her lips shut and does the universal sign for lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key. “Archer will kill me if he finds out I told you he’s desperate to take Gina.”

Yeah right. Like Archer would ever lay a hand on Ivy. “Take me to the kitchen,” I tell her, needing her with me so I won’t have to confront any of my fears—as in Gage—alone.

She escorts me back there, and the closer we get to that swinging door, the more heavily I lean on her. My heart is racing double time, my feet feeling like they have lead weights on top of them, and I stop just before we go through the door so I can look at her.

“There’s no spa day planned, is there?”

“This is it.” She throws her arms out, a silly smile on her face for a moment before it slowly starts to fade. “I hate nothing more than seeing my two favorite people in the entire world, besides the man I’m going to marry, so miserable without each other.”

I hang my head, breathing deep. I hate that we’re so miserable too.

“You two need to talk and listen to each other. He never meant to hurt you, Marina. I hope you’ve finally realized that.”

Slowly I nod, not wanting her to see me. I feel weak and blink back the tears that are threatening to spill.

Ivy moves in closer so she can whisper in my ear. “Let him spoil you. He’s so in love with you it’s disgusting. He would do anything to make you happy.” With a gentle shove, she pushes me through the swinging door, and I lose my footing, sending me nearly sprawling as I tumble inside the kitchen.

My gaze goes wide as I drink everything in. The layout is the same, but the appliances are all brand new. Big, gorgeous, stainless steel—and all top of the line.

That had to have cost a pretty penny.

“You like it?”