out there?” Trina asked. “I’m ready to cut that cake so I can find out if it tastes as good as it looks.”
“I’ll join you in a minute,” Lorraine said. She squeezed her sister’s hand. “Thanks, Trina.”
“Thank you, ” her sister said, enveloping her in a hug. “My shower is absolutely perfect. I love you so much for doing all of this.”
Trina started for the door, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. She turned around. “You know it’s just a matter of time, right, Lorraine?”
“A matter of time before what?”
“Before you find someone who makes you as happy as Jackson makes me.” Trina winked, and then left the room.
“I may have already found him,” Lorraine whispered to herself.
Carter had given her a reason to smile, when she’d had so very little reason to do so in the past few years. He’d awakened her to what life could be like when you were not just going through the motions. She had been so afraid to live—afraid to breathe—in fear of making another mistake that could be detrimental to her family.
But she couldn’t go on like this for much longer. She was tired of her parents holding that indiscretion over her head. It had been five years. Yes, it had cost them all dearly, and could have cost so much more if the truth had ever come out, but when would it be enough? When would she ever be forgiven and allowed to live her own life?
Lorraine had a feeling that if it were up to her parents, she never would be allowed that luxury.
She was through with making up for that long-ago mistake.
For the next hour she continued to play the perfect hostess alongside her mother, making sure everyone enjoyed themselves. But the entire time Lorraine was mentally counting down the minutes until she could go to Carter. She needed to apologize for her mother. She refused to allow him to think that he wasn’t good enough for her, which was exactly what her mother was aiming for with the way she’d treated him.
Lorraine stayed just long enough to bade the final guests goodbye and give Trina the biggest hug she could; then she quickly left the Drake and walked the few blocks to Lillian’s.
When she entered the bakery, there was a woman behind the counter this time. She looked a few years younger than Lorraine.
“Welcome to Lillian’s,” she greeted. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Yes, I was hoping to speak to Carter.”
The woman’s brows spiked and her eyes sparkled with recognition. “You’re Lorraine Hawthorne-Hayes,” she said. “I recognize you from the magazine article in Chicago Today. I absolutely love the new chocolate diamonds you were modeling in the magazine.”
“Thank you,” Lorraine said, concealing a grimace. That magazine spread had been her father’s idea.
“I’m Monica Drayson, by the way, Carter’s cousin.”
“It is very nice to meet you, Monica. Is Carter here?” Lorraine asked, anxious to speak to him.
“Yes, he’s in the kitchen. I’ll get him.” Another person entered the store and Monica held up one finger. “As soon as I take care of this customer,” she said.
As she stood among the desserts in the bakery’s showroom, Lorraine had to physically stop herself from going into the kitchen and getting Carter herself. No more than three minutes had passed, but it seemed like an hour.
Monica finally returned her attention to Lorraine, saying, “Sorry about that. Let me get Carter.”
She left, and a minute later, returned to the showroom...without Carter.
Lorraine’s stomach plummeted. Was he going to refuse to see her?
The urge to strangle her mother nearly overwhelmed her, but then the door leading to the back portion of the building swung open and Carter walked out. He was dressed as he was before, but with the added devastating effect of an apron tied around his waist and a smidgen of flour on his cheek. He looked absolutely edible.
“Hello, Carter,” Lorraine said, her heart thumping.
“Hi.” He
“I’ll join you in a minute,” Lorraine said. She squeezed her sister’s hand. “Thanks, Trina.”
“Thank you, ” her sister said, enveloping her in a hug. “My shower is absolutely perfect. I love you so much for doing all of this.”
Trina started for the door, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. She turned around. “You know it’s just a matter of time, right, Lorraine?”
“A matter of time before what?”
“Before you find someone who makes you as happy as Jackson makes me.” Trina winked, and then left the room.
“I may have already found him,” Lorraine whispered to herself.
Carter had given her a reason to smile, when she’d had so very little reason to do so in the past few years. He’d awakened her to what life could be like when you were not just going through the motions. She had been so afraid to live—afraid to breathe—in fear of making another mistake that could be detrimental to her family.
But she couldn’t go on like this for much longer. She was tired of her parents holding that indiscretion over her head. It had been five years. Yes, it had cost them all dearly, and could have cost so much more if the truth had ever come out, but when would it be enough? When would she ever be forgiven and allowed to live her own life?
Lorraine had a feeling that if it were up to her parents, she never would be allowed that luxury.
She was through with making up for that long-ago mistake.
For the next hour she continued to play the perfect hostess alongside her mother, making sure everyone enjoyed themselves. But the entire time Lorraine was mentally counting down the minutes until she could go to Carter. She needed to apologize for her mother. She refused to allow him to think that he wasn’t good enough for her, which was exactly what her mother was aiming for with the way she’d treated him.
Lorraine stayed just long enough to bade the final guests goodbye and give Trina the biggest hug she could; then she quickly left the Drake and walked the few blocks to Lillian’s.
When she entered the bakery, there was a woman behind the counter this time. She looked a few years younger than Lorraine.
“Welcome to Lillian’s,” she greeted. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Yes, I was hoping to speak to Carter.”
The woman’s brows spiked and her eyes sparkled with recognition. “You’re Lorraine Hawthorne-Hayes,” she said. “I recognize you from the magazine article in Chicago Today. I absolutely love the new chocolate diamonds you were modeling in the magazine.”
“Thank you,” Lorraine said, concealing a grimace. That magazine spread had been her father’s idea.
“I’m Monica Drayson, by the way, Carter’s cousin.”
“It is very nice to meet you, Monica. Is Carter here?” Lorraine asked, anxious to speak to him.
“Yes, he’s in the kitchen. I’ll get him.” Another person entered the store and Monica held up one finger. “As soon as I take care of this customer,” she said.
As she stood among the desserts in the bakery’s showroom, Lorraine had to physically stop herself from going into the kitchen and getting Carter herself. No more than three minutes had passed, but it seemed like an hour.
Monica finally returned her attention to Lorraine, saying, “Sorry about that. Let me get Carter.”
She left, and a minute later, returned to the showroom...without Carter.
Lorraine’s stomach plummeted. Was he going to refuse to see her?
The urge to strangle her mother nearly overwhelmed her, but then the door leading to the back portion of the building swung open and Carter walked out. He was dressed as he was before, but with the added devastating effect of an apron tied around his waist and a smidgen of flour on his cheek. He looked absolutely edible.
“Hello, Carter,” Lorraine said, her heart thumping.
“Hi.” He
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