“Tell me he’s that big, strapping guy we met the other day…” Eva questioned ecstatically, grabbing Mary’s hands with her own gloved ones and grinning. “Tell me he’s a big sweetheart that puts that jerk you were once married to, to shame!”
“He is,” Mary admitted, laughing as Eva let out a wild yelp of delight, dancing around again.
“I’m so happy for you!”
“I’m thrilled,” Mary confessed. “Jax is such a sweet man…”
“The dark-haired hottie that was always smiling? Oh yes, I thought he was super sweet!”
“Yeah,” she chuckled, feeling proud that Jax was hers. A ‘dark-haired hottie’wasn’t quite how she’d describe him, even if it was true. The term ‘soulmate’seemed to say so much more, encompassing everything she felt for him.
“Does he make you happy?” Eva asked simply.
“He’s so sweet and good to me,” Mary answered, smiling shyly at her boss and friend. “I never imagined meeting someone quite like him.”
“It was like that for Dylan and I,” Eva began. “He just kind of swept into my world, pushing and pushing, but there was something so wonderful about him that just reached me. I thought he was an arrogant jerk to start out with, but that was because he kept trying all these slimy moves… but when I got to know the real him?” Eva sighed softly, closing her eyes. “He was everything I wanted and didn’t know that I needed.”
“It’s the same for me,” Mary said emotionally. “I never thought I’d marry again – but I can’t imagine not being a part of Jax’s life.”
Eva nodded, opening her eyes and smiling.
“I’m so happy for you, sweetie… and I’m gonna tell that twerp of an ex-husband if he comes sniffing around that he’s no longer welcome here.”
“There’s no reason to poke the bear,” Mary cautioned.
“I’m sick of putting up with the ‘bear’– and my husband is itching to solve my problems for me.”
“Dylan?”
“Yeah, my husband knows that guy keeps sniffing around and Dylan doesn’t like anyone making his favorite bakery staff feel threatened or uncomfortable. Why do you think he’s been coming around more than normal? Remember, it’s not just you here - it’s me and Robin, too. We just need that creep to go away.”
“No, I know… and yeah, the faster he leaves us all alone? The better off we all are,” Mary agreed.
She didn’t have long to wait, either.
Around three o’clock, an hour before she was scheduled to get off of work, Joe came strolling into the bakery like he owned the place. That instinctive fear was there… but something else was budding inside of her too.
Confidence.
He sauntered forward, and Mary felt an almost sickening shame washing over her, realizing that Joe was never her type. He was predatory, had ensnared her, been mean to her, abused her, and she truly saw him for what he was – a little insecure man who was mean to people in order to make himself feel better.
“Hello,” she said politely, staying calm, cool, and collected, pretending in the back of her mind that Jax was there, his hand on the small of her back, supporting her.
“Well, you are certainly looking smug about som…” Joe didn’t even finish the words, as he leaned against the counter and froze midsentence. “What is that?”
“This?” she said easily, feeling herself smile. “It’s a wedding band. Surely you recognize what this is, right? Aren’t you happy for me?”
“I know what that is – what I don’t understand is why. If you were needing someone to care for you, all you had to do was say the word and I would have taken you back, despite your smart mouth.”
“See?” Mary felt her smile widen, picturing Jax’s grin as he was playing with her at the beach, telling her that he loved her, and holding her hand. “The beautiful thing is that when you are confident, secure in who you are, and realize that you don’t need someone to ‘take care of you’? That’s when you find a truly amazing guy… one who loves my smart mouth,” she chuckled, realizing it was true.
“You got married?” Joe questioned flatly, his hand reaching out to grab hers, and Mary smoothly pulled it away. She didn’t want him touching her – ever again.
“Sure did. Now, what can I get you today, sir?” she said politely, treating him like anyone else and not backing down.
“Who is he? Who’d you marry?”
“The big sexy guy that told you to back off that last time you were here…”