Crudsickles.
And then I go about beating the crap out of my car. Again.
***
Nat and Lola open up at Safira while I make my way across the street to give the guys my breakfast delights.
I walk into the ‘chill out’ room and there’s nobody there. I try Nik’s office but it’s also empty. There are three doors at the opposite end of the hallway and I’m not sure why, but I hold onto my container full of donuts and tiptoe down to the other end of the hall like I’m a spy.
Cue mission impossible theme.
I walk passed the first two doors and find that the third door is actually an elevator. This must be how Ceecee gets up here.
I think out loud, “That is so cool!”
“What are you doing?”
I gasp, turn quickly and Ghost and I are nose to chest.
I scream at the top of my lungs for a good five seconds right in his face. When I’m done I clutch my heaving chest and shriek, “What is with you guys and scaring the crap out of me?!”
Ghost, still looking down at me and frowns, “Skittish little thing, aren’t ya?” He lifts his head back at the door behind him. “In there.”
I follow him into what looks to be a conference room. It has a long, large table in the middle with six seats on either side. There is a white board on the wall and a projector hooked up to the ceiling. Max, Nik, and Trick are sitting at the table looking at me smiling hard.
I’m immediately embarrassed for screeching like a banshee. I feel my face flush.
Max speaks up, “I thought I recognized that squeal.”
I bite my lip, scrunch my brows, and look at them through squinted eyes. I quietly apologize, “I’m sorry. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
Ghost sits down and states, “You were.”
Nik throws a pen at Ghost, shoots him a dirty look, and says, “She was not, bonehead.”
I walk over to Ghost, place the container in front of him, and open the lid just a little so the smell of sugar and cinnamon waft up to him. I speak in an overly bored tone, “Oh, that’s okay. I can take my cinnamon glazed donuts back to the Safira if you don’t want them.”
His eyes widen before he glares up at me and mutters, “You don’t fight fair.”
I smile brightly at him and stroke his hair, “Never said I would, honey.”
Trick is up and by my side in a jiffy and asks, “Wha- wha- what kind of donuts?”#p#分页标题#e#
Laughing, I open the container to show him the twelve cinnamon glazed donuts. He groans dramatically, hunches over and puts a hand on his knee as if to steady himself.
He straightens up and begs in a whisper, “I need one of those donuts.” He sounds like a junkie.
I hold out the container to him and he takes two straight away.
Greedy guts.
I know Ghost is dying for one; he keeps swallowing because he’s salivating. I walk over to the end of the table where there are clean plates, pick them up and place one in front of each of the guys. I put two donuts on each plate, apart from Trick’s. Then comes my favorite part; watching them enjoy.
They each take a bite and the room erupts in moans and groans.
I start giggling at their over enthusiasm.
Trick speaks around his donut, “They’re like little clouds of cinnamon goodness.”
Ghost moans in agreement.
Max looks up at me and says, “These are so freakin’ good. Why the heck didn’t you open a bakery?”
Nik finishes his first donut. He has glaze all over his lips and doesn’t even know.
He looks adorable and adds, “Yeah, Tina, you’ve got a real talent for baking. I know we’ve only tried the cupcakes and donuts but I’ve never tried anything so good in my life.” Nik looks at Max and threatens, “If you tell Mom I said that I’ll kick your ass.”
I’m a little uncomfortable with all the praise so I explain, “I love working at Safira. It’s my whole life. Every girl’s dream is to work at a clothing store. Don’t get me wrong, there was a time in my life when I was actually considering opening a bakery. But this,” I point to the donuts, “is all me. And when I bake for someone, I give them a little part of myself. It’s like giving someone a part of my heart every time.” I look up thoughtfully and shrug, “I don’t know if I like the idea of people buying pieces of me. They’re mine to give away when I feel like it. And that makes them special.”
All the guys have stopped eating and stare at me.
“That actually makes sense,” Nik says, his face soft.
I’m embarrassed and decide to cut my visit short.
I clear my throat and utter, “I need to get back so I’ll see you guys later.” I turn and leave without waiting for their goodbyes.