I helped Frankie feel assured and comfortable on one of the most memorable days of her life. She sought me out and confided in me. I was honored once I got over being freaked out.
I sat on my stool and looked at the music for Damon Philips’s wedding. After Evander drafted a contract for me, I got the rest of the details squared away with Nicole and Damon and got half the money upfront. Most of my days leading up to the wedding were spent practicing so everything would be perfect.
I was an hour into plucking strings when Frankie emerged with a plate of warm bagels that smelled heavenly. I couldn’t smell, hear, or see anything besides Sunshine when I was in the zone. It wasn’t until I moved my hands away from her that all my senses rushed in again.
Frankie’s brown eyes were bright like stars against the night sky. “They came out so good!” She beamed, shoving the plate at me. I looked them over then smiled.
“They actually did. Wow, Frank. You’re carving out a niche for yourself.” My eyes drifted to the blue-purple speckled bagels on the right side of the plate. “Wait…Frankie, are those blueberry?”
“Yeah. I made some of them blueberry bagels.”
“I need all of those. You can leave them for me. Thanks.”
“Oh my god, no,” she laughed. “I want Daddy to taste one and I’ll pack some up for Mom.”
When she started for the kitchen again, I got up and followed her because well…bagels. She sat the plate of fresh, warm bagels on the island and I grabbed a blueberry one. They smelled heavenly and felt even better. My fingers pressed into the warm yeasty bread and I wondered what pastry chef was hiding inside Frankie.
“Here…” She handed me a knife to slice the bagel open and a dish with butter. When I sank my teeth into the bagel an involuntary happy groan left me. It was probably the best thing I’d ever tasted. I grabbed another small pat of butter and smeared it on, watching it turn to golden liquid as it soaked into the nooks and crannies.
Oh my god.
“Francesca,” I blurted with shut eyes. “I never call you by your full name but when you make shit like this, I can’t call you Frankie.”
“Oh my god, is it that good? Really, Xari?”
“Girl…yes. I’ll pay you to make me these for the week.” I looked at her and she blinked in disbelief.
“You’re serious?”
“Hell yeah. How much do you charge, Pastry Chef Francesca Freeman?” I winked and her grin widened.
“I don’t know. Ten dollars?”
“For how many?”
“Um, you want them for the week so…seven bagels?” She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me with worry scrawled all over her honey-brown face.
“That’s cool. I got you. I’ll Cashapp you ten dollars for seven blueberry bagels. Deal?”
“You seriously think they’re good enough to pay for?”
“Oh, absolutely. I only spend money on the best so that should tell you everything you need to know.”
“I know. I saw that Chanel bag in your closet. Is it new?”
“Navy borrowed it and she gave it back. I’ve had it for a few months.”
“So instead of paying me, can I borrow that bag?” She clasped her hands under her chin and batted her long lashes at me.
“No. Also, always take the money, Frankie. You can buy yourself a Chanel bag.” She nodded her head in response as if she were recording sage advice in her brain. “Oh my god. Listen to me. I sound old and like I don’t have a bunch of my own money problems.”
I was able to consolidate my credit card debt onto one card and I had my first payment next month. The Philips’s wedding couldn’t come through fast enough. I’d barely have any money after paying on my card and paying for my car. Thank god I didn’t have to pay rent or utilities. I’d be on my broke ass. Some progress was better than no progress though.
“Hey, I smell something wonderful down here.” Evander’s voice sounded from behind me. I spun around with a piece of blueberry bagel in my hand and tried not to let the smile burning to curve my lips, engulf my entire face.
Fuck, that man was fine.
He wore a deep navy suit, tailored only for his wide shoulders and sculpted arms. His brown leather wingtips didn’t even have a crease across the toe box. He probably took them straight from the box and slipped them on his feet.
“Look what I made, Daddy!” My heart squeezed at the happiness in her voice. Evander was her entire world and she never hid it.
Every time I saw her, I hated the fact that I was messing around with her father behind her back. I knew Evander and I were just…well, I didn’t know what we were but I knew we were temporary. There was no need to tell her about something that would never move beyond sex.
“Wow, Frankie, these are so good. You mind packing me one for later? I have a charity event tonight. I’m not going to eat enough. I already know it.”
“I’ll pack you two!” She buzzed around the kitchen wrapping up one plain bagel and one blueberry bagel and grabbing a paper bag to put them in.
She sat them on the island in front of Evander with pride shining in her eyes.
Ding dong. Ding dong.
“Oh, it’s Mom! I’ll answer the door.” Frankie ran off and Evander shot me a look that I knew meant to behave.
“I will, I will,” I sighed.
“You can hear my thoughts now. Don’t know how to feel about that.” He finished his bagel then walked over to me, pulling me against his solid frame. His warm rich smell wrapped around me and before I could inject logic into my thoughts, I pulled him down for a kiss.
I knew he would protest with Alexis and Frankie just in the foyer but he didn’t. He did the exact opposite of protest. He squeezed my ass in his big hands then slid them up my back then down.
“What time do you have to leave?” I asked, trying to find my breath after pulling away from the fire crackling between us.
“I don’t know…might be running late with the way you’re looking right now.” He tucked his bottom lip between his teeth and I stepped back more, trying to put space and air between us before I combusted.
“Why aren’t you ever dressed when I pick you up, Frankie?” Alexis’s voice reached my ears before her face reached my eyes and I didn’t know if I should be thankful for that or not. Both were equally annoying.
When she swayed her obviously fuller hips into the kitchen, she looked me up and down and rolled her eyes. “Nanny, isn’t it your job to have my daughter ready to go?”
“Yeah, absolutely…if she was five years old. She’s twelve. She knows how to get herself ready. She was just having a moment this morning because…” Frankie shot me a death glare and shook her head slightly.
My lashes fluttered and I plastered a fake smile on my face. “She wasn’t feeling well.”
“Is she sick?” Alexis’s eyes were as wide as her injections would allow. It was the first time I’d seen concern on her face.
“I’m fine, Mom. Just a little cold or something. Anyway, I made bagels from scratch. By myself.” Frankie was about to pop she was so full of sunshiny pride.
“Oh, okay. That’s nice. Is that what you’re wearing? I wanted to take you to a play.”