For the Love of Donuts

7. Just Friends

Tatum

The lovely associate turned out to be this creeper with shaggy black hair—which looked like the carpet in my parents’ living room—and a lingering eye.

And guess what? He wasn’t checking ME out.

I kind of wished that Skye did have an engagement ring.

Maybe then Neil would’ve kept his ogling to himself.

To clarify, I’m not jealous. Just annoyed.

Skye is my best friend. Of course, I’m going to be a little wary when it comes to fresh guys.

Especially when she doesn’t seem to notice what’s going on.

Oh, and then the guy offered to walk out with us so he could put the box into the car.

I crushed that dream of his real quick by assuring him I was MORE than capable of handling it. I doubt his spaghetti arms would’ve been able to lift the box anyway.

After that, he had the nerve to tell Skye about taking the store’s online survey and to mention his name. I’m tempted to take the stupid survey, but only to call him out for being borderline inappropriate.

“Tatester,” Skye says, using the reserved nickname to annoy me as she pokes my arm, “are you coming in with me to get the donuts?”

The donuts. Skye is hoping to soften the blow of our “engagement” to Dria with a dozen donuts. No amount of donuts is going to make this whole thing seem less insane though.

Skye and her sister might be alike in a lot of ways, but Dria is more level-headed than Skye.

Maybe it’s an older sibling thing?

I wouldn’t know since I’m an only child, but that’s what my guess is.

“Yeah, I’ll come in,” I tell her, unbuckling my seatbelt. “Someone’s gotta keep you company in the waiting line.”

Because there will be a line. The parking lot is almost completely slammed, and it’s the weekend. Everyone and their mamas want Dovell Donuts.

“Do you think the twins will like the unicorn?” Skye asks as we walk toward the donut shop. “Of course, they will. And they’re pretty good about sharing, right? I would’ve gotten two of them, but that thing was pretty pricey. Plus, I still need to dish out some moola for a ring. Zoya will never buy into this if I don’t have a decent-looking engagement ring.”

Not to mention that a really cheap ring is going to make me look bad…

I know it’s all fake, but still.

Once we’re inside the building, pop music is playing in the background, but it’s hard to hear it over everyone chatting. And laughing. And crying.

The crying is a wonderful addition coming from a certain little girl who has her whole body splayed against one of the donut display cases.

“ My people ,” Skye croons, hugging herself for whatever reason. “Look at how happy all my fellow donut-fanatics are.”

I guess she missed the sobbing child somehow?

Unfortunately, all the donut-printed vinyl chairs are already spoken for, and so are the two small corner couches with the squishy pastel-colored donut pillows.

Even though the Dovell Donuts speak for themselves, Skye is always telling me about how important the “aesthetic” is. Which, as a photographer, I understand.

However, this place is over-the-top EXTRA.

I know it’s supposed to be, that’s why people love coming here and posting their pictures and videos online, but it can be overwhelming. I mean, the white walls are painted with colorful “sprinkles” and they have decals that say things like: “You’re driving me glazy ” and “Life is sweet” and “Donut give up!” and “Eat more HOLE foods.”

I feel like I should also mention the donut string lights draped over the wall menu behind the ordering counter. Oh, and the donut-swirl-decoration-things hanging from the ceiling.

It’s like a never-ending donut party here.

But it’s not THE “party room.” According to Skye, there’s a room upstairs that can be rented for private parties, donut-themed or otherwise.

“Come on,” Skye says, tugging me by the hand. “Whenever we’re here, you always look like a newb who’s taking it all in for the first time, and it’s embarrassing.”

“You’re being dramatic,” I inform her as she leads me to the waiting line. “And in my defense, I don’t come in here a lot because you always bring me the free ones from the office.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which flavors should I get? A Zesty Bestie for sure, since Dria loves oranges. Uhhhh, maybe two. Then a galaxy one and a mermaid one for the twins? Oh, wait! The rock candy one is back! That’ll be number five.”

“And for Trey?” I ask, leaning against one of the line’s mint green poles. “A Cinnammm Roll or a S’mores Galore?”

“Might as well get both. So, that makes seven. I think I’ll get a Bubblegum Baby and one of the cookie butter kinds.”

“Nine…” I trail off, glancing at the huge menu on the wall. One of the perks of being the tallest person here is easily seeing over everyone’s heads. “Okay, how about a Taken Bacon? And a Sweet Sundae?”

“Good, good.” She narrows her eyes, as if concentrating. “That leaves one more.”

“I vote for Crazy Cannoli.”

“Hmm…” She tilts her head to the side. “All right, I second that.”

I pretend to dust off my shoulders. “It’s a good thing I came in with you.”

“My hero!” she exclaims with an exaggerated eye-roll. “Oh, and just so you know, I told Anna she could be a bridesmaid in the wedding. She begged me last night.”

I raise an eyebrow at that. “She does know it’s not for real though, right?”

“Yeah, totally. Anna realizes we’re just friends, but she’s Anna , she can’t help herself.”

Just friends. Just friends. JUST friends.

What if? What if? What if—

“Good,” I say, hoping my voice sounds even. I proceed to laugh some. “I mean, I don’t even know who’d I ask to be my fake groomsmen.”

Skye knows that I never really stayed in touch with any of the guys from school, especially since a lot of them ended up moving away from Port Reina. And even still, I don’t think I’d want any of them at my wedding—FAKE wedding. This whole thing is messing with my head way too much…

“Well, hypothetically, there’s always your cousin,” she replies, laughing with me, “but we don’t need to put together a whole fake wedding party. Like I said, that’s just Anna being Anna.”

I offer a curt nod. “So, how upset do you think Dria is going to be?”

We need a conversation change.

Okay, fine— I need a conversation change.

“She might go easier on me since you’ll be there too,” Skye says as we move up in the line. “I swear, sometimes I think she likes you more than she likes me.”

“Nah, that’s not true.”

She gives me an unimpressed look. “Tatum, we both know how she loves to show off the pictures that you took for the twins’ adoption day and the ones from their first birthday with us.”

“That’s just because those are family pictures, not because I took them.”

“Nope,” she disagrees, shaking her head, “I’ve heard her talk about them. Dria always says you did such a great job and that you’re the best .” She taps a finger against my chest with a smile. “Which you are. My boyfriend department might be skimpy, but I definitely lucked out in the friend department.”

She then wraps her arms around me, and a hug has never hurt so much.

“The twins are taking a walk with Trey,” Dria says, stepping over a plastic toy elephant. “I told them clean up time could wait until they got back. They’re going to lose their minds when they see you brought donuts.”

I glance at Skye as we follow Dria to the dining room. She’s nervous as heck. She won’t stop messing with the ends of her braids.

Just as I’m about to slip an arm around her shoulders or say something to ease her nerves, Dria gives us both a curious look. “You guys are awfully quiet. What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“I told Zoya that I’m engaged to Tatum!”

I look at Skye with wide eyes. Dang, just like that? No easing into it or anything?

“Wait, what?” Dria asks, her brown eyes filled with confusion. “You told Zoya that you’re engaged? To Tatum ?”

“Yeah…” Skye trails off, sitting at the dining room table. “I did.”

“I’m so lost.” Dria puts a hand up. “Why the heck did you lie to your boss, Skye?”

So, Skye explains the whole thing to her sister, then finishes with, “How about a donut?”

“You are out of your mind,” Dria huffs, grabbing one of the Zesty Besties. “But…I can appreciate your determination to get this promotion. It’s just, you do realize how crazy a fake engagement sounds, right? This isn’t a movie, Skye. This is real life. Your potential career is on the line.”

She’s not wrong.

Crap. Hearing her say it out loud like that sounds so bad.

Maybe I should’ve tried harder to be the voice of reason with Skye.

“I know,” Skye tells her as Dria begins to eat the donut. “It was a mistake. I realize that. I panicked so bad though, Dria! I thought I was going to lose my chance, and you know how much I’ve been wanting this position. It seemed like the only way!”

Since I’m standing behind her, I give Skye’s shoulders a light squeeze. It’s kind of weird that I’m part of the conversation, and yet I’m not part of the conversation , but I can still offer her some support. Even if it’s nonverbal.

Dria eyes both of us and then swallows her mouthful of Zesty Bestie. “You’re going to need a ring.” And to my surprise, she sets the donut aside and slips off her engagement ring.

I’m pretty sure Skye’s mouth drops, just like mine does. “Dria—”

“Don’t bother wasting your money trying to get one,” Dria interrupts, holding out the ring to her. “You and I are the same ring size anyway. I may not completely approve of this insane idea of yours, but you’re my one and only baby sister, and I would be a jerk if I didn’t offer my services.”

“ Services ?” I finally speak, my eyebrows creased.

“Well, yeah.” Dria slides the ring on Skye’s left ring finger. “The ring, obviously. But I’ve also been engaged, so I know all the ins and outs about the main factors of an engagement.”

“You’re seriously not going to give me a whole long lecture?” Skye asks as Dria resumes eating her donut. “That was it? And what is Trey going to think about you not having your engagement ring on?”

“I think I’ve made my point,” Dria says with a shrug. “And you already feel bad about it, I don’t need to make you feel worse. As for Trey, he’ll be fine. Besides, I’m still wearing my wedding ring. And even if I wasn’t, that man is stuck with me for life. Who else is going to put up with his unnatural snoring?”

“Dria, are you sure?” Skye asks, her voice taking a squeaky edge. “I mean, it’s your engagement ring!”

“Well, now it’s yours,” Dria states in a matter-of-fact way. “For as long as the two of you are ‘engaged,’ that is. And you know what?” She proceeds to smile, snatching up Skye’s hand again. “The ring looks good on you, Skye.”

She’s right, it does look good.

Too good .