High Stakes (A Deal With The Devil)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Aiden

I down my black coffee and shake out my stressed shoulders. It’s the first day I’ve woken sober since she left me. And it’s the first day I’ve wanted to be in the office and actually do some work.

I gather the empty whiskey bottles from the desk and place them in a box, then carry them into the bar for recycling. JP glances up from where he’s sitting in one of the booths. It’s almost lunch, and we don’t open until after six, but it’s not unusual to see him here early just lately, picking up the slack for me. I dump the box on the floor and join him. “Morning,” I say. He eyes me before turning his attention back to his laptop. “Anything I can help with?” I know him and Raff are pissed at me, I don’t blame them, but I hate being ignored.

Eventually he sighs, “I’m doing the weekly order.”

“I’m sober,” I point out. “I thought it was time I got my shit together.”

He gives a stiff nod. “Good to have you back.”

“Are we supposed to congratulate you?” comes Raff’s voice as he enters the bar, dumping his gym bag on the ground and sitting beside JP. “Cos let me tell you, I’m not as easy to get round.”

I smirk, “I’m not trying to get around you, Raff. I’m simply saying I’m done with the drink and partying.”

“What about sorry?” he snaps. “Where’s the fucking massive apology you owe us for keeping your bar afloat whilst you locked yourself away.”

“I’d do the exact same for both of you.”

“But you never have to do you, Aiden. Because we don’t pull that shit.”

“Okay, I’m sorry you had to clean up my mess,” I say, shrugging. “But in case you didn’t realise, I was kind of drowning.”

“Fuck you, Aiden,” he spits. “All that shit for this place, and then you just turned your back. If it hadn’t been for us, you wouldn’t even have the club anymore. It would have all been for nothing.”

“You’re right,” I mutter. “I’m really sorry. And I appreciate you sticking around and saving my backside.”

He relaxes a little. “Don’t do it again.”

“In other news, Bella banked the cheque.” JP avoids eye contact, “But then you knew that, right?” I guess.

“Aria mentioned it,” he mutters.

“And you didn’t want to tell me?”

“I’m only just getting Aria to speak to me, I don’t think she’ll be happy if I feed information back to you.”

I give a knowing nod. “I just hope she spends it on a new place, I hate the thought of her sharing with that fitness freak.”

“As long as she’s happy, it doesn’t matter,” says Raff, firmly, exchanging a look with JP.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing,” he reassures me.

“Raff, I saw that look, what do you know?”

He sighs, “She’s buying the florist beside the bakery. Apparently, she’s got big plans to make it into some wedding cake venture.”

I let that information settle in. I’m glad she’s doing well, and that she’s using the money to set up a future. I didn’t think she’d accept it, but I’m relieved she has. “You miss her,” says JP, breaking my thoughts.

I stare down at the table, “More than I ever thought I would,” I admit. “And hearing all about her plans, makes me realise how much. I want to be the one she tells everything to.” I sigh, scrubbing my hands over my face. “Yah know what she said to me right before she left? That if I’d have told her everything right from the start, she probably would have helped me.”

“Sounds like something she’d do,” says Raff, fondly. “She’s a good woman.”

“If you could start again, would you tell her?” asks JP.

I stand, “I’d have sold the club,” I confess, “Then I would have spent time getting to know the woman my brother insisted was my perfect match.” I slide the letter Jake left me, onto the table. “I finally read it,” I say, “It explains why he did it.”

“That’s the thing with hindsight,” says Raff, taking the letter. “But it can’t be changed now, Aiden. Leave Bella alone.”

Bella

I’m a shop owner. I stare at the empty florist, taking it all in. Cal joins me, smiling wide. “Congratulations. ”

“Are you going to let us in, or should we just stand here looking?” asks Aria, stepping from the bakery to join us on the pavement.

I hold up the keys, smiling as I push it into the lock. “I can’t believe it,” I say, “I own a bloody shop!”

“You did good,” says Cal, stepping in behind me and looking around in awe.

“And the builders are starting tomorrow?” Aria clarifies. I nod. We’ve spent weeks picking out ovens, mixers and cabinets, but back then, it didn’t seem real. Now, as I stand in the empty shop, it feels very real and a little scary.

“Things are finally looking up,” says Cal, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I turn to him, “Thank you for helping me,” I say sincerely.

He grins, pulling me into his arms. “You don’t need to thank me.”

“You’ve all been amazing. If it weren’t for you, Aria and Jake, I don’t know if I’d have done any of this.”

“We’re so proud of you, Bella,” says Aria. “Most people wouldn’t have made it through this, but you did. And look at this place, it’s perfect.”

Cal grabs me around the waist and spins me around, I laugh, wrapping myself around him. “Now, enough of the soppy bullshit, let’s get this place cleaned. ”

As he slides me down his body, I glance out of the window and notice a car slowly driving past, with Aiden at the wheel. Our eyes connect and for a minute, everything seems to fade away, and all that’s left in the moment is me and him.

“Bella,” Aria calls from the back room, “When is the sign coming?”

I look away from the window. Neither have noticed my sheer panic at seeing him and I pull myself together quickly. “Erm, tomorrow,” I reply. When I glance back, the car is gone.

The days blend into one. I’m so busy with the shop, I haven’t had time to think about anything else. Including Aiden. Maybe his drive by was a complete accident. And if it was, he hasn’t been back to try and talk to me. Which I’m grateful for. And I didn’t bother to tell Aria or Cal, I couldn’t have the mention of Aiden ruin my big day.

I’m sure eventually, I’ll come across him, maybe in the street or a restaurant, and I’ll have to face my demons. But right now, I want to enjoy this time with my best friends without the stress and drama that Aiden brings .

“The builders are all done,” says Aria, popping her head into the bakery where I’m currently baking cupcakes for tomorrows opening.

I wipe my hands down my apron and follow her out, and back into my shop where I thank the foreman for everything. I’ve been super fussy with minor details, and I know he’s secretly wanted to throttle me more than once. I made sure to pay extra with daily cupcakes as an apology though.

Once he’s left, I turn to Aria and we both give a little excited squeal. “I can’t believe I’m opening tomorrow.”

“You’ve worked so hard,” she says.

I grip onto the worktop and squeeze my eyes closed as a dizzy spell passes through. I’ve been feeling off all week, which is more than likely due to the late nights and early mornings I’ve been putting in.

Aria watches me carefully, “You still not well?”

“No. Once the opening is out of the way, I’m sure I’ll feel better. But if I don’t, I’ll go and see the doctor.”

The following day, me, Aria and Cal spend the morning making sure everything is in place .

Beautifully decorated cakes fill the display cabinets and taste samples are carefully placed on tabletops. Balloons with my logo across them, bob up and down in the window and there are iPads on the counter so that people can access the website to see more designs.

I check my watch, there’re five more minutes until the doors open and Cal is stationed outside the shop to hand out cake samples. Aria glances out the window, “There’s a line of people,” she says excitedly.

I take a deep breath. I feel so sick with nerves, that I have to take a seat. Aria pulls a paper bag from behind the counter. “I got you this,” she says.

I smile, taking it, “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“It’s not a present,” she mutters, and I peer into the bag and gasp, slamming it closed. “It’s just to make sure,” she rushes to tell me.

“I’m not bloody pregnant.”

“So do the test and prove me wrong,” she says simply. “You have a few minutes.”

“You want me to do it now?” I hiss.

“You just have to pee on it, once I see it’s negative, I’ll feel better.”

I groan, heading out back for the bathroom. “I’m on the pill,” I call out to her.

“It’s not fool proof,” she calls back .

I pee on the stick, then put it back in the box and place it on the counter. Then I go outside to open my shop for the very first time. Cal starts clapping as I hold up the scissors, and the line of potential new customers join him. “I now pronounce Bella’s, open,” I say with a huge smile as I cut the red ribbon.

I spend the next twenty-minutes chatting with the customers and pointing them in the direction of my website. Cal is huge on me having people sign up to my newsletter updates. Apparently, it’s a good way to keep customers returning.

I step behind the counter, smiling at the amount of people I have in the shop. “This is great, isn’t it,” I whisper.

“I just had a bride sign up for a cake,” Cal tells me. “She’s going to browse the site for ideas,” he adds excitedly.

“Did you check the test?” Aria asks and Cal arches a brow, waiting for me to explain.

I roll my eyes, “Aria got me a pregnancy test. Not the present I was expecting on my opening day.”

“You’re pregnant?” he gasps.

“God no. She’s over-reacting. I did the test to shut her up.”

“So it’s negative?” asks Aria.

I groan, grabbing the box off the counter out back. “I’m run down,” I explain, pulling the test out a little. I stare wide eyed, before shoving it back in the box. My heart slams wildly in my chest.

“So?” Aria pushes.

The shop door opens, and I glance up to see Aiden staring back at me. My world feels like it’s imploding and him turning up is like a bad omen. This can’t be happening.

“What does it say?” Aria asks, this time sounding less patient.

I swallow the lump in my throat, my eyes still fixed on Aiden. “Positive,” I mutter.

Aria gasps and Cal utters a string of curse words. And then, as if they both sense at the same time that I’m not reacting, they follow my line of sight to where Aiden is.

It all happens so fast. There’s movement and bustling. I hear Cal yelling and Aria is standing between them, but Aiden doesn’t take his eyes from me. Cal is shoving and pushing, Aria is getting caught in the middle. Aiden doesn’t react, his face stays calm, and his eyes are burning into me and in that moment, I feel like it’s just me and him.

Me, Aiden and our baby!