Unlikely to Fall: A Sweet Fortuity Novella Read online

  Unlikely to Fall

  A Sweet Fortuity Novella

  Rica Grayson

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright © 2017 by Rica Grayson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Any use of company or product names is only used for literary effect. All trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

  Chapter One

  Bree

  To go, or not to go?

  I stayed rooted in my spot at Sprinkles and Stardust.

  I held the box of cupcakes in my hand, clutching it like my life depended on it. It was only a small box of four, but each swirl of my special vanilla frosting was laid out with painstaking attention to detail.

  I took a deep, steadying breath.

  Liam Sinclair was here again. He was a regular in the bakery.

  He was big—there was no other way to put it. His shoulders were broad, his hair a tousled blond.

  I don’t think he even remembered me, although we’ve struck a casual conversation a few times. He’d given me a smile whenever he came, pinning me under his magnetic eyes.

  He was the kind of person who talked to people easily and made people laugh. The kind of person you felt like you could trust, because he just took charge, and he had a presence that made you feel like you could rely on him. The kind of person that would never date someone like me.

  But for once, I wanted him to see me and remember my name.

  So I had the brilliant idea of giving him something I’d made. Something he wouldn’t forget—hopefully.

  I squared my shoulders, starting to walk out, when I saw her step in. She was beautiful in a form-fitting rose-pink lace dress, her red hair framing her face in gorgeous waves. I stopped in my tracks when she came up to him and sat on the other side of the table.

  And like a punch, it stole my breath.

  He was with someone.

  He never came with someone before.

  I must’ve missed him bring it, or maybe he only took it out a while later, because from the seat next to him, he grabbed a bouquet of flowers—the most magnificent yellow roses—and he passed it to her. That smile he gave me every time he came, all focused on her.

  I took an involuntary step backwards. The box felt heavy in my hands. My heart was heavy in my chest, a sinking feeling that gnawed on me.

  I ran back inside the kitchen, dropping the box on a table.

  Of course someone like him would already have a girlfriend.

  The box was staring me in the face. I’d given it my very best when I made it.

  How could it hurt when we were never even together?

  But it did. And suddenly, I couldn’t stand looking at the box of cupcakes anymore. I opened the trash can, and letting out a single breath, I dumped it.

  Behind me, I heard my best friend, Kiera, gasp. “These look amazing, Bree. Are these meant to be here?”

  I shouldn’t have made them. I should’ve known doing it was pointless.

  Especially with someone like Liam.

  Too good-looking. Too nice to be real.

  Unreachable.

  Baking required precision, but to me it was more than mixing ingredients to produce the perfect output.

  To me, it was as close to magic as anything else. It was the melding of heart and passion to create delicious treats.

  In its own way, the act was soothing.

  But right now it was hard to relax.

  “Please.” Rona, my sister, dragged out the word. “Come on, Bree, it will be fun.”

  I very much doubted we had the same definition of the word, but I didn’t say anything.

  Fun, for me, was sitting on the couch, curling up with a book to read. Or watching the slow burn of the sunset in the sky, or that moment in the crack of dawn. That peaceful quiet. It was the best time to bake. No noise. No interruptions.

  “…Still there?” Rona repeated, her voice cutting through my thoughts. Which brought my mind back to the topic of why she’d called.

  Sherry Clayton’s birthday was coming soon. I wasn’t very close with her in the short time I’d been in Fortuity, but we were friendly.

  “It will be good networking,” she said persuasively.

  I sighed.

  It might be time to relax a little. The past year, trying to set up the bakery, and doing my best to make it a success, nearly drove me crazy. If it wasn’t for Rona dragging me away from work, I’d still be buried waist-deep in it. “Okay,” I conceded. “I’ll go.”

  By the time the weekend came around, Rona called me.

  I was about to get ready, thinking of the perfect dress to wear.

  A fit of coughs followed when she greeted me. “I’m really sorry, Bree. I can’t make it.”

  Oh.

  I’d agreed to come initially because her. But much to my surprise, Sherry called me three days ago, asking if I could bake her a cake, as well as offering a personal invitation to her birthday.

  Which meant, whether Rona was there or not, I had no reason to back out.

  Still, I was determined to have a good time. I needed this break to unwind.

  “Seems people have caught the love bug lately,” she added, thoughtful. “Maybe you’ll meet someone there.”

  I laughed, because the thought of it was ridiculous. “Nope. Not me.”

  Chapter Two

  Liam

  I was running late.

  I felt for my phone in my pocket, but I didn’t find it there. It hit me—I left it in the car.

  Fuck it. I was already here, anyway.

  I immediately stopped when I saw a familiar figure run up to the lobby in a hurry, carrying a box in one hand.

  Bree Carmichael.

  She was running fast.

  …And she didn’t notice where she was going. She crashed straight into me.

  The impact knocked my breath out, but I caught her, my arms steadying her.

  “Sorry!”

  Her blue eyes went round as she looked up at me in surprise, her cheeks tinged a shade of pink, her lips parting.

  Lips I wanted to taste. “Can’t say I’ve ever had a woman knock my breath out, Bree.”

  People went to her bakery because of her. Her smile was warm when you came in. Her cakes were also fucking amazing. A lot of desserts were all about looking impressive with fancy decorations and sheer size, but ended up disappointing.

  Hers had the perfect sweetness to match the outside. It made me wonder at the kind of person she was underneath all the layers.

  I flashed her a smile, which she returned, but fainter.

  She wore a strapless cream-colored dress, revealing long legs that stretched on. My gaze lingered there for a bit before it was drawn back to her face.

  The elevator made a sound. It broke the bubble of the moment.

  I stepped in, raising a brow as she continued to stand outside, like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “Coming in?”
/>
  She blinked, before nodding her head once. As if reluctant, she walked in slowly, moving to the other end. I got the distinct impression she wanted to be anywhere but here as her body pressed firmly on the opposite side.

  She looked like she wanted to say something, but her lips remained pressed together.

  Odd.

  I decided to approach the topic carefully, before we reached our floors and she’d get a chance to bolt, like I suspected she would. “I haven’t seen much of you in Stardust lately.”

  She looked up at me, as if startled that I’d talked to her.

  Why would she be surprised?

  Before she got to reply, there was a strange, almost grinding noise, until the elevator stopped. The lights flickered once. Twice.

  Like something out of a horror movie.

  There was nothing but the sound of our breaths filling the small space.

  Well, fuck.

  We were stuck.

  Bree

  I ran for the elevator when I realized I was running late. I’d been searching for my car keys earlier, and it made me lose precious time.

  I was careful not to rattle the cake I was carrying.

  In my hurry, I wasn’t looking at what was in front of me…or in my case, who.

  A whoosh of breath escaped me as I hit a solid wall of muscle.

  Strong arms went around me, warm and steadying.

  “Sorry!” I cried.

  “Can’t say I’ve ever had a woman knock my breath out, Bree.”

  I knew that voice.

  There was a teasing edge to it.

  I looked up and was met with warm, familiar gray eyes.

  Why was he here?

  Liam gave me a look that was nearly enough to melt me. He remembered my name.

  My face heated.

  Rona often told me I was transparent, like an open book. My skin flushed easily.

  The elevator made a sound before its doors slid open and he stepped inside, looking at me questioningly. “Coming in?”

  I stepped in the elevator reluctantly, unable to look straight at him. To my surprise, he turned to me and said, “I haven’t seen much of you in Stardust lately.”

  He’d noticed.

  It threw me off, knocking my world off-balance.

  I tried to keep my distance when he was around, keeping myself busy. It was working. Or I thought it was, until today.

  A frown settled between his brows as I scrambled for a reply.

  Without warning, the elevator jerked to a halt.

  The lights flickered briefly. My stomach lurched as I realized what was happening.

  We were suspended. In a box.

  And he was right next to me.

  What if the cable things snapped?

  I squeezed my eyes shut. This couldn’t be real. This was a dream.

  I pinched my cheeks. “Ow.”

  When my eyes opened, I found him looking at me in mild amusement. I tore my gaze away, pressing the buttons. None of them worked, much to my frustration.

  I beat on the elevator’s doors, asking for help. No response.

  I went back to my side of the elevator and watched him press the help button twice.

  Still, there was no response.

  He sighed before he went back to his side of the elevator, leaning back.

  He seemed to notice my unease. “Relax,” he said easily, his smooth voice calm and composed. “I’m sure help will arrive soon.”

  How can he relax at this point? And how soon was “soon”?

  “Do you have your phone?” he asked me.

  I slipped it out of my pocket. I pressed the home button once to wake the screen. Nothing happened. I pressed the power button, but I got the same response.

  Dread settled in my gut.

  “Uh… My battery’s dead. How about yours?”

  “Left it in the car.”

  We both sat at opposite ends of the elevator.

  I put my head between my knees, breathing in and out slowly.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I replied, my response coming out a little too quickly.

  Silence on his end.

  When I lifted my head up to press my cheek on my folded arm, I found his gaze on me, curious. Something swam in those depths—I didn’t want to read too much in it. I tore my eyes away from him. I busied my hands and checked my cake to see if it was still fine. A bit of icing stuck to the side, but it was still largely intact. I put it at an angle so it moved to the middle.

  “Going to Sherr’s party?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I was supposed to come with my sister, but she got sick.”

  He grinned, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Shame. I heard there was going to be cake.”

  It made me smile. “It’s nothing huge, but it’s something.” My smile faded a little at the thought of our predicament. “Now we’ll be stuck here, and I won’t get to give it to her.”

  “It’s more than something. I bet there won’t be anything left later.”

  I snorted. “You’re just saying that because you’re a regular.”

  “Nope.” There was a pause before he added, “Bree, we’re going to be fine.”

  “I know that.”

  “Your hands are shaking,” he pointed out.

  He was right. I rubbed them against each other, trying to instill some warmth. I dropped them both flat on the ground, leaning my head back on the wall, closing my eyes.

  I could relax…maybe. If I didn’t look at him. If I imagined I was somewhere else, not in a metal box with a cable that could snap off any minute.

  I felt him move closer. I tried to ignore it, focusing on not freaking out.

  It proved impossible when I felt his fingers brushing mine, before his hand enveloped mine completely.

  My eyes snapped open.

  “Better?” he asked. He leaned back on the same wall now, his head turned towards me, his eyes making my heart race. His shoulder bumped against mine.

  Better? He was making it worse.

  Before today, we hardly spoke to each other. Now he was right next to me, and he acted like this was no big deal. I shifted away a little. “Umm. I don’t think so.”

  “No reason to be afraid.”

  I wasn’t talking about being stuck inside an elevator, but I didn’t correct him.

  “Look at it this way,” he began. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

  How? Just how was he so carefree? “Do you really want me to answer that question?”

  My response had him laughing. His eyes glinted mischievously. “So if we die…”

  “Oh God. Don’t say that.”

  “Kidding.” I caught a flash of teeth before he asked, “So, what made you decide to start Sprinkles and Stardust?”

  The question came so out of left-field that for a second, I wasn’t able to answer.

  “When I was younger, I wanted to become a scientist,” I began. “It wasn’t until high school that I made cupcakes when I got stressed. Then suddenly everyone wanted me to make something for them. They’re similar, in a way. There’s a joy in discovering new things. It makes me happy. It makes people happy. It only makes sense I earn money doing it.”

  “It’s been going really well the short time it’s been open. Abe’s will have some competition.”

  “I’m not really aiming to compete. I offer something different.”

  I realized I’d only been talking about myself. I nudged his shoulder. “What about you? Why make furniture?”

  “Because I’m pretty fucking good at it. Or so I’ve been told.”

  “Hmm. Really not bragging,” I observed, teasing.

  “Nope.” He smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. “Tell you what. Let’s make a deal. You give me a discount, I’ll give you one too when you decide to buy a new piece for your fancy porch.”

  My brows went together. “I can’t accept that.” I knew how much a single chair of his cost. The intricacy and the detail in them was exq
uisite. “It costs too much.”

  “Oh, but it all adds up. I go to Stardust all the time.”

  I took a moment to think about that, and did the math quickly in my head. “You have a point,” I amended. “That’s a generous offer. I hope I won’t be taking advantage of it if I accept.”

  “Nah.”

  I realized that I was no longer so panicked. The nerves had faded some. He’d been talking to me to take my mind off our current situation.

  “This was your plan, wasn’t it?” I leveled him a gaze.

  “Is it working?”

  I sighed. He was ridiculous, and in some strange way, it was endearing. “It has been,” I acknowledged reluctantly.

  “It’s been around, what? Five, ten minutes? We haven’t dropped down yet. Rest your fears.”

  “Yet,” I emphasized.

  He chuckled.

  I huffed out a breath. “Does nothing rattle you?”

  My question seemed to sober him. And as he said the words, his eyes were on me, intense and determined. “A few things do, Bree.”

  I could drown in his eyes. I had to be careful not to sink into them.

  A few things do, he’d said.

  The woman at the bakery. She probably did get under his skin.

  I’d forgotten all about the fact that he had someone else.

  “Bree,” he said my name, his voice low and rough. “Why haven’t I seen you in Stardust lately?”

  This was a stupid crush I had no business having. I forced myself to look at him, even though doing it felt like pins were stabbing at my heart.

  I shrugged. “Just been busy.”

  He moved so I was trapped underneath him, between his arms. I gasped in surprise.

  Then, his eyes narrowing, he dropped the question. “Have you been avoiding me?”

  The question startled me.

  Almost reflexively, I replied, “No.”

  I so was. But it had been more out of self-preservation than anything else.

  “I do something wrong?” he continued to ask.

  “No,” I replied again, my voice softer. It wasn’t his fault that he already had someone. And she looked pretty special to him, too.