Just One Favor by Stephanie Rose

Author:Stephanie Rose [Rose, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing
Published: 2022-02-10T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY

OLIVIA

“Just like the old days, isn’t it?” Morgan asked as she nudged my side.

Strolling through the mall did feel like we were back in a time warp. Before either of us had a driver’s license, our parents would drop us off here and we’d gorge ourselves in the food court and people watch. We’d meet up with other friends, but as most of the people we knew turned their backs on us at the beginning of junior year, it was usually just us.

“It is,” I said. “That’s the one thing I miss about my apartment. I liked the hipster coffee shops and cobblestone streets when I’d shop.”

“You’re not throwing shade at Cinnabon are you?” Morgan tipped her chin toward the source of that heavenly sweet scent that hit you the second you stepped inside the main doors, although today it made my stomach roll.

“Of course not,” I said with an exaggerated gasp. “I told you, I’m glad to be back. It was nice, but as I said, it became lonely after a while.”

I tossed my empty iced-coffee cup into the trash. Even before my father passed away, I missed being around family and friends. They were a short train ride away, but after being so excited to be on my own, the single party life wore on me quicker than I’d expected.

My phone buzzed on my hip. I dug it out of my purse and spotted the photo on the screen of rows of chocolate cream pies in Tyler’s bakery’s front window.

Tyler: That was this morning, and it’s already half gone.

Olivia: Why you need extra staff, like I keep telling you. A man your age can’t do all these all-nighters.

Tyler: We’re the same age, in case you forgot.

Tyler: And I may not have a choice. Guess who just came in to do a story on us for next Sunday?

Olivia: Moved on with another blogger? Figures.

Tyler: The New York Times

I gasped and hit the Call button.

“You’re going to be in the Sunday New York Times? Tyler, this is fucking huge!” I blurted into the phone before he even said hello.

When an older couple looked back at me with faces twisted in disgust, I realized how loud I was but didn’t care.

“I know, or it could be.” His deep chuckle in my ear did things to me, but my excitement for him outweighed my infatuation—for the moment. “It’s a small feature about local bakeries in the suburbs.”

“The cautious optimism is cute, but please get over it already.” I sighed.

“Did you just call me cute?”

“Don’t change the subject!” I was too hyped up for him to flirt back, even though my belly dipped along with the husky tone of his voice. “Do you need any help?”

“I might, if you’re up for it.”

“Of course,” I answered too quickly. “Just… tell me when you need me. You know my limited skills, but if I can help you, I can be there after my meetings this week.”

Over the past couple of weeks, I was still navigating this new friendship of ours that came with a side of blinding and exhausting sexual tension.

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