Page 1 of Let's Be Forever

1

ANNA

“Hurryup and get your sweet ass over here. I really want to kiss you.”

That pulls a smile from me. “I’m locking up. Give me a second.”

I flip over theWe’re Closedsign and trudge to the small back room of the bakery.

“Happy three months, babe.” Clementine holds two pink-colored glasses my way, handing one to me as she plants a smacking kiss on my cheek. “This has been the best three months of my life.”

We clink glasses and take a drink.

“Apple juice. Nice.”

“You know me. I like the hard stuff.” She tosses her copper hair over her shoulder. “Oh and it’s organic. Only the best for my niece.”

Our attention gravitates to my two—almost three—year-old daughter, Rosie, who sits in a miniature bean bag chair. She’s holding a pretend play cellphone in one hand and in the other, a pink princess tumbler cup. Rosie pays us no attention as she dials numbers, holds the phone to her ear, and takes sips.

“You’re the best. Happy three months, Em. Here’s to many more.”

We met two years ago while working in a bar and clicked instantaneously. She not only loves baking, but she reminds me a lot of Jenny, with her eclectic personality. Her hair never stays a consistent color, her fashion sense is always changing, she’s often on the go, she’s willing to try anything, and her hobbies frequently switch up.

Though, when we first talked about the bakery, I was unsure about working together. As much as I loved her, a lot of money would be going into this business, and my daughter and I needed consistency in our lives. I wasn’t financially struggling per se—I had a little in my savings, though most of it went toward the bakery—but my ultimate goal was to stop living paycheck to paycheck.

She promised she wouldn’t let me down and so far, she hasn’t.

Since we opened up three months ago, money has been coming in slowly, but itiscoming in, and I’m able to do what I love and work with someone who is just as committed.

The only thing I didn’t count on was my sitter moving away. That’s why Rosie is here with us and will continue to be. Unless I find someone I trust and who is as cheap as Yara.

“We need to find you a sitter.” Em sets her glass on the counter and hops up on it. “Tonight would have been perfect for going out and getting drunk. And I just know you’d be getting hit on so much. What’s the point of looking like that”—she waves a hand over my body—“and not flaunting it. Anna, if I looked like you, I’d be walking around naked all the time. You’re young. You need to let loose.”

I lean against the same counter, arching a brow up at her and suppressing my smile. “Young? I’m twenty-seven and a mom. I can’t?—”

Her lips pinch in a grimace, and her eyes sweep over me in judgment. “Are you forgetting we’re the same age? And you could have twenty kids and that still wouldn’t mean anything. You’re allowed to have fun,” she says in that reproachful tone she loves to use in times like this. “I think it’s time you started putting yourself out there.”

I swish my drink around. “I did and it was bad, remember?”

When we were working at the bar, there was a guy who came in a lot. He had asked me out a few times and even though I rejected him, he persisted. I caved only to find out on our first date that he had a girlfriend. She showed up and thankfully didn’t take out her anger on me, but I told myself I was done dating after that.

She blows a raspberry. “I know, but they’re not all like that. There are some good men out there. They’re not easy to find, but I’m sure if we look hard enough, we’ll manage.”

I mull over it, taking a drink.

No matter what happens, I’m always going to be here. No matter what life throws at us, we’re going to do it together. I promise. Okay?

“Anna?” Em singsongs, waving her hand in front of my face.

I blink a few times, the memory fleeting. “Sorry, I was just thinking about the shitshow that date was,” I lie.

I’d rather talk about anything and anyone other than Sylas and his family. Em doesn’t know about them, and she never will. Some things are meant to stay in the past, and that’s definitely where they’ll be staying if I have anything to do with it.

“Okay, forget dating. Maybe getting laid once in a while would do you some good.”

I scoff in mock affront. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss sex, but telling her that would only encourage her. “I don’t need to sleep with anyone. I’m fine.”

She gives me a judging side-eye. “Sweets, you need it. You’d be less cranky in the mornings if you got some.”