Jacob

“That’s it, we’re all sold out,” Daniel announces, appearing from around the corner sporting a wide grin.

My jaw drops in disbelief. “What? Are you kidding me?! Didn’t we bake twice as much as usual?”

He chuckles, carrying the empty trays to the sink for cleaning. “Time to get your thinking cap on, boss. We clearly need more. The people of Chicago are demanding their sweet treats.”

I shake my head at the “boss” endearment, trying to fight the smile from my lips. It’s still very surreal for me. I don’t think this feeling will ever get old, because never in my wildest dreams would I have expected my small business to boom the way it has. What started as a hobby in my grandparents’ kitchen—baking cakes for aesthetically pleasing social media posts and custom celebration cakes for friends and their families—ended up with my name above a shop front and selling out at twelve thirty on a Monday.

Yep. A Monday.

Who would have thought? But it’s not always been this way.

The reason behind our recent success is the guy who swept my brother, Alex, off his feet. He started dating Blaine Olsen, a hotshot hockey player for the Chicago Thunder, six months ago. When I got the flu just before Christmas, leaving Alex to take care of the shop on his own, Blaine surprised us both by stepping in and helping out. He didn’t bat an eye at putting on an apron and serving baked goods.

We didn’t realize the impact his showing up would have on the business at the time, but ever since, we’ve had people lining up outside—literally.

This city really does love its hockey team.

But the luck didn’t end there.

Shortly after, the team approached us and asked to use the premises to film a segment for their social media channel, where some of the team decorated and sold their creations to adoring fans. It put Jacob’s Delicious Desserts right on the map for being one of the top bakeries in Chicago and made us the sole dessert caterer for their VIP boxes on game nights.

How is this my life?

It’s safe to say it’s been an overwhelming whirlwind since, but a good one. I’m thankful for the unexpected fortune every day, but there’s still a part of me that worries I’m going to wake up one day in the nightmare that was my life only a few months ago.

Surely no one can be this lucky without a catch.

Daniel and I are just getting to work on finishing the custom orders that are due to be picked up later today to then get a head start on prep for tomorrow when my phone begins to ring. I slip it out of the pocket of my apron and swipe my finger across the screen to answer.

“Hi, Alex,” I greet my brother.

“Hey! How’s it been today?”

He usually works with us, but with Blaine’s season being over, he’s taking a few days off.

Plus, they’re both taking a trip to California soon, so he’s been getting ready for that.

“Busy.” I rest the phone between my ear and shoulder, allowing me to finish doing the decorative pink swirls on the princess-themed birthday cake I’m working on. “We sold out just after lunch.”

“Wow. Do you think we need to start upping the quantities?”

“You sound just like Daniel,” I answer with a laugh, looking at the guy in question. He smirks, brushing off an imaginary piece of lint from his shoulder.

I’m so glad we hired Daniel. He’s been a lifesaver, along with Aria, who helps us out on the weekends. We’re not at the point of expansion, but having two more people to help me and Alex has been such a relief.

Still, if we continue to grow at this rate, we’ll need to look at hiring another person or three. And maybe find a bigger store.

That’s a scary thought.

“I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor,” Alex asks.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Could you bring some cupcakes over later for the guys? They’re all sad, and I don’t have enough ingredients here to make anything.”

I scrunch up my nose. “They’re sad because of the hockey game?”

The Thunder lost a big game on Saturday night. Alex has been telling me for weeks how important it was, trying to teach me the playoff format and what it all means, but I’ll admit—I’m not a hockey fan.

Actually, I’m not a fan of any kind of sport thanks to some douche canoes in high school, but I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort since Alex and Blaine’s relationship became serious.

He’s good for my brother. He treats him like a prized treasure, so the least I can do is try and learn about his job.

Alex lets out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, Jacob. They were so close to advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. It was game seven, double overtime in the conference finals. They were one goal away from getting into the Finals. It’s gonna be a sore subject for a while.”

Double overtime? Ouch. Even though I’m a novice, I know that must sting.

“How’s Blaine taking it?” I ask, carefully carrying the cake I’ve finished into our fancy new fridge—thanks to a certain amazing man who helped us upgrade all the equipment after yet another oven broke down on us a couple of months ago—and take the second cake out.

“Tough,” he says. “He’s been like a shell of himself, but I managed to cheer him up by su⁠—”

“I don’t want to hear about your sexcapades, thank you,” I quickly interrupt.

He snickers. “Well, let’s just say I soon had him smiling and forgetting all about the game, but he’s been…” He trails off, lowering his voice to a whisper. “He’s been overly affectionate this morning. He’s being a little needy.”

“That’s because he’s a big, sappy goofball.”

“I know,” Alex lets out a dreamy sigh. I can hear his smile in his voice. “I love it, though.”

When I first met Blaine, his cocky, self-assured attitude made me want to tell Alex to run for the hills. His energy screamed I’m gonna break your heart, but thankfully he proved me wrong. Because behind the arrogant and egotistical facade was a guy who was afraid of getting his own heart broken and who became the cheesiest, sappiest guy I’ve ever known. And my brother has never been happier.

It’s all I could ever ask for.

I just hope one day I can find it for myself, too.

A couple of hours later, armed with a box of a dozen strawberry and vanilla cupcakes, I walk into Blaine’s living room.

“I come bearing cake!” I sing, but my smile wobbles slightly at the sight of the three larger-than-life men looking forlorn. There’s a fourth one I don’t recognize, but he doesn’t look as sad as the others.

Alex extracts himself from the octopus hold Blaine’s got on him and heads over to me. I hold the box out to the side and return his hug while his rescue puppy, Ernie, bounces over and starts tugging on the shoelaces of my Converse.

“Thank you, I’m sure the boys will appreciate it.” Alex whispers in my ear.

Right on cue, Blaine’s big, gentle giant of a teammate, Zach Reid, unfolds himself from the couch and walks over to us. He waits until I’ve placed the box of cupcakes on the kitchen island before enveloping me in a bear hug. I stiffen for a brief moment on instinct, then relax, sinking into his embrace. He’s nearly a foot taller than me, so my face presses into his solid chest.

“Thank you for the cupcakes, Jacob,” he says quietly when he releases me, a soft smile on his face.

I like Zach. He’s a regular in the bakery, as he has an immense sweet tooth, and his presence is kind of soothing. How he remains so fit blows my mind considering what he eats.

He picks up two cupcakes from the box and takes them back to the couch, handing one to the dark-haired guy I don’t recognize. He’s the biggest guy in the room. He reminds me of the boys from school, and my blood pressure instantly spikes. My body goes on high alert—spine stiffening, stomach churning. I sway slightly as black dots cloud my vision.

My breathing falters, and Alex places a hand on my forearm, bringing my attention back to him.

“That’s Carter; he’s Zach’s childhood best friend. He lives in Denver.” Alex lowers his voice, adding, “He’s nice, really kind, I promise.”

Carter raises his hand in a wave, unaware of my spiraling thoughts. “Hey, man.”

I force a smile, tipping my head in greeting, but my heart is still beating wildly in my chest.

Jocks make me nervous, and it’s not because of the ones sitting in this room. High school was hard for me, and the repercussions have wreaked havoc on me since.

Kids don’t realize the impact their words or actions can have on someone until it’s too late and the damage is irreparable. It’s been over ten years, and I still get anxious. I tense up, like I’m waiting for the push and shove that used to follow whenever they were around. It’s taken a little while for my brain to catch up to the fact that these guys are good people. They’re not going to hurt me.

Alex makes me coffee, and we take a seat in the living room. Blaine instantly drags him back onto his lap and hides his face in the crook of Alex’s neck.

“I’m sorry about your game.” I give him a sad smile.

I have no idea what to say to these guys. Their faces are long, their eyes filled with sadness. Even Blaine’s twin brother, Elliot, who is usually the epitome of bright and bouncy, looks miserable. He’s slumped in the corner of the couch, combing his fingers through the soft fur on the sleeping puppy’s belly. “I feel like it’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not, El!” Blaine answers sternly. He lifts his head and glares at his twin. “You were fucking awesome out there. It just wasn’t our time.”

“That’s very diplomatic of you,” Alex says, kissing Blaine’s temple. “You played amazing—you all did. You can scrutinize your game all day long, but you can’t beat yourself up over it.” He leans over and gives Elliot’s shoulder a squeeze.

“How’s everyone else holding up?” I ask.

I don’t want to ask outright because Alex has already been teasing me endlessly about it, but I want to know how Ethan’s doing.

Ethan Parkes, aka the amazing man who helped replace our broken oven and saved me from drowning financially not too long ago, also happens to be the captain of the Chicago Thunder.

At the start of the year, I was living a nightmare. Alex and I were up to our eyeballs in debt. Equipment broke that was no longer covered under warranty, rates became higher than expected, and along with things going wrong in the house our grandparents passed down to us, credit cards and loans became a savior.

We were caught in a vortex, living paycheck to paycheck as we tried to pay it off. Then, one gloomy February day, Ethan approached me about a deal: he would pay off all our debt, and I would pay him a realistic amount every month, without interest.

I was skeptical at first. Who wouldn’t be? We were virtually strangers, with Blaine as a mutual connection. Alex and Blaine’s relationship was still fairly new at that point, too. It seemed too good to be true, and I was convinced there was an ulterior motive for his offer. But then Ethan explained how his mom worked three jobs when he was growing up to keep him in hockey, a roof over their heads, and food on the table. It made sense.

He didn’t want to see us struggle or drown under a mountain of debt like his mom had, especially when he had a solution.

So, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse, and ever since, a rather unusual friendship blossomed between us.

And somewhat of a crush.

Yeah, let’s not go into that.

I mean, we’re not talking every day, but he stops by the bakery at least once a week to check in and see how I am. His attentiveness hasn’t helped the crush I have on him, but those moments have become the favorite part of my week.

“Just say it. I know you’re talking about Ethan.” Alex smirks.

I narrow my eyes.

“Nobody’s heard from him,” Blaine replies, ignoring Alex’s teasing tone. “He’d usually be in our group chat sending motivational texts, but there’s been nothing… It’s like he’s⁠—”

“Disappeared,” Zach adds.

“Maybe he’s just taking some time to process? I always need a bit of downtime to gather my emotions after a big loss,” Carter suggests with a small shrug of his wide-set shoulders.

I eye him warily out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to be bigger than Zach, but wow, Carter is huge. Between the two of them, they make the large sectional look tiny.

“No, I don’t think that’s it.” Elliot shakes his head, bringing my attention back to him. “As much as he’s a grumpy, grizzly bear, he wouldn’t just go off the radar, especially after a loss like this. He’s our support beacon. He’s the glue that keeps us all strong.”

My chest constricts as worry pools in my stomach. Is Ethan alone? Or hurt? He’s a natural caregiver, always wanting to protect those he cares about and make sure they’re okay, so knowing he hasn’t even reached out to his teammates makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

This isn’t like him.

“Maybe you could go and check on him.” Alex nudges my thigh with his socked feet. “He likes you, and it might do him some good to see someone outside of hockey.”

I scoff, trying to hide how much I like the idea. “Why would he want to see me?”

“Why wouldn’t he?” he retorts.

Because while I would love to see him, what if he turns me away?

I know my crush on him is completely inconvenient, especially since we have a business agreement, but I don’t know if I could handle any form of rejection from him. I’m already annoyed at myself for having a crush on a hockey player, of all people.

“That’s a good idea, actually.” Zach nods in agreement.

Blaine lifts his head, his eyes sparkling with mischief as a wide smile spreads across his face.

“No,” I say, pointing my finger at him before he can speak.

“What? I didn’t say anything!” He feigns innocence.

I glare at him. “You didn’t need to; your face said it all, and whatever you’re thinking—no.”

“Stop winding him up about it! That’s my job.” Alex swats his chest with the back of his hand.

Blaine idly rubs the spot over his chest, his mouth curving into a grin. “It’s nothing, I just had an idea. Nothing to worry about.”

With Blaine, that means I definitely need to worry.

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