My Sweet Seduction

Not Thinking about Brett

Chapter 2

Emma’s POV

A Month an a half later, in December:

I had forgotten all about Brett and focused all my energy on getting the new store exactly how I wanted it. Brett had a lot of input into the design of the flagship store. He wanted it to look a certain way. His opinion was that downtown Atlanta needed to be modern and edgy, and much different from what I had wanted the location to be.

I wanted my bakery to be cozy and welcoming. I wanted to use soothing colors on the walls and make it a place to stop and linger. I had a good idea of what I wanted, but Brett acted as if he knew better than I did. He ended up vetoing most of my ideas. I deferred to him because I could see where he was going with it. But the final product, although a nice space, was cold and uninviting, nothing like my vision.

The color on the wall, a matte gray, was uninspired. He liked the black ceiling with the exposed ductwork, which to me was much more industrial than modern. The only pop of color on the walls came from the expensive artwork he insisted ‘fit the aesthetic,’ but ended up completely blowing my budget. The only other pops of color came from the products themselves, which were an instant hit with our customers.

"We want to have a certain clientele. Your cupcakes will be in high demand, and when they enter the store, we want them to know it's an edgy, chic place to be. We want them to know that our desserts are the best in the city. Having high-priced art on the walls will attract the kind of guests we want," Brett had told me.

"I don't want the place to be edgy, I want them to feel comfortable. I want them to come because of my desserts, not to post pictures of the art on the walls, Brett. You're missing the point I'm trying to make here. I want people to be comfortable when they come in here. I feel welcomed, and the store feels cold to me; it's not inviting at all," I had argued, trying to get him to understand my vision.

"You don't understand business or how any of this works, Emma. It's all about perception, and I want the bakery to be successful. We want people to think of your desserts as exclusive and limited. You aren't thinking big enough. This isn't your home, it's your business. Trust me, people are going to love it, and we will fit in well in the downtown area with our vibe," Brett insisted.

I went along with it, as I wanted to make him happy, but it was a mistake. He kept trying to bulldoze over me. I'm getting really tired of being the one to always compromise. He always acts like he's the expert here, when this bakery has been my dream. I was disappointed by his disregard for my opinions, but the store has done very well, and people have mentioned that they liked the aesthetic.

In my vision, people enjoy having something that reminds them of a certain time in their lives. Whether it’s something from their childhood or a favorite memory. People enjoy having something that evokes those memories. It’s what makes my job so special to me. Every time I make a batch of red velvet cupcakes, the rich, creamy aroma reminds me of the very first batch I ever made, back when I was eight years old. I still remember just how proud my mother and grandmother were of me. It’s a happy memory.

I had asked a baker to come to our home and teach me how to frost cakes and cupcakes like a professional. That had been a gift for my thirteenth birthday. Some would think that there was no purpose in doing that, but I've always known what my dream job would be. I had a vision, even as a young teen.

I like making people smile when they see what I've made for them. Overhearing how much someone loves my products makes me giddy with happiness. I wanted to create something that was both beautiful and delicious. Edible art, if you will. I enjoy taking the time to make my creations perfect. It makes me proud when I read reviews of my products, and they say my desserts take them back to their childhood.

I’ve been working very hard on modernizing my beloved family recipes. Like my peach cobbler cupcakes. I have chopped peaches, cooked them in sugar and juice, and boiled them down until they thicken. I allow it to cool, and pipe the peach mixture into the cupcakes right before we open. They sell out every single time.

Surprisingly enough, my products were all met with resounding approval. In the first month after the first location opened, we sold out every single day before two in the afternoon. So successful that in our second year of business, we broke ground on our second location. I listened to what my customers asked for and built it where they asked me to.

That location was wildly successful as well. I had more input on the design of that store, as Brett was staying more at headquarters these days. The second location was much cozier than the first, but nowhere near as perfect as the third location will be. I didn’t rush with the third store. I wanted my company to be strong enough to buy the land and build it, with no debt. That is something my grandfather insisted upon. He warned me about growing too quickly. He was still sharp as a tack, and nothing gets by him, and he was not a fan of Brett.

This third location is going to be all mine. I loved the mock-ups for it, and I didn’t show them to Brett. He likes Atlanta and would never come to this location to check things out. According to him, his job is at headquarters. He doesn't have to come here and check things out, even at my request. I didn’t change anything about what I wanted to see in it. I still called Brett just like I used to. When he didn’t answer, I texted him. He was still not answering my calls, but I didn’t care anymore. It was almost like he didn’t want anyone to know he was talking to me.

We hadn’t been out in months now. When I was in town, he just wanted to come over to my place, instead of his. I was fast realizing that we only talked about business these days. He kept changing the subject when I mentioned that it was embarrassing that I still didn’t have an engagement ring. Everyone at headquarters knew he had asked me to marry him, yet every single time I went to my office, a few would stare at my still bare ring finger. It was embarrassing, but I was done with Brett. I was just waiting to see how this all played out.

I wasn’t going to be the one to buy myself a ring. That is where I was drawing the line. Brett always hinted that I should just buy the ring, so I “Got the ring that I wanted,” but where's the romance in that? I knew what he made, as I paid him well. He should have been able to buy it for me by now. But he was avoiding the discussion each time. I let it go because I knew that I would have the answer I needed soon enough.

Besides, the longer we were apart, the easier it would be to move on. The wedding was supposed to be held in the upcoming fall. At least, that was what his parents wanted. I went along with it just to keep the peace, as Brett agreed with them. He had no input at all for our wedding, yet his parents kept adding their own requests, which was odd to me. They still managed to contact me to insist on some high-dollar wine they wanted to serve at the wedding. Yet they couldn’t be bothered to ask me how I’m doing these days? I'm out of town, on my own, but they've never once checked on me.

I didn’t want to be getting the new business up and running while trying to plan a wedding at the same time. That was too much on me, at least that was my excuse. Brett was trying to rush things, and I didn’t know why. My gut told me that he had an agenda, so I was gently pumping the brakes. I was no longer hoping that I was wrong about him. I’ve learned to trust my gut over the years. I may have just turned 26, but deep down, I knew something was wrong.

My phone rang, and seeing Brett’s name flashing on the screen caught me by surprise. He hasn’t called me in over three weeks for anything. I already had a feeling that whatever he wanted wasn’t going to be him checking up on me. It would be business-related again. I almost didn't answer the call, but my curiosity about what he wanted won out.