if only

Softly

Months later, Emilia's bakery was booming. Alex walked in, suit sleeves rolled up, looking like he belonged behind the counter.

"Lawyer turned baker?" Emilia teased, sliding him a fresh scone.

Alex grinned, taking a bite. "Maybe. Isaiah Co's giving me a 'flexible schedule'...if I keep baking clients happy."

Emilia raised an eyebrow. "Conditions, huh?"

Alex leaned in. "Wanted to be closer to...the treats."

Their shoulders brushed. Again.

Emilia's eyes locked onto Alex's, the air thickening like honey. "The treats, huh?" she murmured, her voice barely audible over the bakery's hum.

Alex's gaze held hers, his voice low and rough. "The best treats in town."

The counter seemed to shrink, their faces inches apart. Emilia's breath caught.

Then, the bakery door swung open. A kid yelled, "Emilia! Cake order's ready!"

The moment shattered. Emilia blinked, stepping back. "Uh, yeah. Gotta...glue."

Alex exhaled, a slow smile spreading. "Guess I'll grab a table. We...aren't done."

Emilia's heart skipped.

Emilia expertly boxed the cake, her hands moving on autopilot. Alex waited, his eyes burning into her skin. The bakery's sounds faded; all she heard was her pulse.

As she handed the cake to the kid, he turned, eyes wide. "Emilia's got a boyfriend!"

The room froze. Emilia's face flamed. Alex raised an eyebrow.

The kid bolted. The silence lingered.

Emilia spun to Alex, mortified. "I-"

Alex pushed off the counter, stalking closer. "Boyfriend, huh?"

His voice was playful, but his eyes said something else. Emilia's lips parted.

The bakery phone rang, shrill in the tension. Emilia grabbed it, answering too loud. "Emilia's Bakes!"

Alex leaned in, his breath on her ear. "Later."

The word sent shivers down her spine.

Emilia expertly boxed the cake, her hands moving on autopilot. Alex waited, his eyes burning into her skin. The bakery's sounds faded; all she heard was her pulse.

As she handed the cake to the kid, he turned, eyes wide. "Emilia's got a boyfriend!"

The room froze. Emilia's face flamed. Alex raised an eyebrow.

The kid bolted. The silence lingered.

Emilia spun to Alex, mortified. "I-"

Alex pushed off the counter, stalking closer. "Boyfriend, huh?"

His voice was playful, but his eyes said something else. Emilia's lips parted.

The bakery phone rang, shrill in the tension. Emilia grabbed it, answering too loud. "Emilia's Bakes!"

Alex leaned in, his breath on her ear. "Later."

The word sent shivers down her spine.

Emilia's hand trembled as she hung up the phone. Alex's eyes gleamed, his face inches from hers. The bakery's sounds faded – just them, suspended.

He backed her against the counter, his voice a whisper. "We done playing it cool?"

Emilia's lips parted, but no words came. Alex's gaze dropped to her mouth.

The bakery door swung open. A blast of sunlight revealed Emilia's best friend, Lucy. "Hey, Em! Oh."

Emilia's face flamed as Alex straightened, a wicked glink in his eye. "Lucy's timing's impeccable."

Lucy backed out, grinning. "I'll...leave you...to...yeah."

The door closed. Emilia glared at Alex. "You planned that."

Alex chuckled, low and husky. "Maybe."

He leaned in again. This time, nothing interrupted.

Alex's lips brushed Emilia's, soft at first, then hungry. The counter dug into her back, but she didn't care. The world narrowed to his touch.

Somehow, they ended up in the bakery's tiny storage room, doors locked, lights flickering. Clothes were shed, and logic lost.

Morning broke, awkward and wonderful. Emilia woke in Alex's arms, her mind fuzzy.

A month blurred by – laughter, late nights, Alex's smile. Then it hit her: her period was MIA.

Emilia's heart sank. Alex stirred, sleepy. "What's wrong?"

She whispered, "My monthly's late."

Alex's eyes snapped open.

Alex's lips brushed Emilia's, soft at first, then hungry. The counter dug into her back, but she didn't care. The world narrowed to his touch.

Somehow, they ended up in the bakery's tiny storage room, doors locked, lights flickering. Clothes were shed, and logic lost.

Morning broke, awkward and wonderful. Emilia woke in Alex's arms, her mind fuzzy.

A month blurred by – laughter, late nights, Alex's smile. Then it hit her: her period was MIA.

Emilia's heart sank. Alex stirred, sleepy. "What's wrong?"

She whispered, "My monthly's late."

Alex's eyes snapped wide open .

Emilia's face went white. "Oh no. We were...we didn't..."

Alex sat up, rubbing his eyes. "We were careful, right?"

Emilia scrambled for her phone, scrolling frically. "Not careful enough."

Panic set in. They stared at each other, the storage room suddenly tiny.

Alex grabbed her hands. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Emilia's voice shook. "What if...?"

A knock on the bakery door. "Emilia! Open up!"

Lucy's voice. Emilia panicked. "What do I do?"

Alex pulled on his shirt. "I'll distract her. You...breathe."

Emilia slipped out to grab a test kit from a nearby pharmacy. Her hands shook as she took it. Alex waited, tension etched on his face.

Two lines appeared. Emilia's breath caught.

Alex walked in, saw her face, then the test. He froze.

Suddenly, he dropped to one knee. Emilia's heart stopped.

"Emilia," he said, voice shaking. "I wasn't looking for this...but I'd marry you in a heartbeat."

Emilia's eyes welled up. "Alex..."

Alex pulled out a ring. "I wanted to do this later, but...will you?"

Emilia's world spun .

Emilia stared at the ring, her mind racing. "Alex, I..."

He smiled, eyes shining. "Say yes."

But Emilia hesitated. "What about...your dreams? Law, travel?"

Alex's smile witched. "You, us...that's the dream now."

Emilia's heart soared, but... "What if I said no?"

Alex's face went blank. "I...I didn't plan for that."

Silence hung. Then Emilia laughed, a little scared. "I'm saying yes...but don't ditch law for me."

Alex exhaled, slipping the ring on her finger. "Deal."

As they hugged, Emilia's phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number: "He's not who you think. Ask about the real Isaiah Co."

Emilia's eyes narrowed as she showed Alex the text. "What's this?"

Alex's face darkened. "Just some crazy client, Emilia."

But Emilia pushed. "Ask about the real Isaiah Co. What does it mean?"

Alex's expression twisted, his voice cold. "Drop it, Emilia. You're stressing about the baby."

Emilia felt a sting. "I'm stressing because of secrets."

Alex instantly regretted it, his eyes flashing guilt. "Emilia, I...I didn't mean..."

He reached for her, but Emilia pulled away. "Tell me the truth."

Alex raked a hand through his hair. "I...it's complicated."

Emilia's voice dropped. "So's trust."

Emilia grabbed her bag, eyes blurring as she pushed past Alex. "I need space."

He called after her, "Emilia, wait!"

The bakery door slammed. Alex cursed himself, pacing the storage room.

Lucy burst in, concern etched on her face. "What happened?"

Alex's jaw cliked. "I screwed up. Big."

Lucy sighed. "Fix it, or lose her."

Alex grabbed his keys. "I'm fixing it."

Alex sprinted after Emilia, dodging pedestrians. He spotted her up ahead, tears streaming.

He caught her arm, spinning her gently. "Emilia, I'm sorry."

She shook him off, voice breaking. "You hurt me, Alex."

He pulled her into a quiet alley. "I know. I'm an i***t. The truth is...Isaiah Co's my firm. I was lead lawyer on your case."

Emilia's eyes widened. "You...you represented me?"

Alex nodded, shamefaced. "I wanted to impress you. Then it got real."

Emilia's anger warred with confusion. "Why hide it?"

Alex's voice cracked. "Afraid you'd see it as pity. I'm not pitying you, Emilia. I'm crazy about you."

Emilia searched his eyes .

Emilia pulled away, her emotions in turmoil. "I need time, Alex. This is a lot to process."

Alex nodded, his eyes pleading. "I understand. I'll be here when you're ready."

As he walked away, Emilia couldn't shake the feeling that she was torn between her heart and her head. The pregnancy, the secrets, the hurt – it was all swirling together in a mess.

She wandered aimlessly, her feet carrying her back to the bakery. Lucy was waiting, a sympathetic ear ready.

"Hey, spill," Lucy said, handing Emilia a cup of coffee.

Emilia sighed, the words tumbling out. "He lied, Luce. About everything."

Lucy listened, her expression thoughtful. "But do you love him?"

Emilia's eyes welled up. "I don't know...maybe."

Lucy smiled softly. "Maybe's a start."