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Burke’s Bakery is both my biggest accomplishment and one of my biggest problems. I love it.
Michelle, this is my sister. She lives in a constant state of distress.” Carol extends a hand to Michelle. “That’s my brother. He’s a dick. But it’s nice to meet you.”
Lars has been my best friend since high school. He’s had a mustache since the eighties, when he adored Magnum, P.I., and his pizzeria is so good that his belt notches have steadily risen since then as well.
Cinnamon rolls are not her favorite.
A crime
“Was I right?” he asks. “You were right.” The familiar cocky smile spreads across his face, and he looks at the ceiling, as if praying to heaven. “I love it when that happens.”
I love Cliff sm lol
“He’s a loser,” Cliff repeats, moving back to kneading dough. “Why else would he cheat on you? You’re stunning.” My heart skips as I stammer, “Wh-what?” “That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. You are. Even when you scowl at me.” Then, slowly, Cliff peers up through hooded eyes, scanning from my lips down to my waist and back up. Goose bumps press into the fabric of my shirt. “You’re stunning. And he’s a bonehead.”
He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth. His blue eyes are so deep, like the first beautiful clear sky of the season. He likes to rest them on my breeze-blown hair, drift them down to my painted lips or to the cardigan falling off my shoulder.
“I can’t believe I’m starting over. I’m in my thirties. No guy wants a thirty-year-old.” Cliff grins. “I love women in their thirties.”
I sheepishly confess, “Men don’t want women like me.” “Like what?” Unfun, too serious, workaholics. “I don’t know,” I mumble. He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”
“Happy birthday,” Cliff says. “You said you don’t like big celebrations. And there’s no way you ate dinner tonight. Also”—he picks up the remote to the TV—“I checked what’s on TV tonight, and you’re in time for Saturday Night Live.”
UGHHSHEHANANSBJSSM
“Really?!” she admonishes on a heavy exhale, her lips straightening into a line at both Emily and Josh. They sit exactly two feet apart on the couch, as instructed by yours truly.
“as instructed by yours truly” got me lmao
“Yes, sir, social planner,” Michelle teases, which does something to me I can’t explain.
The world tilts. It suddenly feels like I’m falling through the ground, straight to the center of the earth. God, she’s breathtaking.
I scoff. “In no reality would she ever like me.” Lars coughs, “Bullshit,” into his fist. “Do you need some water?” I ask.
Lmfaoooo
Cliff squeezes me closer to him. “Not even a little bit. You deserve to be taken care of, Michelle.”
🥹😭
“Em, that is incredibly irresponsible.” I straighten the black robe on my shoulders. “But also genius. You’re ungrounded.”
I peer over at Michelle, and she’s paused and staring directly at my lips. My heart does that terrible thing again, flip-flopping like a fish out of water.
“Don’t do something you think you’ll regret,” I whisper. He shakes his head without hesitation. “I wouldn’t regret this.”
And that—that right there—is the exact moment I know I need to kiss him. Because, despite Cliff taking a risk, he immediately backtracks when he thinks I’m uncomfortable. Because he’s that kind of friend. He’s that kind of man.
“Ah, screw it.” Cliff sinks his hand into my hair, cups my head, and collides his lips with mine.
love a “fuck it” moment
Rocket lies by the back door, waiting for her, every day around three o’clock, as if the school bus will drop her off at any minute.
Im crying
“Question for you now, Clifford,” she says, mocking my tone from earlier. I chuckle and raise my glass. “Shoot.” “Do you know you’re in love with my sister?”
🥹
Sara’s mouth gapes open. “Oh my God, you are so obsessed with her.”
Exhaling, I turn the key and whisper back, “I really like him, Sara. And I don’t know what to do.”
I don’t want to go on more dates. I want Michelle. Not as a friend. Not as a fling. I want her.
I recently got accustomed to Josh. Now, I’ve gotta worry about Luke? How did the whole Burke clan go from having zero relationship issues to being saddled with every single one?
lmaoo
What is with this weird assumption that I like blondes? Didn’t I divorce a blonde?
this made me lol
She snickers. “Don’t worry about it. You mope.” “I’m not moping.” “It’s okay; you can feel sad.” “I’m not sad!”
I quietly take the stairs down to the kitchen, but when I reach the tiles, Michelle is already sitting at the nook, papers drawn out in front of her. Rocket lies at her feet.
Best microtrope
“I want you to be happy and—” His next words almost come out in a whisper. “Have you ever thought I might be happy with you?” I tense, taking in a shaky breath. “You can’t mean that.” “I almost wish I didn’t.” “But you said—” “I say so many things that I don’t know what comes out of my mouth half the time,” he says. “But you do…you make me happy. So, there. I’m stuck in my own damn head with thoughts of you that I can’t get rid of. So, what do I do? Huh? What do I do?”
I’ve touched Michelle in quiet ways for weeks, little bumps or strokes along her knee and forearm, but the freedom to touch wherever I like is like carrying heaven in my palms.
And it hits me. I love this woman. I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day.
He shrugs. “You look too good in those jeans. I’m a simple man.”
“Now, back to business…where is Josh?” She tilts her chin down. “Dad.” I playfully hold up my palms. “I want to talk to him—” “Dad,” she warns again, a sliver of a smile on her face. “Me, Josh, and a machete.” “Dad!”
LOL
“Mom keeps asking Josh about his plans for the future. Make her stop asking Josh things.” “She’s your mother; be nice.” “She’s also asking where you’ve been.” “Perfect,” I breathe out sarcastically. “That’s your ex-wife; be nice,” Emily mocks.
“You’d target your own team?” Cliff asks on a laugh when I point my snowball toward him. “I assumed I was on my own team,” I answer with a grin. Cliff slowly shakes his head. “I’m always on your team.”
🥹
Before I can close the door, Rocket speeds down the sidewalk. I startle when he leaps into my lap. His brown eyes stare back at me. I’m riding with you, Shelly, they say.
“Take care of my favorite place, okay?” I laugh. “I will.”
And that’s when it all hits me. She’s not here. She’s not here. And suddenly, I’m choking through tears as they fall shamelessly down my cheeks. My eyes burn. My vision blurs. I’m sniffling and coughing and gripping the wheel tighter.
cliff my bb 😭😭
So, here’s the long and short of it. Allen sucks. He’s terrible.
mama knows best fr
We have a lovely neighbor next door who is a total hunk. And newly single! He’s more talkative than you, but something tells me you two would get along swimmingly.
i cried
He barks again, running faster when our eyes meet. I drop the unicorn toy on the ground and crouch in time for him to leap into my arms. Rocket whines in my hair, licking my face and wagging his tail so hard that it moves his whole behind. My mind is spinning.
CRYINGGGG
“Don’t get on the plane, Michelle.” “I don’t—” “I love you.”
AN AIRPORT CONFESSSIONNNNNN
“God, I love you,” he says, shaking his head. “I love that you roll your eyes when I make stupid jokes. I love that you argue with your dog when you think nobody’s watching. I love that you have coffee at night and that you don’t dress up for Halloween. And I love how great you are with my girls. I told myself I would never ask someone to stay with me again. But I love you. And that’s gotta mean something, right?” His eyes dart between mine, and he echoes on another breath, “That’s gotta mean something.”
“You love me?” And there’s relief, sadness, then disbelief. I smile even wider. “I love you, Cliff.” He exhales, his face going slack as he cups my jaw. “Oh, thank God.” And then he kisses me.
If I can’t help her, he normally does. We’re a team like that.
the epilogue from the dog’s perspective really fucked me up I won’t lie
When he unhooks me from my leash, I take a right through the door with the food smell. Then I see her. My Girl.
my girl stfu 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Years ago, there was some extra thumping in her that made me really uncomfortable. I was scared she was sick or something. But then, one day, it stopped, and that same thumping rhythm came from some raised bed in My Girl’s den.
stfu
As long as I have My Girl and as long as Funny Guy makes her laugh, I can’t complain. Not one bit.
so yeah this was adorable and I loved every second of it
