Book 2: Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Asking one of the drivers to drop me off, my mind continued to race about where I was going. The address was foreign to me as would be any address in Sunbury. I wasn't aware of anything I was supposed to see today. Cyrus nor Jason warned me about any surprises they had planned. I'm going into this blind and super nervous. I'm starting to think this was bad idea.

The car came to a stop in front of this building with no lights outside of it. It was extremely dark as the cold air made things feel even creepier. I was already here so there was no sense of leaving. However, it didn't seem like anyone was here for me to meet. Did she set me up for real? If she sent me here with no way of getting back, I was going to kill her.

Panic aside, I gathered the courage to go up to the glass doors of the building. Pushing them open, my mouth almost fell to the ground when I stepped inside. There I was standing in the middle of a bakery. It was empty, but everything looked to be cleaned and put together nicely. There were plenty of booths set up. Bar stools at the minibar. The glass case where you could display some of the baked goods. The color scheme was beautifully done as well. The only thing missing was the sign.

Still empty, I look around again in complete awe. It was everything I wanted for my bakery with Kira and then some. Why would Kameron send me here though? It didn't make much sense. That is until Jay showed himself.

He came out from the back of the shop with that bright smile on his face. His blue eyes filled with glee as he sees me taking in the space. I'm not sure what he was up to or why Kameron had anything to do with this, but I'm willing to bet this was the surprise. Jason was always up to crazy things but this was insane!

He walked over to me thrilled that I showed up. "For a minute there I didn't think she told you." He says reaching his hands out to me.

I smirk embracing him the only way I knew how. "What exactly was she supposed to tell me?' I pry for more answers.

"To come here and see your surprise." His hands wrap around my waist in excitement.

I'm over filled with emotions not sure what to do or say. "Jay...what is all this?" I continue to poke around for answers.

Letting me go for a second, Jay picked up another sign that had the words open on it. "This is your new bakery."

I thought my ears deceived me. Did he just say this was my new bakery? It can't be possible when I already had one in Greendale. Not to mention this looked nearly complete. All my money went into the building Kira and I purchased back at home. We couldn't possibly just abandon it after putting so much in. Did Kira even know anything about this? How would she feel?

I couldn't deny how amazing this place looked though. Compared to the building back home, this was leagues above it. The building being in the center of everything would make for great business as well. It wouldn't surprise me if Jay poured everything into this place to get it for me. He was always going above and beyond to please me in ways no one else could. This was too much though.

My eyes welled with tears of joy, not willing to accept this. "Jason, I can't...it's too much." I deny his gift.

He scoffed. "A, come on it's perfect." He smiles. "I figured if you're going to move in with me you may as well have your bakery close by."

I bit my lip nervously. "What if I don't move in with you?" I asked him. "There's so much already going on, Jay."

His face fell a bit. "You mean because Cyrus doesn't know?" I could hear the hurt in his voice.

My head nods. "More importantly what will happen when he finds out?" That was always on my mind.

There's no telling how Jay was going to feel after Cyrus finds out. It's one thing to say he'll be ok with it now. But when he finally is in the situation, how is he going to respond to losing his friend? He may think our relationship isn't worth it once it happens for real. Moving in together sounded nice but what if it couldn't happen?

Jay seemed convinced nothing would change though. He was putting his friendship on the line for someone like me. It meant everything and more but I didn't want him sacrificing so much just to be with me. He didn't need to lose his best friend since childhood to make us happen. I felt horrible taking that away from him. It wasn't fair.

That didn't make him change his mind. "Autumn, I already told you none of that matters to me." He was so sure of himself.

"Well it should. That's your best friend." I argue. "You're willing to lose him just because of me?"

Jay chuckled. "Yes as much as Cyrus means to me, I don't plan to spend my future with him." He was making this into a joke when it was serious.

"Jason I'm serious!" I yell. "I...I almost told him about us yesterday."

He looked surprised but not shocked to hear it. It's been a while that we've kept this a secret. It was only a matter time before I finally cracked. Cyrus deserved to know what was happening behind his back. This has been going on since last year when my attention should have been on Cyrus. The competition was about him and yet I fell in love with his best friend too.

Now we're dating but more importantly he wants to move in together. It's one thing to tell him we were dating but sharing the news of moving in would be too much. He would completely lose his mind more than he would about us simply dating. The drama waiting to unfold was a lot to bear.

Jay didn't feel that way though. He was always so calm and collected about everything. Knowing what could possibly happen, he didn't let it phase him in the slightest. Instead, he took matters more seriously but still reassured me his mind was made up. There was nothing I could do to change it as much as I wanted to.

Taking my hand, Jay's smile never left his face. "Ok, that's news. Why didn't you?" He wondered. At least that confirmed he didn't overhear us talking

I sighed. "After Jeremy proposed, it made him start talking about marriage." I explain. "Not only that, but marriage to me."

Jay's mouth makes an o shape before responding. "So, why are you freaking out again?" He just didn't get it.

I snickered. "Because when he said it I wasn't thinking about being married to him." A sigh escapes my lips. "I was thinking about being married to you instead."

Silence encompasses us as Jay realized why I was so worried. If this were last year, marrying Cyrus sounded like the best thing in the world to me. Now, all I could think about is doing those things but with Jay. It's not to say my love for Cyrus has died because it didn't. I'm sure it's because the whole reason I'm even allowed to see him is because he's supposed to marry Jenna. If that weren't the case then I'm sure I wouldn't have even batted an eye. That's not what's happening though.

There's also the fact that I spend a lot of my time with Jay now. Before, Cyrus was all that I saw every day of the week. This time around it's reserved making my connection with Jay a lot stronger. Despite being just as rich as Cyrus, Jay was more relatable in the sense that he didn't always try to please me with expensive gifts. He was more relaxed about that sort of thing where we both could enjoy activities together. Cyrus has tried to understand but Jay just gets it. He gets the type of life that I come from and appreciates it.

Fighting back a smirk, Jay looks down hearing what I'm saying. "You...you were thinking of me?" He asked. "So, you were going to tell him because of that?"

I nod. "Yes," I paused. "I'm not saying I'm ready to be engaged now, but I do look forward to it in the future." My eyes avert from his.

It's obvious he was smiling again at this point. "With me?" He continues to ask questions.

I crossed my arms, tired of his questioning. "Do you want me to spell it out for you?"

"Actually, you might need to." He laughed as I rolled my eyes at him.

Despite his joking, Jay took what I was saying and was thrilled about it. He always suspected that I would choose Cyrus over at any given moment. Nowadays, I don't think that would be the case. If I needed to make a choice, Jason would for sure be number one. We've invested too much into us for me to let him go now. Cyrus would always have my heart but I don't think he held the number one spot anymore. That title went to Jay.

Cupping my cheeks, Jay's lips found their way to mine in a passionate dance. Instantly, I melted into him like we haven't done this a thousand times before. It sent chills down my spine every time we connected like this. He was special to me. We were special to each other. No one could come in between that.

Parting lips, Jays thumb lingered on my cheek as he smiles. "I love you, gorgeous. I really hope you considering having your bakery here."

I giggle. "About that, why did Kameron tell me the address instead of you?" I've been dying to know all night.

He scratches the back of his neck. "Well, you might not believe me but the reason we've been spending so much time together is because she's been helping me plan this."

Laughing, there was no way that was true. "You're joking right?" I ask him. "You expect me to believe Kameron was helping you do something nice for me?"

That was hard to believe. She always gave me a hard time and never talked to me in a nice manner. Not to mention that she always insinuated things happened between them without a care in the world. If she truly was helping him, her way of being discrete was annoying at best. The way she went about it triggered me to no end.

"I promise she was, A. Nothing else was going on." He reassured me.

My eyes narrowed. "Not even a kiss?" I pressed some more.

He made a disgusted face. "Not even a kiss."

I groan out of frustration. "Now I feel stupid." My lips find themselves pouting. "My jealously was for nothing."

That whole time I was worried about nothing. I should have known Jay would never do anything with her. Seeing them spend so much time together had me worried. It didn't help that she would say things that would get into my head. All those times I was upset at him were for nothing and he was being truthful. At least now we could move past that and I never have to worry again.

He shakes his head. "Not for nothing, but you did overreact a few times." He admits. "Doesn't change how I feel about you, though."

I smile embracing him tightly. "Thank you Jason." I say nuzzled in his chest.

He chuckles. "For what?"

"For loving me the way you do." I look up at him happy as can be.

He pecks my lips one last time before we lock up the store to leave.