Free Unspoken by Liliana Camarena Page A

moments when we would spend some time together. Alexa said that we were still creepy but I thought we were very mature. I couldn’t help feeling my heart jumping out of my mouth every time he touched my hand or felt like I would faint every time he did this horrible thing (not really) where he grabbed me by the waist from behind and put his chin on my shoulder. He did that every day and for him it was so natural and friendly like, to me it was HOT. But I was dealing with that, I even looked forward to that.
    Next day I woke up got ready and left a note to Jackson letting him know I was at the bakery. We’ve been doing this thing for almost 3 months and still every time he slept over I left him a note. I didn’t like leaving him there, alone. I don’t know. It felt weird.
    I was in the middle of making some pineapple hand pies when Alexa arrived. She sniffed over Greg’s shoulder and saw the most delicious cherry pie and then came to see what I was doing.
    “Hand pies,” she said as she hung her purse and grabbed her apron. I just nodded, “It’s been a while,” she said and I nodded again. “How did it go with Vanilla-Lemon?” she asked and I turned to look at her.
    “Great,” I smiled. She knew we didn’t have sex because I wasn’t making carrot soufflé. That’s what I had made the day after Jackson and I had sex for the first time and it stuck. It wasn’t something that I planned, it just happened. Every time I had sex I had made carrot soufflé. I guess my baking was pretty connected to my moods. “He is such a gentleman,” I said almost sighing.
    “I’m glad. Did he kiss you yet?” she asked me as she tied her hair in a ponytail. I nodded. “Is he a good kisser?” I turned to look at her and smiled.
    “He is, Alexa,” I grinned.
    “Great, go for it then.” She smiled and went out to put out everything that was ready.
    Later that day I was going through my books with Jackson, when Alexa gently held a piece of paper in front of us.
    “What?” I asked looking confused.
    “There’s no excuse this year.” I still didn’t get it so I took a look at it. “I have no experience with these things, Alexa,” I said giving the paper back to her but Jackson grabbed it.
    “You’d be perfect for it,” he said and I shook my head. It was the National Cupcake contest. I have never ever been a cupcake specialist but I’ve talked about the contest with Alexa. We both thought that it would be perfect to win and get some exposure plus the prize was the sweetest (pun intended) thing of it all. Sponsorship for a cupcake shop anywhere we wanted. “Bake it off,” opening in Manhattan was a dream of mine and maybe it would be all about cupcakes in the beginning but I could expand it to bakery goodies as it grew.
    “It’s a dream of hers,” said Alexa looking at Jackson. She knew Jackson would team up with her and would make me enter the competition. “Every single fucking year she has a stupid excuse to not go. The venue changes every year because there’s a draw. Three years ago it was in Manhattan but she had just bought the local and didn’t have money for the expenses but this year,” she grabbed the paper from Jackson and pointed with her finger at something in the paper that, clearly, she had printed out. “It’s here in the Hamptons.” She finished laying the paper back in front of me.
    “I’m not ready.” I said getting up from the chair I was in.
    “You can go on a county fair tour, you know?” said Jackson looking at the paper.
    “I’m listening,” said Alexa sitting on the chair where I was. I busied myself at the counter re-arranging the muffins but I was listening.
    “Yeah, I’ve read online,” Alexa raised an eyebrow; “I have a lot of time in my hands ok?” said Jackson and Alexa nodded. “I’ve read that in addition of the pie baking contest, and the blue ribbon and all that crap they also have little cupcake contests.”
    “Ok,” Alexa kept looking at