Desires, Sweets, Secrets (Men of NatEx #2): A Package Handlers Novel

  Desires, Sweets, & Secrets

  Copyright © 2018 Kyle Autumn

  All rights reserved.

  First Edition

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  Books By Kyle Autumn

  The Men of NatEx

  Favors, Strings, & Lies

  Desires, Sweets, & Secrets

  Choices, Loyalty, & Love

  The Voyeur Serial

  Volume One

  Volume Two

  Volume Three

  Volume Four

  Volume Five

  Volume Six

  Stay up to date on all things Kyle Autumn!

  Newsletter – http://bit.ly/2I4Cq07

  Table of Contents

  Books By Kyle Autumn

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek of Choices, Loyalty, & Love

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Jeremy

  Packing up my grandpa’s stuff is not how I wanted to spend the week after college graduation. Sure, I made the decision a long time ago to move back here to be closer to my brother. These are not the circumstances I wanted though. But it is what it is. My therapist would tell me to make the best of it, so I’ll try to heed his words.

  My dad pulls their car into the driveway first, and I take the spot next to him in my own. My brother and his fiancée, Cadence, are waiting by his car on the street. I finally got to meet her at the funeral, but it’s still shocking to see him with someone on his arm. Especially someone like her. Damn, Matt did well. He deserves it.

  He’s been there for me when no one else was. If my grandpa hadn’t been sick, he would have been there too, but my own parents… They’re part of why I have a therapist.

  I get out of my car after a three-and-a-half-hour drive and stretch my legs and my back. Once my brother makes it over to me, I clap him on the back and reach a hand out to Cadence. But she comes in for a hug.

  “Hey, Jeremy,” she says close to my ear before pulling away. “Sorry it’s happening this way, but I’m glad to see you again.”

  “You too,” I tell her. “Thanks for making this cranky asshole happy.” I gesture toward my brother and earn a punch on the arm.

  “Don’t even start,” he laughs, pointing at me as he walks over to my parents.

  I laugh a little, which is more than I’ve done in a while, and I’m grateful for it. It’s been a fucked-up roller coaster these last few weeks. But I’m glad to see my brother. He’ll be the buffer between me and my parents right now.

  “How long are you planning on staying?” Matt is asking my parents as I walk inside my grandfather’s home.

  “Good question.” I close the door behind me with a little more force than necessary.

  It makes my sister, Dani, jump from her seat on the couch. “Geez, Jeremy.” She rolls her eyes, her phone pressed to her chest. “Did you have to slam it like that?”

  “Don’t start, you two,” my mom says, trying to keep the peace. She walks into the kitchen and drops the bags of food we brought with us. Then she starts to put stuff into the fridge. “We can get this done a lot sooner if we work together.”

  I side-eye my brother and Cadence, giving them a this is what I’ve been dealing with look. My brother silently responds with a smirk and a half shrug.

  My dad answers Matt’s question while he sits next to my sister. “We hope we’re only here for a week. Just long enough to get everything packed up and out of Jer’s way.”

  “Even though I said I could do it myself,” I say under my breath, mostly just to get it out of my system. My therapist always tells me that keeping things bottled in won’t help.

  “We’ve been over this,” my dad responds, having heard me, apparently. “You have to focus on getting a job now that you’re out of school, and he lived here for thirty-six years. There’s a lot of stuff to go through.”

  “Not really,” Matt tells him, putting his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been coming here for a while, packing things up and getting rid of junk. There shouldn’t be much left to do.”

  “I see that now.” My mom comes out of the kitchen with a box. “Looks like most of the extra kitchen stuff has been boxed up already.”

  Cadence raises her hand. “That was me. That’s a box for donation, but if you want any of it, Jeremy”—she turns to me—“you can take it out of the box.” She shrugs and smiles, the warmth of it radiating throughout the room. It’s easy to see why my brother was so drawn to her for so long. “Most of it seemed useless to me, but the kitchen is not my area of expertise.”

  “Thanks, Cadence,” I tell her. “I appreciate the help.” More than she knows. Anything to get my parents out of here sooner.

  “No problem,” she says, giving me a genuine grin. “I thought I’d be able to help sell the place, seeing as that is my area of expertise, but I think it’s great that you’re moving in.”

  “And I don’t see why I can’t stay here too,” Dani huffs out.

  Cadence’s eyes flash wide for a moment before she takes Matt’s hand and a half step backward. Which is for the best. She doesn’t want any part of this family drama.

  “We’ve been over this too,” my dad repeats, patting Dani’s thigh. Then he rises from the couch. “You’re sixteen. You’re not moving out.”

  “I don’t want to move out, Dad.” She rolls her eyes again. She’s not normally this sullen and pissed, so I wonder what’s really going on with her. “I just want to stay with Jer for a while. Why is that so bad?”

  “We didn’t say it was bad, Danielle.” My mom comes back from the kitchen, having set the box on the table. “We said that it’s not a good idea. Jeremy needs to get a job, so he probably won’t be home during the day.”

  “And, like you said, I’m sixteen. I can take care of myself when he’s not here.” She sets her phone on the arm of the couch. “Just for the summer. Please?” Her puppy-dog eyes come out in full force.

  My parents stare at each other, an exasperated look in their eyes. We’ve all been over this, and as much as I’d like to accommodate my sister, I’m just not sure it’s a great idea. They’re right: I won’t be home much. And I didn’t exactly make the best choices when I was going to high school in this town. The last thing I want is for Dani to catch any more grief because of that. They won’t w
ant to say it outright, so maybe I should. Because she looks like she’s wearing my parents down.

  “I’m not doubting that you can take care of yourself,” I start to say. But she doesn’t let me keep going.

  “Then what’s the big deal?” she asks, giving me the puppy-dog eyes now. “I really need a break from everyone back home right now, okay? Please let me stay with you.”

  I exhale a deep breath and look at my parents. No wonder they’re about to give in. But I don’t want her to be in harm’s way, and I can’t keep watch over her every second of the day. This is my life now, and I need to get on with it. Be an adult. Not basically be a dad right out of the gate.

  After several tense moments, everyone opens their mouths to speak. Nothing comes out until a voice that’s becoming familiar rings out.

  “Why don’t you stay with us?” Cadence asks, taking that step forward again.

  My parents swing their gazes over to her, as do I. Matt tenses his fingers around his girlfriend’s, giving her a loving kiss on her knuckles.

  “We’re not always home during the day,” she adds, “but I am sometimes. That could help, and I’d love to get to know you more.” She flashes Dani a smile.

  Huh. That’s not a bad idea. If she needs a fresh start so badly, maybe that’ll do for her. And she can still hang out here if she wants sometimes. If I’m honest with myself, I’d have to admit that I’d miss her. I do love her and want to protect her—it’s that big brother in me, after all—but I feel like I just got my shit together. It’s not a great time for me to be a permanent babysitter.

  “Hmmm,” Dani says. “I think I like this idea. Then I won’t have to deal with Jer’s revolving door of lady visitors.”

  I scoff at her. “What in the hell are you even talking about? ‘Lady visitors’? Seriously?”

  “Oh please. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she spits at me, her glare hitting me right in the chest. “Mom? Dad?” She glances between both of them. “What do you think?”

  My parents are speechless for a moment. Then my mother turns to Matt.

  “It’s up to you guys. Matt, what do you think?” she asks.

  He shrugs. “It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with my little sister. So, as long as it’s okay with Cade, it’s okay with me.”

  “Yes!” Dani shoots off the couch and hugs my mom, my dad, and then Matt and Cadence together. “Thank you!”

  “As long,” my mom starts, raising her voice to be heard over Dani’s, “as you find a job. Like you said, you’re sixteen, and your brother isn’t responsible for you. Got it?”

  “Got it! Can I borrow someone’s car to go look for one right now?” She holds her hand out for someone’s keys and waits.

  I give her a high five instead, which makes her gasp and then wrinkle her nose.

  My dad reasons with her though. “We still have things in the car. Bring those in and you can take our car while we get started on work here, okay?”

  “Mmhm!” She nods rapidly and flies out the door.

  I decide to get to the bottom of this, so I follow her out the door to help. Not so she can leave sooner, but so she and I can talk—and so I can avoid my parents some more.

  “Eager much?” I ask as she opens the car door.

  She hauls a bag over her shoulder. “Just as eager as you are.” Then she tries to breeze past me, nearly knocking me over.

  “Whoa.” I reach out to steady her by her shoulders, not loving the attitude when we all caved to give her what she wanted. “What’s going on?”

  “You haven’t been here, Jeremy.” She avoids eye contact with me and fiddles with the handle of the bag. “You wouldn’t know.”

  “Which is why I’m asking now,” I insist, bending to catch her gaze. “I was at college, not in prison, Dani. That’s not fair.”

  “Yeah, well, life’s not fair.” She tries to push away from me, but I don’t let her.

  Instead, I grip her shoulders a little tighter. “What the hell?”

  As she shuffles her feet, she takes a deep breath, and when she releases it, her lips tremble. Staring at the ground, she begins to crumble. “I just…” She sniffles before she tries again. “I need a break, okay?”

  “That’s what you said inside too.” I loosen my hold on her and hope she’ll stay put. When she does, I continue. “But that’s the story you give parents. Not the story you give your older and supportive brother.” I give her a small smile, thinking that might break the ice a little.

  It kind of does. She doesn’t leave or tremble any worse. Clearly, something is really wrong with her, and getting it out of her will be my new focus. Yeah, I need a job too, but she’s right. I haven’t been there for her. And there’s no better time than now.

  “Can we talk about it later?” she asks. “I just want to focus on moving on, okay?”

  Well, that was not the answer I was looking for, but I wrap her up in a hug anyway. “When you’re ready to tell me, I’ll be here.”

  “Thanks, Jer.” She sniffles and inhales deeply in my arms. “I’ve really missed you, you know.”

  “I’ve missed you too, kid.” I lean away from her. “But we’re gonna be roommates at times now, I guess. So don’t get sick of me.” After a wink, I open the other car door and start to help bringing things in.

  I’m glad she’s staying. Something about her being here calms me down. She’s a good kid, and she doesn’t need to already believe that life is that unfair. It’s too early for her. So I hope a summer here with me will help straighten that out.

  For her and for me. God knows I need something good in my life too. This summer has to be about solid focus. Finding that job. Being an adult. Showing my family that they can be proud of me. Making a new life for myself. Even if it’s in my old stomping grounds.

  God help anything that tries to get in my way.

  ∞∞∞

  Amelia

  There’s something to be said about using baking as therapy. When I can’t think straight, I bake. When I can’t make up my mind, I bake. When I can’t get over a bad night, I bake.

  Basically, all I do is bake.

  It’s cathartic for me. There’s a rhythm to it that soothes away any frustration or ache. I can follow a recipe or I can freehand it. I can bake for customers or I can bake for a broken heart. I can make muffins or cupcakes or cakes or cookies. I can go the chocolate route or fix up something fruity. The options are endless. Choices, decisions—the ones about baking come easily for me.

  Others, not so much.

  Choices for dinner? Give me an hour to decide. Major life decisions? Don’t even think about asking. Luckily, this bakery fell into my lap without my needing to choose too many things. Baking is in my blood. In my family. So the choice to take this place over from my grandma was a no-brainer. The business side is not really for me though, but I have a month left to learn from Gerald, the man who did the books for my grandma, before he retires too.

  After that, I’m on my own. Which is why I’m at a table in the bakery after hours, squinting at my computer, thankful that my sister knows how to post a help-wanted ad on the internet.

  “There,” she says, clicking the mouse. “All done. Hopefully someone qualified sees it!”

  “Cass, I couldn’t do this without you.” I wrap my arms around her and kiss her cheek. “Thank you.”

  “You mean that more than you know,” she mumbles, a small laugh behind the words.

  The timer on one of the ovens in the back goes off, alerting me to the scones I put in there fifteen minutes ago. It’s the second batch I started when I realized I had no idea what I was doing on the computer. And that’s when I called my sister.

  “Let me go grab those. I’ll be right back.” I spin toward the back and nearly bowl my five-year-old niece over. “Whoa! Sorry, sweetie. You’re so quiet and good. I forgot you were playing down here.”

  Aria giggles at me, holding one of her toy trucks. “That’s okay, Auntie Melia. But it’ll c
ost ya.”

  I was headed to the kitchen, but I stop in my tracks when my niece’s words hit me. Then I flick my gaze to my sister, raise an eyebrow, and point to Aria, holding a laugh back. “Uh, when did she learn that phrase?”

  “Don’t ask me.” Cass shakes her head in defeat. “Derek must have left a TV show she shouldn’t have watched on. Wasn’t me.”

  I smile to myself as I continue my path to the oven before my scones burn. Rather, my sister’s scones. That’s how I knew to call her. Sometimes I get lost in a daze while I bake, tossing ingredients in one after the other, but once the batter is ready, I know exactly why I made it. Cass calls it my gift. I don’t care what it is as long as it continues to guide my way.

  Once the oven is off and the scones are on the cooling rack, I bring the whole rack and a box out to the front. I set everything on the counter and check on Aria, who is still on the floor, playing with her toys. My sister, however, has company at the table I left her at.

  Gerald nods at the computer and gives Cass a thumbs-up. “Next, you’ll have to put another ad up for some part-time help around the shop,” he says loud enough that I can hear. Then he shoots me a side-eye glance.

  “You’ve been saying that,” I tell him as I box a few scones up. Then I put a few on a plate and head toward Gerald and Cass.

  “Because I’ve run the numbers every month, Amelia,” Gerald says. “You have enough income to pay someone at least part time.”

  “But that’s not where the money should go and you both know that,” I tell them—not for the first time. “And I think I’m doing a good job managing it here without that.”

  “You are,” Cass says, picking a scone off the plate before I even set it on the table. She juggles it so she doesn’t burn herself, but that doesn’t stop her from breaking a piece off and eating it. “Ooh, my favorite!” She moans around the mouthful of scone. “But I can’t continue to show up on weekends and save you,” she continues, still chewing, “and the ‘good job’ you’ve done has been at your expense.”

  Gerald nods. “She’s right,” he confirms before I get a word in edgewise. “You’re here day and night. You barely sleep. You need take a break.”