Deep, Deep Donuts by Megan Wade

Tamara

“What do you mean I don’t have to be on the lookout for Mr. Hot Cop anymore?” Sasha pouts. “That was my favorite part of every day.” She stands beside me in the lake house’s kitchen while I mix the filling for Wes’s blueberry cheesecake filled donuts, licking the spoon she stole out of the batter and refused to give back. “This is delicious, by the way.”

“Thank you,” I say, working the new, clean spoon around the bowl. “And you don’t have to watch for him because he’s on our side now. Turns out, he was never trying to bust us. He just wanted a donut.”

“What?” She almost chokes on her laughter. “Oh, my god. That’s hysterical. How did we not think that!” Throwing her head back, she places her hand on her stomach and cackles. “He’s a cop! Of course, he wanted a donut!”

I smile throughout her giggle-fest, picking up my piping bag to scoop the mixture into so I can start filling the two dozen donut casings I’ve made.

Besides the donuts Wes ordered, I’ve made extra to sell on a first come first served basis. Most of my specialty donuts work like that. I bake into the night and get up early and make a bunch before I set off for the day. Cinnamon donuts bake in the van all day, and as long as I have the batter mix, I can make them to order. But the others take time and once they’re sold out, they’re gone.

Normally, I don’t take special orders just because I’d have them coming out of my ears if I did. But Wes is…special. I don’t know how to explain it, because my head keeps telling me I'm crazy for even considering this, but my body seems to think Wes is my guy. Just being near him in the back of the van today had me tingling all over, hoping for another touch, a brush of his skin against mine, a longing look… Just the thought now makes me shudder in a good way. And even though I’m probably seating myself up for a world of hurt, I’m enjoying the idea of a guy like Wes wanting a girl like me. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize I’ve always been pretty hard up when it comes to relationships with men. I haven’t even kissed a guy before, nor have I ever tried. Finding a man I felt a ‘vibe’ with just hasn’t happened. And now that I’m feeling it around Wes, it’s fun and it feel so good. While it’s likely that it’ll end in disappointment for me, I still want to enjoy this feeling—one of possibly, of being wanted—while I have it. No matter how far out it may seem.

“Are you done?” I ask Sasha, as her laughter turns into hiccups and she wipes at the tears on her cheeks. “It’s really not that funny.”

“But it is. He’s been chasing you down for a month, riding like a madman just so he can get a—” She breaks out in laughter again, and this time I laugh along, the memories of all those chases through the lake-side streets altering slightly now that his true intention has been revealed. It’s pretty hysterical.

Wiping my hands on some paper towel, I dab at the corner of my eyes as tears roll down my face. This has been a summer to remember, that’s for sure. As we manage to calm down, a knock sounds on the front door, and I leave my giggling friend to spoon while I go and see who it is.

“Can I help— Wes! Hey,” I say, my words becoming breathy as I realize who it is. It’s dark out, and I unlock the screen and step out onto the porch with him, my eyes drinking in the way his T-shirt stretches across his chest, and how his jeans hug his muscular thighs. I kind of want him to spin around so I can check the fit around his ass, but something tells me that would be inappropriate since we only officially met a few hours ago. “Looks like you got a chance to go home and get cleaned up.”

He smiles. “And ask around to find out where you were staying.” He steps back a little, rubbing a hand over the top of his head like he’s nervous. Around me! “Sorry, that came off as kind of creepy. And I hope you don’t mind me showing up like this. But I have some news and I didn’t catch your number earlier.”

“This is perfectly. I honestly didn’t think much of it. I guess I have it in my head that cops just know where everyone lives.”

“If only it were that easy,” he says, clasping his hands together then smiling down at me. “But, back to why I’m here—I need to give you something, and I didn’t think it should wait.”

“You have something for me?” I poke a finger at my chest in disbelief, watching with eager eyes as the man of my dreams reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a piece of folded paper.

“I swung by City Hall earlier and got you this.” He unfolds the paper as he speaks then hands it to me, the words, ‘Temporary Permit’ printed beneath the letterhead for City Hall and signed by the City Manager, giving me permission to continue operating while my official documents are being processed. My heart leaps into my throat and I can’t believe my eyes.

“Oh, my gosh! Wes! Thank you!” I practically throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing tight. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” I say when I release him. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“How about you let me take you to dinner?” he says with a grin. And now I can’t believe my ears.

“Oh, no. It should be me taking you to dinner. Not the other way around. Or better yet, how about you let me cook for you? I dabbled with the idea of getting a taco truck, so I can make Mexican food like a pro.”

“You won’t catch me saying no to homemade Mexican food.”

“That’s a yes?”

He smiles, and it makes my belly flip. “It’s a definitely.”

“Great,” I breathe, pressing my teeth into my bottom lip. “Then how about Friday at eight?”

He nods once. “I’ll bring the wine.”

“And I’ll make fancy donuts for dessert too.”

“Sounds perfect. It’s a date.”

A date!

I try to stop my excited giggling by biting the inside of my cheek. “A date,” I repeat as the officer steps back and nods.

“I’m looking forward to it sweets. Even more than I’m looking forward to picking up those donuts from you tomorrow morning.”

Pressing my lips together, I smile and nod stupidly, because if I dare to try to talk now, I’m not going to talk, I’m going to start squealing like I just got the golden buzzer on America’s Got Talent.

“See ya, Tamara.”

“Bye,” I manage, tilting my head as he turns toward where his car is parked on the street and walks away. And let me tell you this, those jeans fit his ass perfectly…

“He wants to eat more than just your donuts,” Sasha says from just inside the door, shocking the life out of me because I completely forgot she was in the house.

“No,” I say, shaking my head as I turn back and head inside. “He’s just…he’s being nice.”

She lets out a disbelieving laugh. “That was not a man being nice. That was a man being forward. That was a man going out of his way to do something nice for you because he wants to get in your pants, pretty lady.”

“Sasha!” I practically yell, laughing as I walk back into the kitchen. “You’re being ridiculous!”

“No, Mara, I’m not being ridiculous. I’m being right. That man is so into you, I could feel the attraction from inside the living room. And while I’m jealous since we both know how hot I think he is, I’m also so freaking excited because you deserve this, babe! You deserve a delicious man to come along and sweet you off your beautiful, perfect, amazing feet. And to show you how certain I am that’s going to happen, I’m going to make myself scarce on Friday night so you have the whole place to yourself. I expect to come back here on Saturday and find you glowing.” She moves in front of me and places her hands on my shoulders. “This is your time, you beautiful goddess!”

“Oh my god,” I gasp. “What if you’re right?”

She laughs. “I am right.”

“In that case,” I start, swallowing hard. “I think I feel sick.”

Sasha pulls her head back and blinks. “So not the response I was expecting. I thought you liked him.”

“I do. It’s just…I’ve never been with a man before.”

“Ohhhh,” she breathes, sliding her hands into mine. “In that case, the donuts can wait. I think you and I need a stiff drink, and a long talk.”