The Donafrio Donor (18+ Only) [COMPLETED]

10: In Which She Closes a Chapter (with a Bang)

10: In Which She Closes a Chapter (with a Bang)

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“You’re going to be okay delivering all those cakes?” I asked Meg for the billionth time, giving her my full attention and simultaneously closing the cash register. I’d been on my feet for hours because – with the sudden fame that came with marrying a billionaire – business was booming. Meg and Catherine, another girl I’d had to hire, couldn’t handle that many customers alone.

Meg rolled her eyes at me, giving me a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I know, I know.” I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It’s just that I’m not used to being so... useless.”

“You’re not useless,” Meg said sweetly, “but I do have to deliver that order so...I’ll see you later?”

“Yes.” I smacked my forehead, remembering something. “You can take the van home. I’ll close up.”

Truthfully, I was glad to be rid of Megan for the day. The girl just made no sense behind the register. Numerous patrons had complained that she either short-changed them, or gave them far too much.

“Just sack her and be done with it,” Jules was fond of saying, especially after the instance when Meg had given her a twenty-pound note in exchange for a fiver.

I wasn’t going to be mean. Meg was a sweet girl, despite her irritating and daily commentary: “Why are you still working? Your husband’s loaded, Dani! And God, why do you even stay in this town? Why does he? It makes no sense!”

Clarke’s Café was my business. There was no way in hell I’d quit doing the one thing I was good at just because Carlo was wealthy and I didn’t need to work anymore. Sure, it felt amazingly refreshing when the ‘FINAL NOTICE’ letters had stopped coming in the post and when I finally realised that I’d never have to worry about putting Mickey through school – but that was where it ended. Money wasn’t the reason I was with Carlo Donafrio. It had been a month since he’d said those amazing words and I never got tired of hearing them because honestly, they – and the way he made me feel – were the reason I was with him. Besides all that, this small town was my home and I could never leave my brothers. At least, that was how I felt right then.

“Glad I could catch you!”

I had completely zoned out and probably had the dopiest look on my face thinking about Carlo. So I had to blink a few times before I could register Jazz standing at the counter, her hair pulled into a massive and ridiculously messy bun and a wide smile on her lined face.

“Jazz. Hello.” I tried to force some cheer into my voice, I really did. Despite this, I still sounded like Wall-E.

Ignoring my monotone, Jazz sat on one of the stools at the counter. “I brought you something,” she said, rooting into her handbag. “Are you feeling peaky? Craving things?”

“I –”

“This is a cinnamon-and-mint powder. Really calming stuff,” she told me, cutting me off. She handed me a Ziploc bag of something horrid that looked suspiciously like marijuana. “You just pop it into warm water and add half a teaspoon of sugar.”

“Er, thanks?” I set it on the shelf beneath the till, mentally reminding myself to chuck it away at a later date. I wasn’t going to put it past Jazz to try to poison me and my baby.

You’re being a bítch, my conscience let me know, and I flushed with guilt. Jazz wasn’t so bad. She really wasn’t.

“You’re welcome.” She grinned. “How are things? Where’s Michael?”