The alarm rang loudly against the silence of the dark room. Groaning, Victoria Bronx rolled over and laid her hand hard against the off button. She longs for her snooze button but it no longer works. She rolled onto her back and pulled the covers over her head. Victoria hasn’t ever been a morning person. Her mom had to start waking her up as a child about an hour ahead of time just so she would have time to procrastinate before she got up.

“What are you going to do when you grow up, Vic...

The days went on at the bakery and Victoria couldn’t wait for the weekend. Her work days were tedious. She longs for Saturday when she has a spa appointment set up. In all actuality, it is only a mani-pedi appointment she has had to reschedule because of overtime, but she is so ready for it. Her feet were tired and sore. She loves the bakery. She loves the people and the smiles she brings to their faces and she loves the people she works with. She just couldn’t shake the boutique and the idea...

Victoria couldn't wait to get home and take her shoes off. Her feet were tired and achy and she just wanted to curl up on the couch with her blanket, a nice hot cup of tea, and her favorite book. When they got to Victoria's apartment, they spread all of the money out on the table. They both groaned when they realized all the change they had to count. She knew there was no way that she was even close to the amount she needed but every penny mattered, so every penny they counted and celebrated when they we...

Victoria tossed and turned that night and had horrible nightmares of Bradley driving a bulldozer straight over top of the bakery while Sal could only stand by and watch it happen. Finally, at five-thirty, Victoria decided she would just get up and fix herself a cup of coffee.

"No sleep will be had anyway, no sense in laying here pretending it will."Victoria said to herself.

She got up and slid on her robe and fuzzy slippers and walked to the kitchen. She brought her blanket from in the bedroo...

The days went by as normal at the bakery. Happy customers leaving with full stomachs while leaving rave reviews. No one had seen Bradley Parson for a couple weeks it seemed. Victoria could only think of that sweet boutique down on Main and how she wanted it so badly. She had been saving every penny from her check to put with it. She remembers the talks had at the bake sale and how everyone said they would miss seeing her at Sal's place, but that they wish her the best and that they will be by her new sto...

Victoria hurried to the restroom around six forty-five to wipe any flour from her face and from her hair. She threw some make-up on to cover up her dark circles that were showing through from this morning and a fresh coat of lipstick. At seven o'clock, she was sitting at a table by the window waiting for Brad to show up. At seven-fifteen, she began to feel like a joke. He hadn't showed up yet and she felt like she is the one being hustled. She remembers back in high school how it was. The really cute joc...

Brad's "tower" turned out to be his high-rise apartment but he refers to it as his tower. Victoria can only assume it makes him feel superior to have named it that. He has his own private elevator that goes from his parking deck straight to his place on the highest floor.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights, Victoria." Brad said as he held his hand out to help her out of the elevator.

"Not too much, no." she replied accepting his hand.

Brad opened the door and Victoria's mouth dropped ...

She got to work early the next morning. It was later than she thought it would be when she got home so she didn't bother calling Lucas to tell him what went on. She knows he is going to give her a ration about that. She started the coffee and opened the till and headed back to the kitchen to start baking. She could see Sal tending to the trash and her heart ached.

"I have to find a way to help him." she said to herself as she watched him disappear out the back door. "He doesn't deserve this." Every...

Victoria woke up to the sound of rain falling heavily against the windows. She rolled over and rubbed Brads stomach. She jumped straight up off the leather couch in the living room after realizing where she was."Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, waking him with a jolt.

"Did we? I mean we didn't, you know?" she asked him frantically.

Brad stood up and laughed, "No, we didn't, you know."

Victoria sighed a big sigh of relief.

"Pardon me," Brad's butler chimed in."I have coffee ready if you...

Victoria got up and dressed and headed to the bank right before lunch. She had her folder with her paperwork and her envelope with the now ten grand she’s saved and walked confidently into the bank with her head held high. That’s when she saw him, Brad Parson. She gets so flustered when she sees him and she nearly dropped everything as she walked to sit down. He noticed her as well from where he was seated at a desk with a few other men. He waved, smiled, and winked when she walked in. Her st...

“He did what?!” Victoria yelled into her phone at Lucas.

“I did some digging,” Lucas went on, “I was curious to see who bought the boutique so when I did the public search in records, it shows that Brad Parson purchased it a few days before you went in there.” 

“That low down, dirty, stinky rat." Victoria snarled as she curled her fingers into a fist. “He sat right there with me yesterday and sweet talked me about how the banker is right th...

“I’ve decided I’m going to make amends with Bradley.” Victoria told Lucas sitting at the round covered table at Mocha Beana’s, her favorite coffee shop in town.

“What made you come to that conclusion, Vic? I mean, you laid that guy out in front of the whole shop the other day.” Lucas chuckled.

“I know, and I also know that I shouldn’t have. I don’t really know him for who he is, well, I mean partly I do and that side is great. I trul...

She began to have a better understanding about Brad. Yeah, he’s arrogant and can be a jerk at times, but after all they talked about at dinner, she sees why now. It doesn’t make it right her knowing of course, but she gets it. He has a soft side to him, almost gentle in nature. He isn’t brash at all once you get through his tough exterior. She adores his laugh and the way he looks at her. They walked out to where they had dinner the other night and sat looking up at the stars as they he...

Brad and Victoria walked to the booth nestled near the bay window. He ordered them both a cup of coffee and some lunch.

“So, you just bought a building and now, you’re tearing one down.” She said in a snarky tone.

"Is it mine, Brad, the one I wanted that you bought out from under me, My boutique?"

Brad took a drink of his coffee and looked across the rim at her.

“We have investment properties all around these parts, Vic, why would you think it’s the o...

Victoria made it to the bakery early the next morning. Lucas came in shortly after and started turning on all the lights in the front and turned on all the coffee machines. When he made his way to the back, Victoria met him with a smile and a handful of questions.

"I had a conversation with Sal a while back and I was wondering something. You may know as you are more observant to things going on here than I am at times." Victoria said.

"Sure, what's up, Vic?" Lucas asked as he opened the fridg...

Is this what you and Sal were talking about, Brad?" Victoria raged over the phone with Brad the next afternoon.

"What are you talking about, Vic, calm down." Brad couldn't place her anger. He couldn't figure out what he had done to send her over the edge. Things had been great. Why on earth would she be angry over him wanting to marry her?

"Don't you act so coy, Mr. Parson. You tore down my boutique this morning and I can't believe you would do something so low! After that conversation we ha...