Valentine's Recipe for Love

Breaking the Dough

♡ Megan ♡

The scent of freshly baked croissants filled the bakery as I rolled out the next batch of dough. My hands moved on autopilot, and it was early. Too early for most people, but I loved these quiet moments before the shop opened. The rhythmic motions of kneading and folding always calmed me. But today, it wasn’t working. My mind was too loud, swirling with thoughts of last night’s dinner with Shane and the painful reality of my relationship with Brendan. Just as I slid a tray of croissants into the oven, the bell above the bakery door jingled. I glanced at the clock. It was too early for customers, and I wasn’t expecting Josh for at least another twenty minutes. That meant it could only mean one thing. Or in this case, one person. Brendan. I wiped my hands on my apron and stepped out of the kitchen. There he was, standing by the counter as if nothing had happened. His curly black hair was slightly disheveled, and he wore his usual leather jacket. He looked like the same Brendan I had fallen for two years ago. Except now, I couldn’t remember why I had ever loved him.

“Morning, baby,” he said casually. As if he hadn’t missed our Valentine’s dinner or failed to come home last night. I folded my arms across my chest.

“You have got some nerve showing up here,” I remarked angrily. There was no point in hiding my disappointment or anger from him. But Brendan frowned.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you missed our dinner, and then you didn’t come home,” I snapped. “What am I supposed to think, Brendan?” he sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“I told you something came up at work. I got stuck on a project, and by the time I was done, it was late…so, I crashed on the couch at Karl’s place,” he explained, but it just wasn’t good enough.

“That’s not good enough,” I voiced my thoughts, but he groaned.

“Aw, baby…Megan, come on,” he said as he took a step closer. “You know how demanding my job is. I don’t have control over everything,” I knew that was true. Brendan was an engineer and sometimes their projects and deadlines required them to work overtime. Still, it didn’t matter.

“You didn’t even have the decency to let me know, Brendan,” I pointed out, but before he could argue about the text he had sent, I hurriedly continued. “Your text was late. Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to sit there, alone, on Valentine’s Day, wondering if you were ever going to show up?” his jaw clenched, and I could see the regret in his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” he whispered, but I slowly shook my head.

“But you did,” I whispered. I wasn’t going to hide the fact that I was hurt either. “And then you didn’t bother to come home…look, Brendan…this isn’t just about last night. I know how important your job is to you, but I never come first. Never. I just…I can’t do it anymore, Brendan. I can't. I won't,” his eyes went wide and for a moment he looked genuinely surprised.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we are done,” I said, and even though the words felt heavy, it also felt liberating. “This relationship is over. We have been going through the motions for months. We both deserve more than that,” Brendan stared at me for a long moment before he finally let out a bitter laugh.

“So, that’s it? Just like that?”

“Just like that,” I confirmed, and he shook his head. His expression was a mix of frustration and disbelief.

“I mean…fine. If that is how you feel…I’m not going to beg,”

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” I replied. And without another word, Brendan turned around and walked out. The bell jingled again as the door swung shut behind him. I stood there for a moment, the weight of what I had just done settled over me. “Well, that’s that,” I murmured as I went to the back to check on the croissants. I got lost in thought and work, so when the door jingled again, this time I knew it was Josh. Moments later he came bustling in with a box of supplies in his arms. His dark hair was styled perfectly, as always, and his bright smile lit up the room.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he chirped as he set the box on the counter. “You look like you have been up for hours already. Are the croissants almost done?”

“Morning, Josh…yeah, I just put the last batch in the oven,” I said, and Josh stopped moving around and looked over at me.

“Ok…what’s going on?” he asked. I let out a shaky breath.

“Brendan and I just broke up,” his eyes went wide, and he rushed over to me.

“Oh, honey,” he cooed as he wrapped his arms around me. “I am so sorry…but it is a good thing. That man was a walking, talking red flag,” I couldn’t help but laugh at that as the tension eased slightly.

“You did always say that,”

“Of course! Because it is true,” he said as he pulled back. “You deserve someone who is going to be there for you. Someone who can make you a priority, not an afterthought,” I nodded in agreement. “Now, what happened last night, because I am dying to know,” I spent the next few minutes telling Josh all about dinner and Shane. When I was done, Josh stared at me for a moment and then he frowned. “And he didn’t ask for your number?”

“No…and I didn’t ask for his,” I sighed softly. “Besides we are both in relationships…or at least, I was until this morning…and I’m going to assume he still is,” Josh waved his hand around dismissively.

“Details, details! The universe brought you two together for a reason. You don’t just get randomly paired with someone on Valentine’s Day unless fate is involved,” I rolled my eyes at that. “So, what now?” Josh then asked. “Are you just going to wait and see if he walks into your bakery one day?” I shrugged at that because this wasn’t just about Shane.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Or maybe I just want to focus on myself for a while,” I admitted, and Josh nodded with approval.

“Self-love, honey. It’s the best kind,” we both laughed and, for the first time that morning, I felt a sense of peace. Brendan was gone and while that made me feel vulnerable, it also made me feel free. Still, the thought of Shane lingered in the back of my mind. A whisper of what could be.