Girl.”
I was glad he wasn’t mad. “Well…” I trailed off because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
He stepped away from the pictures and examined the rest of the bakery. “It has an unusual architecture…but it gives it character.”
“I wanted it to be unique.”
“You accomplished that.” He approached the counter and looked through the glass. “Can I get a tour?”
“Sure. It’s nothing fancy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
I showed him the bread and pastry kitchen, where employees were already preparing for the day. Coffee was brewing and the aroma filled the kitchen. I showed him the walk-in freezer then led him to the cake kitchen.
“This is where you work?”
“Yep. I do all the wedding cakes.” I stopped in front of the wall where I pinned all my pictures of previous cakes.
He stood beside me and looked at them. “Wow…you’ve done amazing work.”
“Thanks…” I received compliments all the time, but it meant a lot coming from him.
“I like this one.” He pointed to the image of a motorcycle club theme. There were toy motorcycles with a man and a woman. Leather vests with fringe covered their bodies.
I chuckled. “They fell in love in a bike gang.”
“Now that’s romantic…” His voice was full of sarcasm but he was smiling. “And badass.”
“They’re really sweet people,” I said. “The nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“Is this one for a wedding?” He pointed to the mermaid theme cake.
“No, it was for a birthday party.”
“A three-tier cake for a birthday party?” he asked incredulously.
“You know how it goes…they’re stupid rich.”
I turned to him and finally realized I’d never asked why he was there. “So…what brings you here?” I didn’t want to sound rude but I was curious.
“I was jogging by and thought I’d pay a visit.”
“You jog this early in the morning?”
“When else am I going to do it?” he asked. “I box after work so I don’t have time for cardio.”
He boxed ? “That makes sense.”
“I live nearby—right on Park Avenue.”
“I know,” I blurted.
He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “You know?”
“Because of the invitations,” I said quickly. I didn’t want him to think I was some kind of stalker.
He nodded in understanding. “I see.”
“I’m happy that you’re doing so well.”
That old look came into his eyes, one that was full of affection and something else. “Thank you. I’m happy for you too. Every time I walk by this bakery, it puts me in a good mood.”
“Because you want a muffin?” I teased.
“You caught me.”
I opened a container and grabbed a new creation. “It’s orange and cranberry.”
“Ooh…” He grabbed it from my hand and took a bite. He chewed it slowly and wiped the crumbs from his lips. “Damn, that’s good.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks reddened slightly.
“How are you not fat?” He finished it then sucked the stickiness from his fingers.
It reminded me of something I shouldn’t think about. “I learned self-control a long time ago.”
“Impressive.” He wiped his hands on his running shorts. “Now that you showed me around your place, you want to see mine?”
“Your office?” I hadn’t thought about it. I didn’t even know where it was.
“I meant my apartment. It’s just a few blocks over.”
“Oh…” Being alone with him in his apartment made my hair stand on end but I wasn’t sure why. It was clear he was over me and never wanted to be together again. The thought shouldn’t have crossed my mind at all. “Sure. I guess.”
“Unless you have another creation to make?”
I was just messing around in the kitchen. “No. I’m free.”
“Cool.” He pulled his headphones off and shoved them into his pocket. “It has a view of the park. It’s pretty cool during the daytime. But it’s really cool in the evenings.”
“I’m sure it is.”
***
We entered his building and approached the lobby. The
I was glad he wasn’t mad. “Well…” I trailed off because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
He stepped away from the pictures and examined the rest of the bakery. “It has an unusual architecture…but it gives it character.”
“I wanted it to be unique.”
“You accomplished that.” He approached the counter and looked through the glass. “Can I get a tour?”
“Sure. It’s nothing fancy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
I showed him the bread and pastry kitchen, where employees were already preparing for the day. Coffee was brewing and the aroma filled the kitchen. I showed him the walk-in freezer then led him to the cake kitchen.
“This is where you work?”
“Yep. I do all the wedding cakes.” I stopped in front of the wall where I pinned all my pictures of previous cakes.
He stood beside me and looked at them. “Wow…you’ve done amazing work.”
“Thanks…” I received compliments all the time, but it meant a lot coming from him.
“I like this one.” He pointed to the image of a motorcycle club theme. There were toy motorcycles with a man and a woman. Leather vests with fringe covered their bodies.
I chuckled. “They fell in love in a bike gang.”
“Now that’s romantic…” His voice was full of sarcasm but he was smiling. “And badass.”
“They’re really sweet people,” I said. “The nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“Is this one for a wedding?” He pointed to the mermaid theme cake.
“No, it was for a birthday party.”
“A three-tier cake for a birthday party?” he asked incredulously.
“You know how it goes…they’re stupid rich.”
I turned to him and finally realized I’d never asked why he was there. “So…what brings you here?” I didn’t want to sound rude but I was curious.
“I was jogging by and thought I’d pay a visit.”
“You jog this early in the morning?”
“When else am I going to do it?” he asked. “I box after work so I don’t have time for cardio.”
He boxed ? “That makes sense.”
“I live nearby—right on Park Avenue.”
“I know,” I blurted.
He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “You know?”
“Because of the invitations,” I said quickly. I didn’t want him to think I was some kind of stalker.
He nodded in understanding. “I see.”
“I’m happy that you’re doing so well.”
That old look came into his eyes, one that was full of affection and something else. “Thank you. I’m happy for you too. Every time I walk by this bakery, it puts me in a good mood.”
“Because you want a muffin?” I teased.
“You caught me.”
I opened a container and grabbed a new creation. “It’s orange and cranberry.”
“Ooh…” He grabbed it from my hand and took a bite. He chewed it slowly and wiped the crumbs from his lips. “Damn, that’s good.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks reddened slightly.
“How are you not fat?” He finished it then sucked the stickiness from his fingers.
It reminded me of something I shouldn’t think about. “I learned self-control a long time ago.”
“Impressive.” He wiped his hands on his running shorts. “Now that you showed me around your place, you want to see mine?”
“Your office?” I hadn’t thought about it. I didn’t even know where it was.
“I meant my apartment. It’s just a few blocks over.”
“Oh…” Being alone with him in his apartment made my hair stand on end but I wasn’t sure why. It was clear he was over me and never wanted to be together again. The thought shouldn’t have crossed my mind at all. “Sure. I guess.”
“Unless you have another creation to make?”
I was just messing around in the kitchen. “No. I’m free.”
“Cool.” He pulled his headphones off and shoved them into his pocket. “It has a view of the park. It’s pretty cool during the daytime. But it’s really cool in the evenings.”
“I’m sure it is.”
***
We entered his building and approached the lobby. The
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