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“Thanks, Piper.” Missy gives me a hug—which surprises me—and they head for the front entrance.
“That went smoother than expected,” Mia comments as I walk past her towards the back door.
We have someone managing upfront, so I don’t feel guilty for taking a little break. I step outside and feel the warm rays of sunshine on my skin like a comforting embrace. The scent of freshly-cut grass and blooming flowers fills my senses. I focus on what I can hear—birds chirping, the distant traffic, and footsteps following me.
“This is where Gizmo’s emotional support training would come in handy,” Mia says behind me.
“I know that you disapprove of Gene having him so often.” I close my eyes and tilt my face towards the warmth of the sun. “But Gizmo loves it. He doesn’t mind being in his crate—he actually prefers to be here with us than at home alone. But when he’s with Gene, he gets all the love and cuddles from those old men. It’s surprising how much he enjoys it.”
“It’s your decision,” Mia says dryly. “Don’t forget to pick up the order from the General Store today.”
“I’ll do that next,” I tell her as I turn to her. “Are you okay? You seem annoyed anytime Gene or Caleb are brought up.”
“I know you don’t want any drama, but if we have to leave town suddenly, it’s going to cause some issues. Your mom won’t have you around, and you know that’ll stir things up.” She pauses as she comes to stand in front of me and grabs my arms. “As your friend, I feel like it’s my responsibility to remind you that this is all just for show. I mean, come on, you two are pretending to date but we can all see the way you look at each other. It even confuses me. Just…be careful, please.”
“I will—” I start to tell her when the door behind her opens and the man in question appears.
Mia’s words are ringing in my ears as Caleb’s eyes collide with mine. All of my emotions come rushing forward—the wedding, the sale of my building, the bakery, and my growing feelings for Caleb. I know that the person I strive to be would have already been honest with Caleb, Gene, and my family about everything. I never intended to lie or withhold information from those I care about. It’s all just too much to handle.
“Hey, you,” Caleb says.
“Why didn’t you tell me about selling the bakery? Instead, you pretend like everything is fine between us,” I blurt out, causing Mia to gasp in surprise.
“Whoa—” Caleb raises his hands in defense.
Mia slowly takes a step closer to the back door. “I’m just gonna…” she says then disappears inside the bakery.
Caleb continues, holding my gaze firmly, “We were waiting to talk to you until we had an offer on the table. I don’t know who told you that we’re selling, but they must have only told you part of the plan.”
“What plan?”
“My grandfather plans to sell all of his real estate. I don’t want the responsibility of managing it, and you inspired him to do something meaningful for others. If the property has a small business owner, such as yourself, already in a lease, we’re going to work out a legal contract that allows you to purchase the property. Basically, we become the bank, and you get to start building equity,” he explains.
I feel my breath catch in my chest. My brain is working overtime trying to process the recent events of Missy telling me what Nolan said, my response—hurt and anger, and now this incredible opportunity that Caleb and Gene are offering.
“Um, wow.” I shake my head gathering my thoughts. “When I heard that the building might be sold, I just started looking for a new location. I really like you and Gene, and I didn’t want to cause any issues, especially not after what happened with Dominic,” I mutter.
“That explains why Mia was hiding from me too.” He smiles. “Grandad’s considering staying in town and making a home here. He loves the community here and wants to leave a positive impact by helping other small business owners secure a stable future,” he says as I nod my head in agreement. “Although, I should warn you—he might end up kidnapping your dog.”
I can’t help but laugh at the thought. “Oh, I’ve already seen that happening. He waits for Gizmo every day, but I don’t mind sharing. Plus, the little guy loves my grandfather, and it’s good for him to get out and about.”
He bumps his arm against mine. “So, maybe we should agree to always talk to each other if we have concerns and not bottle them up,” he says as my eyes lock with his.
I nod and feel this tension between us. If Gene stays in Rustic Ridge, does that mean Caleb might too? Or at least he’d be here more often? Does that mean we can explore these feelings? And Mia is right—these feelings aren’t fake, and I know he feels something too.
My eyes flicker to his lips, and I feel myself lean towards him. I feel his breath fan out over my face. I lick my lips, sure he’s going to kiss me. This is the moment I’ve dreamed of!
I suck in a breath as he moves an inch closer. I close my eyes and stand on my tippy toes.
“You’re never going to guess what happened,” Gene’s voice breaks through the spell around us as Caleb and I jump away from each other. “Oh, did I interrupt something?” he asks with two big, red patches staining his cheeks.
Caleb nervously chuckles and runs his hand through his hair. “Uh…what happened, Grandad?”
I drop my head and tuck my hair behind my ear. I almost kissed Caleb Mercer. I love Gene but right now, I don’t like him. I stare between Caleb and his grandfather as my heart feels on the verge of exploding. How can two people make such a big impact in such a short amount of time? It was just two weeks ago that they walked into my life and changed everything. I like Caleb. There, I’ll admit it. I like him, and I want more than a pretend relationship; I want more than just friendship. I want a hand-holding, sunset-watching, good morning-texting kind of relationship. And I think he wants that too.
17
Caleb
