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As I make my way out of the building, I decide to head to Sara’s bakery. I need something sweet to eat… and some advice. Sara has been my confidante ever since I moved to the city, and I trust her judgment more than anyone else’s.
The bell above the bakery door tinkles as I enter, and the warm aroma of freshly baked pastries envelops me. Sara is behind the counter, her apron covered in flour and a warm smile on her face as she greets me.
“Hey, Riley! I didn’t know you were coming,” she says, wiping her hands on her apron.
I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “I just had an interview with Alex Barrett.”
“Who’s Alex?”
I laugh and roll my eyes. She really has no idea about my world. But then I don’t know how to bake delicious cupcakes either, so…
“Alex Barrett is a hockey star. Everyone loves him, but he doesn’t talk to anyone, ever.”
Sara hands me a donut, which I immediately start nibbling. “But he’s talking to you.”
“Well, we got trapped in an elevator together…”
“Ooh, sexy,” she chuckles as I instantly shake my head.
“No. It definitely wasn’t sexy; it was kind of a nightmare. Alex was grumpy and unpleasant, everything I thought he might be. But Chad wouldn’t leave things at that. He wouldn’t just let it go, so he’s arranged for me to shadow him for a while to write this story.” I roll my eyes, trying to silently let Sara know just how crazy this is. “Chad seems to think that I have a connection with Alex now, and I can be the one to get him to talk.”
“Whoa,” Sara gasps as she leans on the counter to get closer to me. “That sounds like a crazy day. But youaregood at interviewing people. If anyone can do it, I bet it’s you. Plus, you want a chance to prove yourself to Chad, Rich, and Jace, don’t you? If this guy is some big deal in the hockey world, then this could be good for you.”
I sigh heavily and nod. “Yeah,ifit goes well. But we just had our first interview, and it didn’t go well. Alex isreallyhard to work with. I don’t know if I willeverbe able to get the truth out of him. I don’t know what story I’ll get.”
Sara glances at her watch before heading over to lock the door. She peels off her apron a little wearily and tosses it on oneof the tables. “Just give me a moment to clean up, then we can go to my place to chat more.”
I leap up, ignoring my own exhaustion. “I’ll help. I can wash dishes.”
“You’ve had a busy day; you don’t need to…”
“I will.” I grab a cloth from behind the counter. “Then we can hang out more.”
Sara nods gratefully, and we start cleaning up while she regales me with funny tales of her customers throughout the day. Some of them are not so great, but Sara laughs through it all. Shelovesbaking; it rolls off her in waves, which means she can tolerate even the worst of customers, leaving me with lots of amusing tales to listen to. It makes the cleanup go so much faster, just as I knew it would, so Sara is done in no time.
As Sara and I step out of the cozy bakery, we’re immediately greeted by the bustling streets of New York City. The city never sleeps, and even as evening sets in, the energy is palpable. Neon signs illuminate the sidewalks, and the distant hum of traffic creates a familiar soundtrack. We link arms as we walk the block to Sara’s apartment.
“I have some of that good wine in,” Sara tells me as soon as we head inside.
“You do?” Good, I could use a drink—a stiff one after today.
“I’ll pour us a glass, then you can tell me everything.” Sara joins me on the couch and we take a drink. “So, what are you going to do about Alex?”
Thank goodness she knows me well enough to know Ihaveto keep talking about him. I have to get this off my chest soonerrather than later. It’s eating me alive from the inside out, and I need to know what Sara thinks my next move should be.
“I don’t know.” I shrug helplessly. “I guess I’m going to have to spend more time with him to find a way to make him crack. Find out what makes him tick and if there’s anything I can do to get him talking.”
“What does he look like?”
I grab my cell phone and find a photo of Alex online. “Here. Look at him. Classic tall, dark, and handsome. Lots of muscles, too.” I let out a groan. “He’s hot, which makes him even more difficult to talk to. I don’t know how to handle him. I don’t know what tricks I can use to get him to open up. Especially when he’s famously so closed off all the time.”
Sara giggles. “Maybe you need to kiss him. Is he single?”
“Now thatisthe one thing, he told me. He isn’t with anyone at the moment.”
Sara stares at me as heat tears through my body. “Don’t you think that’s strange? Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that he doesn’t say anything to anyone, but he tells you that? Sounds to me like he might have a thing for you. Maybe youshouldkiss him.”
I try to let out a laugh, but the sound is much too strangled. I need to say something else before this conversation gets even more awkward. “I don’t know; it’s been a long time since I kissed anyone. I don’t think Alex should be the one I kiss next.”
