Mystery Man glanced at Verna, as if to gauge whether or not she’d heard the same offer.
Verna smiled. “I’d take her up on that, if I were you.”
“Okay, I guess I will, then.” Turning to Abby, he added, “That is, if you’re sure it won’t be too much trouble.”
“I’m sure.” She smiled, ignoring her simmering doubts.
What had compelled her to dismiss a very wise decision not to book any guests until after the wedding?
And how on earth would she explain her rash decision to Logan when she barely understood it herself?
Chapter Eight
CECE
“We have a problem,”CeCe hissed into her cell, leaving Jayce a third voicemail that morning. “Have you seen the gossip websites? Do you know what they’re saying about us? Also, the paparazzi have been camped out in the café since we opened this morning. I feel like I’m living theStar Trekepisode ‘Hide and Q’ and can’t leave the kitchen. Call me back.” She hung up the phone, not thinking twice about her obscure television reference.
As kids, while Jayce had shared his love for Hollywood’s legendary filmmakers, introducing her to classics likeCasablancaandCitizen Kane, she’d made him watch everyStar Trekepisode—some of them more than once.
CeCe stared at the screen, hoping for a call back, even though she knew it might be a while before she heard from Jayce, especially if he was in the middle of filming.
“Yeesh! It’s a madhouse out there.” CeCe’s assistant manager, Piper Sloane, slipped through the swinging door separating the kitchen from the main café, an empty pastry tray snug against her hip. “The pain au chocolat are completely sold out. And the kouign-amann aren’t far behind.”
“I made more.” CeCe shoved her cell phone into the back pocket of her jeans and strode to the tall twenty-tier cooling rack. Sheet pans packed with fresh-from-the-oven pastries filled the kitchen with the delicious aroma of buttery dough and caramelized sugar.
Piper stole a moment to tuck a few strands of wayward blond hair back into her loose braid. “We haven’t been this busy all summer. I don’t think I’ve been off my feet once this morning.”
“Sit. Eat something.” CeCe set the tray of pain au chocolat on the large center island and slid out a stool, feeling terrible she’d had to sequester herself. But after last night’s ambush, she hadn’t wanted to risk another embarrassing Kodak moment and decided to sneak straight into the kitchen from her apartment upstairs. “Tammy can handle the floor for a few minutes.”
“Thanks.” Piper perched on the stool and grabbed a pastry. “Silver lining, I guess.”
“What is?” CeCe dumped a ball of sticky dough onto the floured countertop.
“All the paparazzi. They consume three times the caffeine of our average customer. We’re making a killing today.” Piper cast her a sideways glance as she bit into the flaky crust, slowly making her way to the gooey chocolate center.
To her credit, Piper hadn’t pestered her about the paparazzi, but CeCe knew she’d seen the tabloids and had to be dying of curiosity. “It isn’t true, by the way. The rumors about me and Jayce.” She concentrated on rolling the dough with smooth, steady strokes, even though she could feel both cheeks heating beneath the fluorescent lights. “We’re just friends.”
“Too bad. He’s hot. And you two would make a cute couple.”
CeCe glanced up in surprise. “We would?”
“Of course. He’s all handsome and smoldering and you’re the epitome of the adorable girl next door. I would ship you two in a heartbeat.”
CeCe’s blush deepened. She enjoyed “shipping” fictional characters in books and TV, relishing the will-they-won’t-they chemistry and the sizzling sexual tension. But she never imagined anyone would pair her and Jayce romantically. He was a big Hollywood movie star, and she was— She glanced at the flour covering her arms and the front of her fadedGalaxy QuestT-shirt. Let’s face it, she was a stone-cold nerd—right down to the cliché wire-rimmed glasses. Jayce could have any woman he wanted, probably one for each day of the week. He’d never view her as anything more than a friend. A fact he’d made abundantly clear the day he left town, leaving her alone at Lighthouse Cove.
“Well, thanks. But like I said, we’re just friends. I have no clue where the media got the ridiculous idea we’re engaged.”
“I may have a hunch.” The familiar voice sent a warm ripple down her spine. Jayce Hunt stood in her kitchen, filling the space with his larger-than-life persona. Even in jeans and a plain black T-shirt, the man oozed superstar sex appeal. Her stomach spun at the sight of him.
Starstruck, Piper froze, the last bite of pain au chocolat stuffed partway in her mouth. As she gawked, a glob of chocolate filling splattered on her apron.
CeCe felt for the poor woman, who’d obviously never seen a celebrity up close before. At least, not one this good-looking.
“Hi, Toto.” Jayce met her gaze, his expression equally affectionate and sheepish.
His use of her special for-his-lips-only nickname would make her secretly swoon under normal circumstances, but this time, her Spidey sense tingled. “Jayce Harrison Hunt, what did you do?”
He winced. “Oof. Full name. I’m really in trouble, aren’t I?”
