The dog whined in response.
“So, he likes more than one type of bone, huh?” Cash joked, and we collapsed into a heap of laughter as Bradley Cooper took a flying leap onto the bed.
* * *
“I’m not excitedabout any of these resumes.” Katie sighed and slapped the meager stack on the counter at the bakery late the next afternoon. It was Saturday near closing time, and I was itching to get out of there to see Cash. He’d looked so peaceful when I left early that morning that I hadn’t wanted to wake him. Instead, I’d left a note telling him I’d see him after work. But he’d been texting me all day, sending me pictures of his and Bradley Cooper’s ‘boys’ day’ along with a few suggestive messages that hinted at what he may want to do to me later.
“We’ll run another ad,” I said. “Maybe we can get a new crop of candidates.”
“We’ll need to start looking for baristas soon too,” she reminded me.
“Maybe I could learn how to do it,” I suggested. My phone pinged with a text, and I picked it up, unable to stop myself from smiling at the picture of Cash and Bradley Cooper at the dog park. “You know, just until we can hire someone.”
“I love you, Ella,” she said, “but that’s a third-degree burn waiting to happen. Need I remind you of the torch incident when Liv tried to teach you how to make creme brûlée?”
I stuck my tongue out at her from over my phone. “You and Liv are always reminding me about that.”
“Okay, what gives?” Katie asked. “You’ve checked your phone at least a hundred times in the last thirty minutes. You’ve been weird and squirmy all day.”
“I’m not squirmy.”
“Weird, squirmy, and also very smiley,” she added.
“I’m always smiley,” I pouted. “I’m a freaking ray of sunshine.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, and I placed my phone screen-side down on the counter.
“What?” I asked defensively. “I am.”
“I’ve known you long enough to know something’s up,” Katie insisted.
Something wasdefinitelyup, but I wasn’t quite ready to tell everyone I was in love with Cash Montgomery. I still wasn’t sure how our friends, and most importantly, my daughter, would take the news. Hell, I wasn’t entirely sure howIwas taking the news. All I knew was my insides got all warm and squishy just thinking about him. And it wasn’t like I was going tonottell everyone. I just needed to wait until the right moment.
“I guess I’m still giddy over Bradley Cooper,” I lied. “I mean, have you seen him?” To further prove my mistruth, I picked up my phone and showed her one of the dozens of pictures I’d saved on it.
“Uh huh,” she said. “He’s very cute, but nobody gets that lusty look over a dog. Unless you’re a Pomeranian or something.”
Shit.I chewed my lip. I suppose I had been looking a little lusty. The pictures Cash had been sending me were works of art. I always knew guys got hotter when they held a dog—that was just science. But when that guy also happened to be holdingyourdog? That waspeakhotness.
Katie chuckled and shook her head.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling well enough to be up my ass,” I teased.
She laughed. “I’m always well enough for that.”
“Does this mean you’ll be coming to Sunday dinner tomorrow?” I asked.
She nodded. “Cash hosted last time, so it’s at Derek’s place this time, right?”
“Yep,” I answered. “He and Dallas are sharing the cooking responsibilities since they live in the same building. Besides, I think Dallas looks for every opportunity to impress you with his chef skills.”
Katie chose to ignore that last remark. “Do you think Liv will bring the kids? I can’t wait to meet them.”
Sadness tugged at my gut. I had barely talked to Liv since the mouse incident other than a few random texts that were always pretty brief. “I don’t know. I think they’ve got their hands full.”
“You’ve at least told Liv what’s got you all twitterpated, right?” Katie pinned me with her all-knowing eyes, but I didn’t answer. I swear the woman was a damn psychic. “Is everything okay with you two?”
I shrugged. “Things have been a little different, you know? I know she’s got a lot on her, and I don’t want to bother her.”
