“I do, as it happens.”
“Thank you.”
“To go?”
“Yes, please.” It will go down with a cup of tea once I get off work tonight.
“Soph, do we need any cartons of milk for the front fridge?” Rachel asks, breezing out of the kitchen.
“Hmm, let me check.”
Rachel sees me, and for the first time since I’ve been coming here, she greets me with a genuine smile. “Hi, Olly. Couldn’t stay away?” I almost choke on my saliva, my face heats. “Sophie’s cakes are to die for,” she says with a wink.
I nod and find myself momentarily stuck for words.
“Rachel, can you finish serving Olly? I just need to take this,” she says, holding up her vibrating phone.
Rachel washes her hands and then comes over to the counter. I watch, transfixed, as she adds two huge slices of cake to the carton. “One’s fine,” I say.
“It’s on the house, Olly. Besides…you’re ourfiftieth customer,and if you don’t take it, that means I’ll end up having the rest all to myself,” she says with a wink.
I cock an eyebrow. “Touché.” I kind of hate that she knows that round wasn’t on the house, but to be fair, she’s taking it in her stride, and I quite like seeing this…carefree side of her.
“Thank you,” I say, reaching for the box.
“How’s your fortune coming along?”
I laugh and lean my hip against the counter. “Nothing to report as of yet, but it’s only been a few days. What about you? You found Mr. Right?”
She throws a wooden stirrer at me. “Ha ha, very funny. Are you trying to imply something?”
I shake my head and back away from the counter holding my cake box close in case she tries to steal it back. “Never would I ever. So…I’ll see you tomorrow?’
“Of course.”
I’m reluctant to leave, but I’m conscious of the fact I’m standing here, grinning like a fool. “Bye, Princess.”
“It’s Rachel to you, pretty boy.”
I laugh over the noise of the door chiming and smile all the way to my car. Tonight’s shift couldn’t finish quick enough—I’ve never looked so forward to a morning training session in my life.
Chapter Nine
RACHEL
This is my fourth class with Olly, and I'm finding it's the day of the week I look forward to the most—even with everything going on, I need this outlet.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"
I drop the leg I was stretching and turn to Olly. "Do you always greet your clients like that?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.
"Only the pretty ones who are out of my league," he replies with a wink.
I can't stop the blush from creeping over my face. He’s just flirting, I’m sure, but there is something in the way he stares at me that has my pulse racing, my stomach squirming.
"Are you ready?" His breath tickles the back of my neck, causing a flush of goosebumps to break out over my skin. I rub at my arm absentmindedly and turn back toward his voice. He’s so close, I almost bump into his chest. He grabs my shoulders, gently, to steady me.
"Sorry," I say, but the word comes out breathy.
