Page 26 of Hometown Hottie

13

NOVA

It was a great day at the market. We were getting busier every weekend and I’d been noticing more and more people driving in from out of town. It still wasn’t enough to cover the debts we had, but it was something.

Clear blue skies stretched to infinity overhead. The sun was out, and we even had a band playing on a small stage they’d set up for themselves outside the bakery. While they belted out some of the most popular songs country music had ever known, even I had to admit that this market was a raging success.

The vibe was incredible. We had more vendors than ever before, with colorful tents covering every inch of the parking lot today and streams of people moving between them. Every time I inhaled, I got a whiff of the scents of grilling meat, baking bread, and sweet treats wafting in the air.

My mood couldn’t have been any better as I moved from stall to stall, mingling and handing out samples from the tray I was carrying with me. I didn’t stop smiling once, so damn happy and proud that the market was growing the way it was.

It was a win for the entire community and anyone within driving distance who either wanted to sell or buy anything produced locally. Despite the ever-growing hole the ranch was in, this was a triumph that I was going to savor.

As I looked across the parking lot, my gaze landed on a pair of electric green eyes and it sent a jolt of energy through my entire being. Carson.

With his dark hair stylishly mussed and a winning smile on his face, he shook hands with folks and made small talk, but those eyes remained connected with mine. My pulse spiked and my heart flipped in my chest as I smiled back at him.

For just that moment, time seemed to stand still. My surroundings melted into the periphery until they weren’t there anymore at all. I felt an invisible tether between us and it was so intense that it brought tears of joy to my eyes—until my brother popped up right next to Carson and the whole illusion shattered.

I blinked hard and immediately averted my gaze, a little startled as I crashed back down to earth. What the hell was that?

A little out of sorts, I spun around and muttered to myself under my breath. “Refill the tray. Yep, the tray needs to be refilled.”

I wasn’t one to get my head lost in the clouds, but damn, I felt like I had gone for a quick flight. Hurrying back to the bakery, I breathed in and out, and in and out, trying to regain my composure.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Thankfully, as soon as I did, I was distracted from whatever the hell had just happened by the chaos inside the store. Cassidy was doing her best to get to everyone, but it was clear that she was getting overwhelmed and our customers were getting impatient.

Every table in the coffee shop was filled. A line of people waited for her to ring up their purchases from the shop while others seemed to be looking around for help on the floor. I swallowed hard. Shit. This is why I can’t afford to get distracted.

I also couldn’t afford to hire more help, which meant that Cassidy and I were on our own. Abandoning my tray of samples on the counter, I answered a few questions on the floor as I crossed it, then grabbed a notepad and apologized profusely as I started taking orders from the patrons in the coffee shop.

“That’s quite alright, dear,” an older woman said as she flashed me a kind smile. “You’re very busy today. That’s a good thing. No need to apologize.”

I grinned back at her, once again feeling grateful for the community I belonged to. This town and people like this woman were why I had never dreamed of leaving Silver Springs. Why would I move to some city to live life in the fast lane, surrounded by traffic and assholes, when I had this amazing place? Why search for paradise when I had already found it?

“Thank you,” I said sincerely. “We really appreciate your understanding, but I’m bringing you a pecan pie tartlet anyway. It’s on the house. A small symbol of our gratitude.”

I’d been planning on using all those tartlets as samples outside, but the people in here really deserved something in return for their patience.

As I passed out tartlets around the room, I caught sight of Carson suddenly appearing behind the counter. He tied an apron that barely fit his broad frame around his waist before he started shelling out pastries and cakes.

Cassidy’s jaw slackened, and so did mine, but she quickly blinked away her surprise and got back to work. I, on the other hand, wasn’t able to stop staring quite yet. As I watched, he laughed with customers and took pictures with them.

Everyone seemed to love that he was there, and at the same time, he was ridiculously efficient at helping the people in line. For the next twenty minutes, I shuffled plates and made drinks, answered questions from people in the shop, and popped into the kitchen every so often to fix a sandwich or fill an order, but when I looked again, we were completely sold out.

Disbelief rattled through me.

Carson spread his arms wide and gave the people still waiting the most adorable, apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, guys, but that’s all we’ve got for you today. Please feel free to browse around the store. We might not have any freshly baked goods available, but there are plenty of other delicious treats and don’t forget to pick up your farm fresh steaks and bacon before you leave.”

My eyelashes fluttered in shock.

People chuckled and nodded, immediately breaking from the line and starting to browse the few other things we had. Several groups walked straight to the freezers lining the back of the store between the bakery and the coffee shop, stocking up on meat just like he’d told them to.

In all the time I’d had this place, meat had never been a huge seller. This wasn’t a butcher shop and that wasn’t what my customers came here for. When I’d had the fridges and freezers installed, it had been more so that I had the meat I needed for the items on the coffee shop menu. I had put them out on the floor in case, but shit.

A few words from Carson and it looked like I might just find myself in the meat business soon. As he helped Cassidy ring up the remaining customers, I realized I owed him a great big thank you.

I hadn’t asked him for this, but he’d made a huge difference to me today and I had to swallow my pride because of it. I’d been grouchy with him ever since he’d come to town, but he hadn’t done anything to deserve it other than surprise me with his return.