Page 51 of Hometown Hottie

Memorial Day weekend was one of the only weekends the bakery wasn’t open. On the Thursday before, Cassidy and I were fighting for our lives against the holiday rush. She manned the counter while I replenished the stocks and served the customers in the coffee shop.

After wiping sweat off my brow with the back of my arm, I slid another tray of pastries out of the oven and set them down to cool. Then I picked up a basket of bread and carried it out to the shop. Mrs. Norris waited for me at the kitchen door, giving me a coy smile as she held up the paper bag she’d already collected for hers.

“I figured I had a better chance if I stayed right here until you came out.”

I laughed, dead on my feet after a hectic morning but thrilled that business was going so well. “Have at it. Take as many as you need.”

She plucked a loaf out of the basket and winked at me. “If I take more than one, I might get tackled for it on my way out. At least I have mine now. Have a good weekend, honey. I’m glad you’re taking a break.”

“So am I,” I said truthfully.

It had been ages since I’d done it, but Cassidy and some of our girlfriends had convinced me to go to the lake with them this weekend. Normally, I’d have spent the time I had off helping out around the farm, but my friends had twisted my arm.

I desperately needed a break and Cassidy’s parents had a lake house with plenty of room. Better yet, they were letting us have it free of charge and I would be driving out there with Cassidy, so it was going to be a vacation that didn’t cost me an arm and a leg.

It was going to be a huge party and I couldn’t wait. Excitement thrummed through me as I said goodbye to Mrs. Norris and dropped the basket into its stand, grinning at the clamor and chatter of the customers surrounding me.

“We’re almost sold out,” Cassidy said when I checked in on her. She flashed me a happy smile. “Those last few trays are going to go fast.”

I grinned at her. “Everyone in the coffee shop has finished eating and I’ve handed out all the bills, so we should be finishing up in less than an hour.”

She squealed, tossing her arms around me and giving me a quick squeeze before she turned back to the cash register. “Bring out the rest, honey. I’m ready to bust out of here.”

“You and me both.”

For once, that was completely true. Faced with a few days of freedom, I had no idea how I was going to fill my time, but I was looking forward to being bored for a change. Not that I thought my friends were going to be allowing any boredom this weekend, but they also counted lying around on the shore drinking cocktails as an activity, and in my book, that was perfect.

Another hectic hour later, we were completely sold out of everything and Cassidy was practically shooing the last of the customers out the door. Once she shut it with a definitive click behind them, she tugged the ties of her apron loose with an exaggerated flourish and smiled. “That’s a wrap, boss. Don’t stick around here too long, okay? I’ll pick you up first thing in the morning, so you need to be packed, ready, and rested.”

“I promise.” I gave her a quick hug before she left. Singing some girl-power ballad at the top of her lungs, she lowered herself into the flashy little sports car her parents had bought for her birthday last year.

I chuckled as I watched her go, but I had to admit I loved her energy. As soon as she was gone, though, I doubled back to the kitchen. I stayed behind to do inventory and put in an order for the goods we’d need next week, but I had also been working double time on a secret project.

That tray of pastries I’d baked earlier had cooled down nicely and I smiled as I popped them into boxes to take along for the weekend. I’d spent all morning making extras so that I had some yummy treats to bring up to the cabin for everyone.

Can’t show up empty handed.

As I boxed up the last of them, a truck pulled up outside and I sighed. Shit, I hate turning people away, but I really don’t think I’ve got anything left to sell.

When I walked out of the kitchen and saw who was at the door, I realized that wasn’t going to be a problem.

Carson stood on the other side of the glass, wearing cargo shorts and a light blue T-shirt that hugged his powerful frame. Sunglasses covered his eyes, but his dark hair was pushed off his handsome face, and he seemed relaxed, which meant he probably hadn’t come here trying to convince me to let him gift us the ranch again.

My heart rate sped up as I approached the door. He pulled his sunglasses off and his eyes met mine. A smile I couldn’t stop curved my lips. That electric green color that had stolen my breath so many times shimmered with laughter, and when I opened the door, he pressed his palms together in a praying motion.

“Please tell me you have some of those strawberry pastries left. I’m craving them and I promised my mom I’d bring her some for the weekend.”

I wrinkled my nose and gave him an apologetic smile. “If you wanted those, you should’ve been here three hours ago. I always sell out of them first thing in the morning.”

“Damn it.” He let out a defeated sigh, his face falling. “I knew I should’ve come sooner, but Vance and I were helping out with some work being done on the football field at the high school and I guess I was hoping the gods would intervene on my behalf to make you keep some for me.”

“I’m pretty sure I was too busy to notice any signs the gods may have sent,” I said, then stepped aside and waved him in. “However, your mom did feed me the other night, and if she wants them, I could probably whip up another batch real quick.”

He perked up, eyebrows twitching. “Really? You’d do that for us?”

“I’d do it for her.” I chuckled and shut the door behind him. Then I motioned for him to follow me to the kitchen. “Well, for anyone who wants a pastry badly enough to look like their puppy has been kicked when they find out I don’t have any left. Plus, I owe your mom. We ran out of there pretty fast the other night. She must think I’m a rude, ungrateful brat.”

“Nah. My mom adores you. There’s no way she’d ever think that, but if it’s motivating you to make the pastries, then sure. That’s what she thinks.”