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She rolled her eyes but didn’t bother containing the grin on her face. Yeah, yeah, you were right.
An hour later when the line finally dwindled, she scanned the inventory. One loaf of bread, a couple of strawberry shortcakes, a handful of scones and muffins, and no more kanelbullar in sight.
Zach placed down a latte—a beautiful leaf drawn at the top with frothed milk. The customer let out a blissful sigh, thanking them as she grabbed her paper bag with her muffin and exited.
Kevin sauntered over, placing his hands on the counter in front of Jess, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Great job, team. Zach, you are the coffee master.”
Zach chuckled. “I think that should be my next tattoo.”
“Oh, tattoos! Jess, why didn’t you add that to your list?”
“Didn’t think of it until now.”
“Want to swap one out?” Kevin replied. He pulled the list out of his back pocket. “We could exchange it for number eight.”
She eyed him, his look full of mischief.
She smirked. “Number eight remains.”
He lifted both shoulders as if to say, I tried.
“Now I need to know what number eight is,” Zach said.
Kevin ignored him, eyes on the pastries. “Wait, is there no more kanelbullar?!”
Jess reached for a paper bag she’d hidden underneath the counter. “Let’s just say I’ve been in a relationship with one man for a very long time, and need to do some…experimenting,” she explained to Zach.
Zach grinned. “Ah. I see.”
Kevin continued ignoring them, pouting at the practically empty display case in front of him. Jess held up the paper bag to him.
His face split into another one of his shiny grins. “Oh my god, you didn’t.”
“You’re welcome. Boss.”
He snatched the bag and opened it, taking a big whiff of cinnamon and sugar. His eyes brightened when he looked at the pastry. “It’s in the shape of a heart!”
She shrugged. “Figured I’d try something a little different.”
Kevin took a greedy bite, flaky pastry falling to the counter. “It’s because you love me, isn’t it?”
“No,” she deadpanned. “Also, you’re making a mess.”
He pointed to Jess, looking at Zach. “She loves me.”
Zach laughed, reaching for the rag in his back pocket and wiping away Kevin’s crumbs.
“With that logic, I love every person who ate a kanelbullar today. Zach included.”
“It was so good.”
“Jessica, you stop your flirting,” Kevin teased. “Zach is spoken for.”
“That’s right, touch him and you DIE.”
The three of them turned their heads to the possessive voice at the other end of the shop. Blake leered at them, his arms crossed tight against his chest, the rest of the Scoopers at his heels.
“Damn, Blake, that was hot,” Rory said. She held tight to yellow balloons, tied with sparkly gold strings.
