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There was only the glow of the streetlight left, and I double checked the door, pulled the blind, and headed for my apartment.
What a night.
***
“And then I told her that wasn’t acceptable! Can you imagine?”
I shook my head as I wrapped Mrs. Fernandes’ bread. “The worst. Is that everything for you today, Mrs. Fernandes?”
The elderly woman adjusted her glasses. “I’m having my grandchildren tonight, so why don’t you pop two of those cupcakes in a box for me? And maybe a slice of cheesecake for me.”
I fought a smile as I grabbed a cupcake box and reached for the sprinkled wonders Felicity had decorated this morning. “Would you like the white chocolate strawberry cheesecake or the chocolate caramel?”
“Oh.” She pressed a finger to her lips. “Oh, dear. That’s quite the conundrum.”
Dipping my head, I smiled. I knew exactly what she’d do.
“Better go for one of each, honey. Just in case.”
I didn’t ask what it was ‘just in case’ of.
I agreed.
I fixed her order and rung it up. The transaction was completed easily, and I wished Mrs. Fernandes a good day as she left. It took her a good ten minutes thanks to her talking to almost everyone on her way out, and I shook my head with a quiet laugh at her antics.
That was just the way she was.
“Has she gone?” Felicity whispered from the door to the kitchen.
I grinned. “She’s gone.”
“Phew.” She joined me behind the counter. “She keeps trying to set me up with her grandson, and I’m not sure why. Everyone knows he prefers dicks over chicks.”
“I don’t think she knows that,” I said gently. “I’m sure she thinks she’s just doing him a favor.” A bit like my damn friends did.
“True. How was your date last night?”
“Don’t go there.” I shook my head. “Are you good here if I grab some lunch? I haven’t eaten since six.”
“Go, go. I just ate before I came out.”
“Sure?”
“Yeah, take your time. Have we had the lunch rush?”
“Mostly. I’m sure there’ll be a second wave shortly, so just shout if you need me.”
“Nah, I got it.” She reached up and tied her box braids into a ponytail, then waved me off through the door with another reassurance that she’d be fine.
Of course she would. I knew she would.
I grabbed myself a chocolate muffin and went to the kitchen where I had a salad in the fridge. After grabbing it out, I paused and decided where to go.
I’d sit in the bakery.
I poked my head back through the door and, noticing an empty two-seater table, I fetched my book and claimed the table, then made myself a latte. I didn’t often sit inside the bakery because I always found something that needed to be done, but I really wanted to finish my book.
Also, if I didn’t, Saylor was going to spoiler book two because she was a bitch like that.
I sat down with my latte and dove into both the book and my salad. I knew this was the first book in a trilogy and that shit was going to go down with the main relationship, and given I was in the final third of the book, it had to be coming soon.
I was halfway through my muffin when I heard Felicity referring to me.
“She’s over there,” Felicity said. “But she’s on her lunch, so you might want to wait.”
Glancing at the counter was all it took for my mood to sour.
What the hell was Maverick Donovan doing in my bakery?
“It’s fine,” I said dourly. “But you’ll have to wait until I’ve finished this chapter before I’ll talk to you.”
His lips curled up. “I can handle that.”
Good.
I didn’t care if he couldn’t.
I turned my attention back to the book. The heroine had just suspected the hero—her new boyfriend—of keeping secrets from her, and it was like, yeah, he’s a mafia boss. That was some secret.
How didn’t she know? The gun safe in the bedroom was a pretty big giveaway.
Felicity laughed, and I glanced over at the counter. She and Maverick were getting along like a house on fire, evidently, and I narrowed my eyes. Why was he here? What was he doing in my bakery? And why did he want to talk to me?
I’d made it clear I wasn’t in the market for a boyfriend right now.
I had nothing to offer that I hadn’t already given him, if I was honest.
I forced my gaze back to the book, but I couldn’t focus. I reread the same sentence four times before I finally gave up, sighing as I put the bookmark between the pages and closed the book.
“Finish your chapter?”
CHAPTER FOUR – PIPER
RULE FOUR: DON’T WORK WITH YOUR DATE.
“I’ll do it later,” I muttered, motioning for Maverick to sit down opposite me. “What can I help you with?”
“Who said I needed help? I dropped you off here last night and wanted to try your food to see if I could get some inspiration for my book. Call it research.”
