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Cami’s head whipped around at the sound of Evan’s voice .
“Wh-what are you doing here ?”
He closed the door and walked toward the counter. “I didn’t get a chance to say thank you for singing at the tree lighting. You were gone by the time I broke away from the crowd.” He paused at the curved brick archway. “You didn’t want to stay ?”
“It’s not that.” She looked at the ovens, as if that explained everything .
“They aren’t working, huh?” Evan shirked off his coat and hung it next to hers .
She had to blink to stop from gawking at how his arms strained against his dress shirt. He rolled up his sleeves. “What’s the problem ?”
Cami stepped out of the way. “I don’t know. Neither one will turn on, and I can’t bake any of the candy without them. I’m not sure I can afford an expensive repair right now .”
He looked at her, then knelt on the floor. “Let me take a look .”
His brows knitted together and then he stood. He placed one hand on the back of the oven and one of the front, yanking it from the wall. He leaned over. Cami’s eyes followed his movements. He stooped, started twisting something, and then knelt in front of the door again .
Within seconds of pressing the ignitor, the flames spread across the floor of the oven .
“How did you do that?” Cami gasped .
He grinned devilishly and followed the same steps with the second oven. He faced her. “Your gas lines were disconnected and the valve was shut. Easy fix .”
“I should have been able to figure that out.” She stared at the temperature gages, racing to high temperatures .
“Not your fault. Music is your thing, right? Not mechanics.” Evan leaned against the baking counter. It was where the dough was rolled and the icing was swirled. “There were some people back there who wanted to say hi. Wish you a Merry Christmas.” He eyed her. “Why did you run away like that ?”
Her lungs filled with air. “I needed to fix the ovens,” she lied .
He folded his arms across his broad chest. “I don’t believe that .”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “I just needed to leave. I had to go .”
“So I was right about you not really being back, wasn’t I? You don’t have any intention of staying .”
Her eyes flared. “Of course I’m back. I’m trying to re-open The Sweet Treat . You’re standing in my kitchen .”
He huffed. “Until something better comes along, you mean. Or until they call you back to Nashville .”
“That’s not true. You don’t know that. You don’t know what you’re talking about, Evan. You haven’t known me for a long time .”
His dark eyes, were instantly darker like swirls of rich chocolate. “That’s something we can agree on. I don’t know you anymore. The girl I knew never would have left Harpers Point in the first place .”
“I’m not the only one. You left too,” she blurted .
“What else was I going to do, Cami? You were gone .”
The air was hot and silent between them. The ovens were on full blast. Cami wiped the side of her forehead with her palm, smoothing her hair in place .
“It was a long time ago,” she whispered .
“Yeah. It was .”
He pushed off the counter. “Looks like you’re in business with the ovens. I’ve got to get back to the square .”
“Evan, wait.” Her hand landed on his wrist before she had time to think about what she was doing .
His eyes darted to hers. They held her in that moment. A moment of longing and regret. Regret that she had ruined the most precious gift of her life. They pinned her to a time when they didn’t need words to talk. When their connection was like the lyrics of a love song. When Evan looked at her as if she was his entire world .
