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“Yeah,” Justice pipes up, “and think about the fact that you turned down a very nice offer for a date.” She looks me up and down, but there’s no malice in the way she takes me in. “You could use some time spent outside of work.”
I rear back slightly. “We’ve all been working hard to make sure this place is successful. I should be focused on the business right now.”
Bella rolls her eyes before looking at me like I’m a cup of flour short of a recipe. “Being focused is one thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have anything for you. Evan seems like a good guy.”
I scrunch up my face. There’s a slight whine to my voice, “Why are the two of you pushing him on me so much?”
“We’re not,” Justice tries to sound reassuring, but it’s not very effective. “We just think he’d be a good guy for you.” She deadpans, “Did you really think he keeps coming in for the éclairs?”
My chin almost hits my chest as I stare at her. I lie, “Of course! Why else would he come in?”
Bella closes the distance between us and pats my shoulder like she thinks I’m being a naïve child. “He comes in here for you, Raegan. To see you. To talk to you. To support the business that you can’t seem to see around.”
“Yup,” Justice chirps. “He admitted it when I talked to him after you turned him down for a date.”
I sound flabbergasted, “He said that?”
“He did.” Justice nods sagely. “He’s a guy. He didn’t even realize that it sounded like he wanted to take you out just because you’ve been out of sorts and in a bad mood, you Grinch.”
“It was a pity date,” my voice sounds insistent, but bratty at the same time.
I hate slipping into the role of littlest sister so easily. It’s not my fault I was coddled by everyone. My sisters. Our brother, who is the eldest out of all the kids. Our parents.
I should just stomp my foot and be done with it.
Justice groans and throws her hands in the air. “That man has wanted you since the moment he came into the shop the first time.” She pierces me with her gaze. “He looks at you the same way Hale looks at Celeste.”
My voice is small, so fucking small, “What?”
Our brother fell in love recently and it’s that forever, soul-searing, ends of the ocean kind of love. He looks at Celeste like she’s his entire world and he would die if he wasn’t in her orbit. It’s sweet and a little sickening.
Has Evan really been looking at me like that this entire time? I would have noticed. Right?
I look between my sisters, my eyes wide, hoping they’re going to tell me they’re joking.
Bella doesn’t let me off the hook, she simply shrugs. “It’s true.”
I slump back against the counter, looking down at the floor, but not seeing anything. If what they’re saying is true, then I’ve been blind for a while now. I was focused on making our dreams come true.
Maybe I’ve been too focused.
Bella’s expression softens. “Are you sure you want to stick around here and finish this up? We can all head out together if you want to leave now?”
I look at the counter and everything I have laid out. Baking always helps me think and my sisters have given me plenty to think about. I sigh heavily before looking back at them.
“No,” I assure them, “I’m good. I’m going to finish up and then get going. I’ll be fine.”
Justice bounds my direction and wraps me up in a hug before releasing me. “Okay, just don’t stay too long.”
I nod, but I’m not really listening to her. The only thing I can focus on is the green of Evan’s eyes and the way he looked at me right before I turned down his offer to take me out. Was it a date that he wanted to take me on? Like a real one?
It’s been ages since I’ve been out on a date.
I’m only half-way listening to the sounds of my sisters leaving. When silence descends in the kitchen, I focus on getting back to work. I let myself get lost in the repetitive motions that I’m used to. I sink into it and let it carry away my stress and worries.
By the time I’m done and standing back, I’m exhausted. It’s been a good mix of repetitive, physical work and mental gymnastics. I’m not closer to knowing what I should do or even how to go about it, but I know I can’t make any more éclairs.
I get everything cleaned up and pick up one of the éclairs to enjoy because I’ll be damned if I don’t get a taste after I spent time making them. The gingerbread flavor is strong, but not too much and the pastry melts in my mouth.
