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It was worth falling behind my baking schedule for the day. I enjoyed talking to him, even if we kept the conversation light. But when that song had come on—the one we’d danced to in high school—I couldn’t believe it. It was kismet. It brought back the emotions of that night. I’d been looking forward to a future with Mark. I didn’t think anything would get in our way.
It still hurt to think he’d been planning to leave all along, and I was blissfully unaware. Why was he stopping by after all this time? What did it mean?
I’d carefully rebuffed any attempts he’d made over the years to contact me by email or the one or two times he’d approached me at the bakery and at Brooke’s party.
Mark hurt me before. I wouldn’t allow it to happen again. I needed to be there for my family, ensure the bakery was successful, and somehow avoid the neighborhood burglar. I didn’t have time for heart-to-heart conversations with an ex-boyfriend at dawn. Nothing good could come from our trip down memory lane.
It would have been so easy for him to kiss me when he brushed my cheek with the pad of his thumb. The ridiculous thing was I would have let him, despite the pain and heartache he caused me in the past. I was obviously doomed to repeat my mistakes.
Thankfully, Mark had done the smart thing and stepped back. He wasn’t here to rekindle our relationship. He’d ruined any chances of that years ago.
Our time was over. There wouldn’t be any going back and trying to re-create the past. We’d tried and failed spectacularly.
His living here might be temporary. What would happen when Kendall’s mother wanted her back? Would they move back to Indiana?
I pushed away the thoughts because I needed to make up for the time I’d lost when he was here. Dancing with him was bittersweet.
I changed the music to something more upbeat, nothing that would remind me of slow dancing with Mark, then focused on baking. The thought of customers arriving at opening time, expecting a full menu, kept me focused.
By the time my front counter employee, Courtney, showed up, it seemed like a dream that Mark had been here at all. I hadn’t slept well, and my subconscious had conjured him, playing that song that reminded me of him. That had to be it. None of it had been real.
I kept baking while Courtney dealt with the customers, making more than I usually did, and when I finally sat down in my office around lunchtime, I checked the cameras. I’d expected it to be slow, but I was surprised to see Mark. Was that a young girl next to him? Was it his daughter?
Wondering why he was here, I was moving my feet before I could stop myself. I paused in the entryway to the shop, still not believing that Mark stood at the counter with a sullen-looking girl to his right. She had his dark hair and the same stubborn tilt of her chin, but that’s where the similarities ended. She must have gotten her blue eyes from her mother. The dark and light eyes were an intriguing mix. The fact that Mark had created a life with someone else never failed to prick my heart.
I’d always been jealous of this mysterious woman who’d captured his heart so soon after we broke up. I’d wanted to have sex, but Mark had resisted, saying we should wait. Then he’d given his virginity to her. She must have been someone special. She must have had something I didn’t.
“Sophie,” Mark said.
Courtney turned; her eyes widened when she saw me. “I thought you were taking a break.”
My cheeks heated. What could I say? I’d come out because I’d seen Mark and his daughter. I wanted to see him again. I wanted to meet his daughter. My heart thudded painfully in my chest.
Mark lifted a carry-out bag. “I brought you lunch to thank you for the pastries.”
“You paid for those,” I said, not moving toward him. I was very aware that Courtney and Kendall were watching us carefully.
Mark winked. “I wanted to do something for you since you opened early for me.”
Courtney was shooting me all kinds of questioning looks, but I refused to look at her.
“I make a mean sandwich,” Mark said, nudging Kendall with his shoulder. “Don’t I?”
Kendall shrugged, but I wasn’t fooled by her bored expression. She felt the growing tension between us.
Wanting to diffuse it, I moved closer to take the proffered bag. “Did you want something while you’re here, Kendall? I just made cupcakes for the afternoon.”
No kid could resist the lure of cupcakes. I’d seen it time and time again and always made sure to have extra chocolate with vanilla frosting on hand. It was a favorite.
“Can I?” Kendall asked her dad.
“Of course.”
Pleased I’d found a way to appeal to Kendall, I grabbed the one with the most icing and put it on a plate. Grabbing a water, I carried it around the counter, placing it on a table.
“I appreciate you stopping by with lunch.” I remained standing while they sat. I’d purposely picked a two-person table, wanting to limit my interactions with them. I wasn’t sure I was ready to know more about Kendall.
“Why don’t you eat with us?” Mark said, gesturing to his daughter, who was already unwrapping the cupcake.
