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Her lower jaw moves back and forth before she meets my gaze. “You’ve been dying to discuss him? What’s there to discuss?”
“Are you in love with him?”
Camilla raises her palms in the air and heads back to the kitchen. “Whoa. I’ll get back to work while you two have this strange convo.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Aria says to me when Camilla’s gone. Her eyes are thin slits.
Huh. She didn’t say she was.
“Okay, okay. Fair. When’s he coming back? Is he going to live in Arkansas forever?”
She kneads her forehead. “I don’t know.”
“Hey, let me know when you’re moving. Since Rob’s not around, I’d be happy to be your pack mule and help you with your stuff.”
When Camilla darts back out of the kitchen to grab something, I say, “You know what’s also good news, Camilla? This cheesecake. Easily the best I’ve ever had.”
“Oh really?” She coos, and her gaze darts to Aria and then back at me.
“Yeah. When did you start serving it? Why is it just now getting in my belly? Because I could use a slice a day.”
Aria smirks and her gaze runs up and down me.
“You may have a hollow leg, Theo, but your heart and blood pressure would be another story if you ate this cheesecake every day,” Camilla says. “I’m glad you like it, though.”
“It’s …” I give a chef’s kiss with my fingertips. “I’m getting emotional just thinking about it.”
“Well, thank Aria. She made it.” Camilla leaves for the kitchen again, and I can hear her chuckle from here.
Aria’s biting back a smile.
Why does knowing this cheesecake came from her make her even more attractive than ever before?
Chapter 10
Aria
The next morning, I’m up early, throwing stuff in boxes I brought home from Shorty’s. Grandpa will be here in two short days, and now that I have a place to go, I’ve got to up my moving game.
When my parents told me my grandpa was coming here for an extended amount of time, they suggested I move into my sister’s room and share with her. My sister is fine, as far as sisters go, but I don’t want to share a room with a younger sibling now that I’m twenty-five years old.
Besides, I don’t love that I’m still living with my parents. I’m supposed to be settling down and establishing myself. I’m supposed to be trying to break into my real career, the one I’ll have forever, hopefully.
And when I say forever, there’s still a small part of me that hopes I can intertwine that with a family of my own. Somehow.
First up? I need to move on from this bakeshop in a sketchy part of town.
That part of town is improving, though. An adorable toy store opened up down the block in time for the Christmas season. And in the late summer, a coffee shop and a sandwich place that hosts open mic nights came in up the street.
With Camilla getting the hang of running her own business and the quiet strength of Jesse in her life, I should feel ready to move on, to work in branding for a real firm, to be pushed and stretched more than I can be at Shorty’s.
Soon. I can’t quit now, with it being the busiest time of year. But I will. As soon as I can get up the courage.
Living above her shop should give me the courage I need, right? Then it won’t be like I’m making a complete break.
I’ve packed four full boxes of my stuff by the time I hop in the shower and get ready for work. I can do this. It’s time to move out—again—and get my footing in creating the life I want.
As I drive past the main entrance to the bakeshop, I see Liz Langer approaching our Christmas wreath-decorated doors. I hope she’s not coming to the bakeshop to buy baked goods since we’re still closed for another hour. Or is she here to visit me?
