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“Thanks for the cake,” I tell Daisy, grabbing the box off the counter. I’m trying not to let my frustration show, but I can feel my face twisting into a scowl.
“No problem.” She looks a little unsure. “Um, well, maybe I’ll see you around soon?”
I nod, turning away from her and Jake. “See you, Daisy.”
Without a backward glance, I shoulder open the door to the cake shop and head out into the frosty January air. I put the cake box on the passenger seat before running a hand over my beard, closing my eyes with a groan of frustration. I don’t know what just happened. I don’t know why I’m reacting this way. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me.
As if on cue, my phone buzzes, and I grab it instantly. For some crazy reason, I think it might be Daisy, even though I’m sure she doesn’t have my number. But it’s not Daisy. It’s Brett.
Hey buddy, want to get a drink tomorrow after work?
Brett’s text makes my stomach sink like a stone, and I instantly feel like a dick. I only just came back into my best friend’s life after ten years, and now I’m acting like a weirdo around his younger sister. I need to pull myself together. I’m finally settling back into life here in Crave County, and I’m not going to let myself fuck it up.
2
Daisy
As soon as Lincoln disappears through the door, I let out the shuddering breath I’ve been holding. Ever since my brother told me Lincoln Stirling was back in town, my body has been on high alert. I’ve been restless, looking for his hulking figure every time I head into Winterdale, always feeling a twinge of disappointment when I don’t see him. I was starting to think Brett must have made a mistake until Lincoln finally walked into the cake shop just now looking sexier than ever.
I was just a kid the last time I saw Lincoln, but I already had a huge crush on him back then. He was so tall and striking with his muscular build and his deep blue eyes, with a voice so growly that I’d get goosebumps whenever he said hello. Now, after ten years, he looks even better. He’s grown a thick beard and looks burlier than ever before. I even saw a few tattoos peeking out from beneath his shirt sleeves.
As if he wasn’t sexy enough already.
But it wasn’t just his good looks that made him the subject of all my teenage fantasies. He was always grumpy and withdrawn, but underneath all that, he was kind. Caring. Protective. I’ll never forget the way he stood up for me when I was in third grade. I was playing in the front yard when some boys from my class saw me and started shouting insults about my weight. Their favorite nickname for me was “Daisy Donut”. Lincoln heard them picking on me when he was leaving my house after seeing Brett, and he yelled at them so loud that they ran off crying with their tails between their legs. None of them ever dared to call me Daisy Donut again. In my head, Lincoln was a knight in shining armor, and I cried for days when he left for the military. I never forgot him. He ruined high school boys for me…how could I feel something for an immature guy my own age after knowing a man like Lincoln?
“Daisy?...Uh, Daisy?”
The sound of my name snaps me back to reality, and I see Jake looking at me impatiently.
“Sorry, what?” I ask, blinking at him.
“A guy called Stanley Lockwood called. Said he’ll be in tomorrow to pick up the cake for his wedding anniversary.”
I nod, my brain still a million miles away. “Okay, fine. Sounds good.”
Jake gives me a funny look and heads into the backroom while I lean back against the counter with a sigh, my mind full of Lincoln. I know it’s dumb to still have a crush on the guy I liked when I was ten. It’s not like anything could ever happen between me and him anyway. He’s my brother’s best friend, nearly twenty years older than me, and to him, I’ll never be anything more than Brett’s chubby kid sister.
I flinch, trying to shake off the thought. I’m trying to learn to love my curvy body, but confidence has never been my strong suit. My childhood was peppered with bullies just like the ones Lincoln scared away, and even though it’s been years since I graduated, the scars are still there. There’s still that mean little voice in my head telling me I’m ugly. Not good enough. Too big. Too much.
“I’m heading out now,” Jake says, appearing from the backroom with his coat on. “Is that cool?”
I swallow down my painful thoughts and force a smile. “Sure. You did great today.”
He nods, his face impassive. “Thanks.”
“No problem. See you tomorrow.”
Jake mumbles a goodbye before eagerly leaving the cake shop. He’s not all that enthusiastic, but he seems like a nice enough guy. Today was his first day working at Heavenly Cakes, and I did my best to help him out. I’ve been working at this place practically since it opened. It’s owned by Emily, my boss, who also owns Sweet Tooth Bakery on Main Street, which she bought from the original owner a few years back. She opened Heavenly Cakes to sell more high-end, specialty cakes for weddings, birthdays, and other special occasions. Cake decorating was just a hobby for me back when this place first opened, but Emily gave me a chance and now it’s my full-time job. It’s a blast, and I love getting to be creative with all the sweet, delicious goodies that we make here.
I start to undo my apron, ready to go home, when Emily appears from the backroom.
“Hey honey,” she says when she notices me, smiling warmly. “You still here?”
“Just leaving now. Did you finish that wedding cake for Mrs. Evergreen’s son?”
Emily sighs dramatically. “It took about a thousand years for her to be happy with it, but we got there in the end. She’s coming to get it first thing tomorrow.”
“Awesome. It looked beautiful the last time I looked.”
