Chapter Twenty
Sliding the final sheet pan of double-chocolate peanut-butter cookies into the speed rack, Leah pulled off her oven gloves and took a deep breath. This was it. In less than ten minutes, the bakery would reopen for business. So far, everything had gone smoothly, and she hadn’t had a panic attack, mostly because Hamilton had been with her the whole time. She smiled at him, but he missed it, since he was focused on decorating sugar cookies,
“Is this the last of the bake?” Q asked, pushing through the swinging door.
“This is it.” The words sounded a little nervous, so she quickly threw him a grin. “I made a few extra of everything, in case we’re busier than usual after being closed.”
“In case we’re busy?” Q snorted. “We’re going to be slammed. There’s already a huge line at the door. From the rumbling noise, they’re about three minutes away from breaking it down. Your customers missed you when you were closed—well, they missed your cookies, at least.”
She winced even as she laughed. “Good thing there are three of us. Thanks for coming in on such short notice.”
“No problem.” He shrugged. “It won’t kill me to miss a lift day. I just had a few days of vacation, so I spent the extra time in the weight room.”
A pang of guilt pinched her. What happened with Jude hadn’t just affected her. “Sorry you’ve been missing so much work.”
“That’s okay.” He sent her a quick look before turning back to study the cooling items on the speed rack a little more intensely than they deserved. “I’ve been able to hang out with Carlisle.”
“Carlisle?” No wonder Q seemed extra happy. “Straight Carlisle?”
“Not quite so straight as I first thought.” He didn’t look at her, but his smile was growing again. “Turns out he was just too used to hiding it.”
“So you’re dating Carlisle now?” Her voice had a tiny bit of an excited squeal, but she didn’t care. This was squeal-worthy news.
His shrug was much too casual. “I guess.”
“That’s wonderful, Q.” She gave him a side-hug as he beamed, his happiness on full display. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks.” He gave her a quick sideways return squeeze before hustling toward the front with the speed rack in tow.
“Are you going to want to work for me, now that you’re busy with Carlisle?” she called after him.
Holding open the swinging door, he threw her a wicked grin. “Yeah. I really want a car now.”
She knew she had to follow him up front, but she needed to take a breath first. Maybe two. It was one thing to work in the locked kitchen with Hamilton as a bodyguard, but she had a feeling that having customers coming in and out was going to give her a few nervous moments.
“You okay?” Hamilton asked, looking up from his sugar-cookie decorating.
She smiled as she walked behind his stool to peek at his work. With his broad back so close, she couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around him and resting her chin on his shoulder. “Yes. I’ll be fine. Just a case of the bad butterflies. These cookies are stunning, as usual.”
Ignoring her compliment, he turned his head to look at her. “Bad butterflies?”
“Yep. As opposed to good butterflies, which is what I get whenever I look at you.” Although a smile touched his mouth, his gaze was steady, and she knew she couldn’t wiggle out of giving him a serious answer. “It’ll be a little nerve-racking to have customers walking in, that’s all. You’re here, though, and so is Q, so I’ll be fine.”
He eyed her for a second before turning back to the sun cookie he was working on. “Just let me finish this one, and I’ll come help up front.”
All she wanted to do was keep hugging him as she watched him create art out of frosting, but the bakery opened in two minutes. She did allow herself a final cheek kiss, though, and her lips lingered a little longer this time. His smile widened, popping his dimple. Reluctantly, she released him and took a step back. “Thank you. I would’ve run out of here screaming about twenty times this morning if you hadn’t been here.”
Putting down the bottle of frosting, he turned to face her and tugged her closer, so she was standing between his legs. “No, you would’ve stuck it out. You’re braver than you think.”
It was impossible not to kiss him. As soon as their lips met, Q pushed open the swinging door and stuck his head inside. “I’m unlocking the door now. Quit kissing Mr. Hamilton and come help me.” Without waiting for a response, he disappeared back up front.
With a regretful sigh, she squeezed Hamilton’s hands and stepped away. “Good thing Q’s here. Otherwise, we might have made another mess, and we just finished deep-cleaning the kitchen after last time we broke my rule.”
He flashed his dimple again, and her heart melted all over again. She was in ridiculous amounts of love with the man. “The mess was worth it. It always is with you.”
She smiled back, dreaming of a lifetime of wonderful messes with Hamilton.
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Available now from Carina Press and Katie Allen
Keep reading for an excerpt from , the first book in Katie Allen’s OFF GUARD series.