Rhett and I exchange amused looks before he interrupts her. “Better be careful, Indie. Your husband’s getting jealous.”
With a roll of her eyes, she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a quick kiss.
“That better?” she quips, practically glowing.
Knowing Rhett’s usual order, I pour him a cup of coffee then bag a fresh cronut and pull out a homemade dog biscuit, as well. Indie started baking them when they adopted Harry so he could enjoy a fresh-baked treat too. Surprisingly, they’ve become wildly popular, and he’s not the only pup who snatches them up like a little kid with a popsicle on a hot summer’s day.
“Much better,” Rhett replies. “I’ll let ya get back to work, though. Seems like we interrupted a battle between you and the flour, and you still haven’t earned your victory yet.”
With a gasp, Indie smacks Rhett’s chest then gives Harry another pat. Rhett digs into his pocket and pulls out a twenty, dropping it into the tip jar with a wink. “Tell Levi hi for me. He’s been our contact at Montague Enterprises, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed how well he’s fitting in. If Montague Enterprises isn’t careful, we just might steal him.”
“I think he’s pretty happy where he’s at, but I’m sure he’ll appreciate a little ego boost. And thanks!” I drop my chin to the tip jar, but he waves me off.
“No problem. Tell Sophie hi, too, when you see her.”
Sophie is the other girl who works the front of the bakery. Our shifts rarely cross over because she’s pregnant with twins and doesn’t work too often, but I give Rhett a thumbs up. “Will do.”
When they exit, I tell Indie, “I’m so jealous of your dog. I want one so freaking bad!”
“Right? Before I met Rhett, I was dating a guy who was allergic to dogs. Needless to say, it was rough not being able to own one.”
“Yeah. It’s killing me, but I don’t know if I have time for that kind of commitment.”
“Have you ever considered volunteering anywhere? Like at a shelter or something?”
I shrug. “I haven’t really thought of that. Do you know of any nearby?”
Face lighting up, she nods. “I know the perfect place. It’s a few blocks away, but you could totally walk if you wanted to. It’s called Forever Grey. I used to go there sometimes before I met Rhett.”
“Forever Grey?”
“Yeah. It’s a dog sanctuary for retired racing greyhounds. But just because they aren’t fast enough to compete anymore doesn’t mean they don’t have a shit-ton of energy. They’re always looking for people to take the dogs out on walks or runs.”
“That would be perfect for me!” I gush, the wheels in my head turning.
“You’ll have to stop by. I’m pretty sure they take walk-ins. You’ll just have to fill out a couple of papers, and then I think you’ll be good to go.”
“Done.” I smack my hand against the counter for emphasis.
Indie laughs in return. “Perfect. I’m glad I could help. Now, I gotta get those white chocolate brioche buns in the oven ASAP. If you need anything, I’ll be in the back.” She disappears as the bell rings on the front door once more.
My mouth opens to greet the newcomer before I nearly swallow my tongue.
Sandy blonde hair. Check. Twinkling green eyes. Check. Rugged good looks. Check. My cheeks heat as I realize the word rugged just filtered through my mind. Thank goodness the guy isn’t a mind reader, or I’m pretty sure I’d die from embarrassment.
A curious smile tugs at my lips as I watch the new customer peruse his options behind the glass counter.
“Hi. Can I…uh…can I help you?” I ask, my voice cracking at the end.
Kill me now.
He grins. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I repeat, feeling like an idiot. “Can I help you?”
Resting his big hands against the top of the counter, the stranger looks at the variety of pastries and shrugs. “I’ve never been here before, but I saw a box with the logo on my buddy’s desk at work yesterday, and the name reeled me in.”
I chuckle. “Yeah. Get Baked has tamed many a munchies.”
Gifting me with a crooked grin, he says, “I bet.” His eyes drop down to my mouth for a split second before adding, “So, what would you recommend?”
“Umm….”
Is it hot in here?
“What are you looking for?” I ask.
His eyes connect with mine, making me squirm from the intensity as he murmurs, “I don’t really know what I’m looking for, but I think I might’ve just found it.”
Licking my lips, I break our connection and clear my throat. “Umm…the cronuts are a best seller. My boss’s husband is obsessed with them. And the eclairs are pretty good too, although I’m a sucker for the chocolate croissants. There are brioche buns! But the brioche buns aren’t quite done yet so….”
The words keep tumbling out of me like a faucet on full blast, and I don’t know how to make them stop.
“What’s a cronut?” he asks, though I’m not sure if it’s an attempt to get me to shut the hell up or if he’s genuinely curious.
Regardless, I reply, “It’s a mix between a croissant and a donut.”
“And the chocolate croissants are your favorite?”
“Well…I mean…the cronuts are really good too.”
Mouth stretching into a smile, the stranger leans a little closer as he whispers, “I’d like one of each, please.”
I nod a handful of times, convinced I look like a bobblehead as I fumble with a small pink box. Once the treats are situated, I ring up his order and give him the total.
“Mind if I add one more thing to my order?”
“And what’s that?”
“Your number.”
My mouth opens in surprise before closing just as quickly. I’ve never been in this situation before. “Umm….”
“Is that a no?” he teases, trying to hide his surprise with a quirked brow and a challenging tone.
“Umm….”
The bell on the front door dings my salvation, and I catch myself holding my breath like I’ve just gotten caught doing something I’m not supposed to. Eyes darting to the entrance, I freeze.
“Conner?” Levi asks, staring at the stranger across from me.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” The stranger lifts his chin at my best friend while I watch the interaction.
“What are you doing here?”
“I saw the box on your desk yesterday and figured it must be good, so I stopped by.” Conner looks back at me and smirks. “Best decision I’ve made in a long time.”
Tension builds in the tiny shop, not one of us saying a word. I don’t know what started it, or why it’s here in the first place, but when I finally make the connection, I want to scream.
“Wait,” I start. Both their heads snap in my direction. “You’re Conner?”
Conner nods. “Yeah. Conner Daniels. Nice to meet—”
“You’re Conner Daniels? As in Asshat Conner Daniels?” The second question is meant for Levi, and he hears me loud and clear.