“Sure,” I said.
Lucy worked the register and I took care of the orders.
I put a paper bag on the counter with three chocolate chip muffins inside.
“These are the best,” the woman said to me. “I drive so far out of my way for these… you should have a truck or delivery…”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “Thank you for coming here.”
I went to the next order and felt Lucy staring at me.
I was crouched and I looked up at her.
“I didn’t have sex,” I whispered. “I swear on my life. And if you think something like that is going to happen between me and Liam, you’re insane. He’s engaged to Miranda.”
“You were pretty wet yesterday,” Lucy teased.
“From the sink,” I said. I stood up. “You’re really trying to get to me.”
“A little,” Lucy said. “You’re only easy to fluster when it comes to Miranda and Liam. I wonder why.”
I squinted my eyes.
I heard someone call out my name.
When I turned my head, I had a secret fantasy it was Liam coming to whisk me away from this business.
Instead, it was freaking Jeff.
“Hey, Jeff,” I said.
He stood at the side of the bakery case.
“What’s up?”
“Working.”
“I see that. Busy here.”
“Always busy.”
“Yet, you’re struggling, huh?”
“Who told you that?” I asked.
“Who do you think?”
I looked at him.
My sister and brother-in-law needed to stay away from my love life.
“I can help,” he said.
“If I need the help, I’ll ask,” I said. “Can we agree to that?”
“Look, I made up some plans,” he said. “In my free time. I usually charge a fortune for this kind of analysis, but for you… it’s on the house.”
“Plans?” I asked.
“Let’s go out to dinner together,” he said. “You and me. Just us. We can talk about everything. I know there’s some truth behind those pretty eyes of yours, Emily.”
I forced a laugh. “Thanks for that.” I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at Liam’s name. “Give me one second… I have to email a vendor…”
I sent Liam a text.
Want to help me? Get to the bakery ASAP. You might have to pretend to be close to me to chase someone away… there’s a free coffee waiting for you if you do it.
I looked back at Jeff.
He was closer to me. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m okay here,” I said.
“I think you’re more than okay,” Jeff said.
He touched my arm.
I stepped away. “Jeff…”
“Emily, I get it,” he said. “Your sister and Dan are involved. I hate it too. That’s why I came here myself. I know you need me.”
“Need you?” I asked.
I pondered the scenario where I would take Jeff’s face and smash it against the glass case.
As satisfying as that would have been, it pained me to imagine all of Ember’s delicious baked goods going to waste.
“I have to work,” I said.
“I’ll sit and wait,” he said.
“What?”
“I’m here, Emily,” he said. “I’ll wait until you can talk.”
I didn’t respond to Jeff.
I went in the back and took a deep breath.
My phone vibrated.
Liam texted me back.
Be there in two minutes.
Liam came through the front door like a man on a mission.
His eyes searched for me and he moved even faster when he found me.
He walked up to the glass case and passed Jeff right by as he sat at a table with a leather folder and a cup of coffee.
Lucy had already offered to get a baseball bat and rearrange Jeff’s face.
Again… it was tempting… but I declined.
“What’s going on?” Liam asked.
“The guy right behind you. His name is Jeff. Pain in my ass. I’ll explain it later. I just need him gone.”
“What do you want me to do?” Liam asked. “Beat him up?”
“I’ve thought about it myself,” I said. “I don’t know…” I sighed. “I shouldn’t have texted you. This isn’t your business.”
“Yes, it is,” Liam said. He moved around the glass case. “Just go with me for a second.”
He touched my face and leaned in and kissed my cheek.
I sucked in a breath and felt my face surge with heat.
My knees rocked for a quick second.
Liam then turned and took my hand and pulled me toward the wall.
Jeff stared.
Liam gave a quick wave. “Jeff, right?”
Jeff stood up. “Yeah. Who are you?”
“This building… kind of, sort of mine. In a sense. Everything in it too.”
Jeff frowned. “Oh?”
“I hate to be a prick here, but I don’t like when people linger.”
“I’m a paying customer,” Jeff said.
“That you are,” Liam said.
“Emily, did you call this guy?” Jeff asked.
“No,” Liam said. “I always drop in to see my favorite person in the world. Is there a problem here?”
Jeff reached for his leather folder. “I guess not. I guess I read this wrong.”
“I’m sorry about my sister and Dan,” I said. “I tried to tell you. I tried to tell them. But this is my personal life.”
“Say no more, babe,” Liam said. “We don’t owe this guy anything.” Liam stepped toward Jeff. “Let me make something clear. If you want a cup of damn good coffee or some of the best baked goods in the city, come on in. But if you’re walking around with something else on your mind… stay away.”
Jeff’s face twisted up in anger, but he quickly backed down.
He grabbed his coffee cup and stormed out of the bakery.
Liam turned to face me just as Lucy stepped up next to me.
Of course, Lucy stood there, fanning herself, taking deep breaths.
“Well, well, well,” Lucy said. “You’ve got me all hot and bothered, Liam.”
“Lucy, stop,” I said.
“What the hell did I just do that for?” Liam asked.
“The guy wants to buy the building and sleep with Emily,” Lucy said.
“Really?” Liam asked.
I jumped forward and grabbed his right hand and pulled him toward a table to get him away from Lucy.
“Liam…”
“Is that true? About the building? And that he…”
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s a long story. He works with Dan, my brother-in-law. My sister is forever thinking I need to do the whole marriage and have a baby thing. They think Jeff is the guy for me. I don’t. And he’s a pain in the ass about it. I shouldn’t have bothered you…”
“I’m glad you did,” Liam said. “You don’t need that around here.”
“I know. And Miranda…” I shook my head.