“Admit it,” I say, stepping away before I forget how, “you’re shipping us, too.”
He looks at me for a long second, then smiles—slow, surrendering. “See you tomorrow, Chef.”
I grab my coat from the hook, still tasting sugar and adrenaline. “Yes, Chef.”
As I turn to leave, he calls out, “Hey, Baker.”
I turn and bat my eyes. “Yes, Chef?”
“Don’t be late.”
FIVE
CHASE
The sky’s still dark when I pull into the employee lot.
I’m not surprised to see the light on down the road in the Snack Shack.
Through the window, Katelyn stands at the counter, headphones in, hair twisted up, swaying a little as she folds her pastry dough. Her rhythm is good. Steady, confident. My gut clenches at the gentle sway of her hips.
It’s too early to admit that I like watching her work.
I tap on the glass. She startles, pulls out an earbud, then laughs when she sees me. “Morning, Chef.”
“It’s barely that,” I say, stepping inside. “You’re early.”
“So are you.” She holds up a tray of shaped cronuts, glossy and perfect. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d get a head start on destroying you.”
“Ambitious,” I say, setting down a crate of apples. “I was thinking about the same thing.”
“What? Destroying me?”
“Winning.”
Her grin flickers, warm and sharp all at once. “We’ll see.”
By the time the gates open, the kitchen is thrumming with energy.
We dance around each other like we’ve been doing this for years. Trading counter space, swapping utensils, and finishing each other’s sentences mid-order.
And it’s fun. Damn it all, it’s fun.
At one point she slides a fresh cronut onto a plate and holds it out to me. “Quality control.”
“I’m not your taste tester,” I say, already reaching for a fork.
“You sound confident for someone who took a bite before finishing his sentence.”
I shoot her a look while chewing. “Needs more salt.”
“Liar.”
She’s right—it’s perfect—but I’ll die before admitting it.
Then the bell at the window rings and we’re back at it. Customers flood in like migrating birds, all chatter and scarves and cinnamon-scented air. The smell of frying dough mingles with the cider simmering behind me.
A mom leans on the counter. “We saw your video last night! You two are adorable.”
