Evie’s still going on. “Sothenshe asked when we decided to remodel and where we’ve been hiding if the cafe has been closed for the last few days. It was like a whole thing. She was freaking out even more because you weren’t answering your phone! So, then I had Gideon drive me here right away so I could check on you.”
Gideon pokes his head in before stepping completely inside the kitchen. “Hope it’s okay that I came inside. Just wanted to make sure everything was fine.” He looks over, and Hayes nods. “Hey, Hayes.”
That’s when Eviefinallyreads the room and I know I’m in trouble.
“Ohhh. You’re still here,” she says with an amused expression on her face.
“Where else would I be, Evie? I came to help and as I recall, someone else snuck out for…” he replies but Evie interrupts him with a hand over his mouth.
“You hush, Mr. Firefighter.” Then she looks at me. “And just what have you two accomplished in my absence?”
Evie wiggles her eyebrows so aggressively I’m amazed they don’t launch off her face and hit the ceiling.
“Evie,” I warn, but she’s already scanning the kitchen like she’s hunting for evidence of impropriety. Or discarded clothing.
“Wellll?” she presses.
I cross my arms. “We baked. Worked. That’s it.”
Hayes says at the exact same time, “Cookies.”
I shoot him a glare. He shrugs again—helpless, adorable, completely unbothered.
Traitor.
Evie squints at him. “What kind of cookies?”
“Chocolate chip,” he answers easily.
She gasps dramatically. “Yourchocolate chip cookies? You allowed cross-contamination of his chaotic bachelor energy with your sensible and overly organized process?”
Hayes chokes back a laugh and leans a hip against the counter. “Chaotic bachelor energy?”
“You know what you are,” she fires back.
Gideon slips an arm around her waist, tugging her back against him. “Evie,” he murmurs, amusement threading through his voice, “maybe ease up before you combust.”
She pats his chest. “I can’t ease up. I’m fueled by anxiety and caffeine. Easing up is not an option.”
“Sounds familiar,” Hayes mutters, nodding his head toward me. “Must run in the family.”
I elbow him. Hard. He doesn’t even pretend it hurt. Instead, his hand lands on the small of my back. Warm. Solid. Steadying in that way he doesn’t even realize he does.
Evie notices immediately because Evie always notices everything.
She points at his hand. “Aha!”
“Evie—” I start.
“No, no, I’m not judging,” she says with fake innocence. “I’m merely observing. And what I’m observing is that you two are standing very… very… close.”
Gideon snorts. “Babe, leave them alone.”
“Babe?” Her head snaps to Gideon for a split second. “We will discuss that later.” Then her gaze is back on us, eyes narrowing in delighted suspicion. “I willnotbe silenced.”
“I’m going to silence you,” I growl.
She gasps. “Threats! She’s making threats! This day keeps getting better.”
