“It’s going to be great!”Avery flashed her a smile, then started prepping vegetables.
A knock on the doorframe startled Josie, preventing her from punching down the dough.She turned to see Carter standing in the doorway.
A knot formed in her stomach immediately.
His hair was ruffled, and his clothes looked like they’d been slept in.
“Morning.Is that coffee fresh?”
“Yes, help yourself.”
Nerves buzzed around her stomach at having Carter so close to her.Stop it, you’re being ridiculous.
She hadn’t told Avery or Nancy about what had happened between her and Carter, not wanting to upset them.
“Thanks.My neighbours kept me up all night with a new puppy.”
“Aww, poor puppy,” Avery said.
“Yeah.I came here for some quiet.I have bookkeeping to do.”
“My least favourite part of the business.”As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to take them back.Would Carter take that as proof that she doesn’t know what she’s doing and use it as an opportunity to insist she needs help?
“Haven’t met a chef who likes crunching numbers,” Carter winked.Josie breathed a sigh of relief.
Carter said he was sorry and nothing he did since that night told Josie that he didn’t mean what he said.
“We made the decision that we’re going to be closed between Christmas and New Year’s.”
“Need the downtime?”Avery asked.
“Yeah.My staff deserves time to celebrate with their families.Do you have plans for Christmas?”Carter’s tone dipped an octave lower, and his total focus was on Josie, making her so nervous she almost dropped the tray.
“Same old.”
“Aren’t we exciting?”Carter asked, grinning.
The phone rang and Avery grabbed it before she could get there.“Josie’s Plates, how can I help you?Mr.Parker, let me check…” Avery grabbed the tablet and flipped through the orders.
Josie set the buns in the oven, started the timer.
“Thanks for the coffee,” Carter set his mug in the sink.
“Sure.”
“Josie?”He ran his hand through his hair.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry about last weekend.I didn’t mean to be a prick.I don’t know.I guess I got ahead of myself thinking you wanted more for your business and needed someone to bring it to the next level.”
“This is the next level for me,” Josie crossed her arms over her chest.To go from working out of her mother’s kitchen to this commercial one, allowing her to do more volume, was huge.
“I get that, I do.I got something for you.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Please accept it as an apology.I won’t give you any more advice unless you ask me,” Carter reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box.“Here.”
