They’re both white, pleasantly plump, and average height. They’re both wearing candy cane earrings. They’re both in jeans and T-shirts covered with aprons decorated with snowmen.
They even both have red and green stripes in their hair, which you can see through their hairnets.
Kimberly has maybe two inches on Grandma Vicki. Her hair is in a bun under her hairnet, though, whereas Grandma Vicki’s hair seems short and curly. Kimberly has Amanda’s brown eyes. Grandma Vicki’s are ice blue.
And they’re both watching me like they’ll destroy me if I make one wrong move.
“Morning, ladies. It’s a pleasure to—”
Grandma Vicki snorts.
Kimberly nudges her.
“Grandma.Be nice.” Amanda slips her hand into mine and leans into me. “Until you can tell me what Dane’s done to you that’s so horrible, you can keep your opinions to yourself.”
“He’s trying to steal my bakery,” Grandma Vicki says.
“The Silvers aren’t stealing the bakery,” Kimberly says. “We won’t let them.”
Amanda sighs a sigh so deep and heavy that I feel it in my own gut. I squeeze her hand, and she leans more heavily onto me.
We were never friends, exactly, in high school, but we weren’t enemies.
I’d definitely say we’re friends now.
No matter what happens next.
“I don’t want your bakery,” I tell her family. “It’s a very nice bakery. But gingerbread isn’t in my life plan.”
They narrow their eyes as one.
Shit.
Amanda hasn’t told themshedoesn’t want the bakery.
She made up being engaged to me to get out of it.
And now I’m the guy taking away their retirement plan.
“There won’t be a bakery if we don’t get the mixer fixed,” Amanda says. Under her breath, she adds, “Or if I touch it again.”
The mixer.
That’s what’s smoking.
Or was.
“Anything I can do to help?” I ask.
I’m playing with fire.
They think I want to steal their bakery.
I don’t, even if my wheels are spinning trying to find a solution for them that doesn’t involve Amanda moving back to Tinsel.
Or me. I am definitely never moving back to Tinsel.
But I’m the fall guy now if Amanda doesn’t want it. That’s why we’re faking this engagement.
