“I’m fine now.” The words crack out of me.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He finally steps back, watching me, like he’s making sure I’m not about to collapse.
The other women hover briefly, giving me a once-over before retiring to their spots.
“It appears you’re going to survive.” His eyes linger.
Was there ever any doubt?
“Thanks.” I force myself to take a normal breath and move back to my station.
Zoe is on the other side of Nettie, leaning over the older lady. “Did you see that?” She’s talking to Jaclyn, who leans in close. “She did that just to get him to touch her.”
“I know, right?” Jaclyn replies.
Um, not right.
Should I point out that I can hear them?
“Why didn’t we ever think of that?” Zara leans over her sister. “It’s bloody brilliant.”
“Obviously, you didn’t brainstorm correctly.” Nettie clicks her tongue.
I flush hotter. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Uh-huh.” Jaclyn picks up her rolling pin and taps her fingers against it. “Next time I’m going to choke on a cookie to get him to give me the Heimlich.”
Zoe gasps. “Thrusting.”
Jaclyn smiles. “Thrusting.” She gives the rolling pin a long, exaggerated push.
“We need to devise a plan for mouth-to-mouth?” Nettie cackles. “I’d slip my tongue into his mouth.”
Jaclyn lightly swats her. “You will not.”
Nettie shrugs. “We’ll see. I play dead very well.”
“Ma!” Jaclyn smiles at me, but my face must say what I’m thinking. “Sweetie, we’re just teasing. We respect Cash’s boundaries. Or lack thereof today.”
I don’t laugh.
I don’t even think I smile.
“Relax.” Jaclyn playfully swings a tea towel at me. “By your third class, you’ll stop pretending you’re here for the baking.”
“I’m not here for the baking.”
Why am I here?
“Oh, we saw.” Jaclyn winks.
“I wasn’t here for that either.”
She nods, but doesn’t look convinced. None of them do.
