There were lime-washed tables and chairs which were covered with jewel-bright cushions, as well as benches with low coffee tables in front of them.A wall was taken up with a high counter with bar stools with USB ports and outlets for charging cell phones and laptops.
Chintzy signs were dotted here and there with motivational and cutesy statements on them, ‘Bread is life’ declared one of them, ‘Home is where the cake is’ said another.
The back wall was taken up with the counter and a huge wooden bar that was also loaded with cake stands.Behind the counter, a steaming coffee machine glinted in the light.Its chrome features were bright and it was the only thing out of place in the cute little bakery.
As usual, there was a steady flow of customers as they walked into Sweet Cheeks.Half the tables were full, three quarters of the seats at the counter taken, and there was a small queue at the cash out too.
She wafted a hand at the café area and said, “I want to talk to Persia in the back.I’ll be out in a second.”
Shawn grumbled, but as he did as bid and went to find them a table, the others, casting each other glances, followed him.
She knew Shawn only agreed because there was no way out back.The fire door was in plain sight from any table in the café, and that was the only other exit point save for the entrance.
She was safe, and Shawn knew it, which meant she could have a moment to herself.
The counter was open at the bottom so staff could serve the tables, and she headed for that opening and slipped through it.
Spying Mara, one of the waitresses, and Joanie, the resident coffee expert, she waved a hand when they gawked at her.
“Where the hell have you been?”they both asked her in unison, making the other laugh.
Her cheeks flushed in response to their evident concern—hell, if Persia’s staff realized she hadn’t been visiting, then how long had it been since she’d last come?
Deciding not to think about it because it would make her feel even guiltier than she already did, she grimaced.“I’ve been super busy.Is she out back?”
Mara nodded.“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”Their concern touched her.“Thanks.”
They beamed a smile at her as she slipped into the back room.There, the scents of the bakery overwhelmed her.It was like an explosion of sweet.
Weird thing was that ever since her first shift, stuff had been, well, different.
She’d been at the lodge with her men ever since that first night, but Shawn had gone to her apartment and grabbed all her things for her—her favorite scent?Yeah, it stank of lilies.Like, seriously made her want to puke, stink.
Then there was the detergent she’d always used on her clothes… if there was any more alcohol in it, she’d start reeking like someone had poured vodka on her.
Her favorite chips?The BBQ flavor was too strong.Hurl-worthy.And she couldn’t eat the best ice cream flavor in the world—turtle dip—without wanting to barf either.
Yeah, lots of things were making her feel sick, and it had nothing to do with pregnancy.
Another weird aspect of this entire situation—she knew where she was in her cycle.
It wasn’t like knowing Donald Trump was President or that the sky was blue, it was just a sense of knowing where her body was at in its cycle.
Like knowing your heart beat in your chest even though you didn’t feel it.
And yes, she was aware of how crazy that sounded, but that was getting to be the story of her life now.
So, the stench of vanilla extract and cinnamon was enough to make her eyes water as she stepped into the bakery.The once beloved scent of cookie dough baking was traumatic enough to make her close off her nose and breathe through her mouth.
Even then, she could taste it in the damn air.
Ryan had explained her senses were going to be in hyper drive for a while, and she figured that was definitely the case.If they got any more hyper, they’d need to be on ADHD meds.
Hell, she’d take them willingly if it meant getting her favorite stuff back.
Doing without BBQ chips and turtle dip ice cream was just something she couldn’t handle.
