A harried mom chasing after a toddler with sticky hands and face, glanced over her shoulder. “It’s fine. He doesn’t have any food allergies or intolerances.”
Taryn handed him one. “Here you go.”
He beamed. “Thanks.” And he hurried to join his mom.
Nick came up to the table with a smug expression. At least he wore a button-down short-sleeve shirt with navy shorts and not a suit.
“Honorable mention.” Nick reached up and flicked the ribbon tail. “Doubt that will bring you much exposure. Especially after we placed second.”
“With my design.”
“Summit Ridge Bakery did the work all themselves.”
“Using my plans.”
He clicked his tongue. “Don’t be such a sore loser. It doesn’t suit you, Taryn. You were never this whiney before, but I’ll mention that when I meet with your father.”
Her mouth dropped open. She closed it. “What did you say?”
Nick sneered. “Before your father’s cruise, he set up an appointment with the owners of Summit Ridge Bakery to discuss the future of Lawson’s Bakery. I owe you a big thank you for driving the value down these past months with your mismanagement of the place.”
Her blood boiled. Her heart split open. She didn’t want to believe her dad had done that without telling her. But that was another sign of how he saw her. And if Nick was being truthful, she would only hurt herself—and possibly Lawson’s—if she spoke up.
Taryn motioned to the desserts on the table. “Would you like a slice?”
“No, thanks. I prefer the ones from Summit Ridge.”
A man cleared his throat.
Nick glanced over his shoulder.
That gave her an unobstructed view of Garrett, flanked by two other men who resembled him. Must be his brothers.
“If you aren’t interested in tasting Lawson’s samples, move along.” Garrett crossed his arms over his chest. His brothers did the same. “You’re in the way.”
Nick stiffened. “Uh…”
The Andrews men made an imposing wall. Taryn appreciated their efforts, but she didn’t want to cause a scene. “He was just leaving.”
Without a word, Nick scurried away like the rat he’d become.
She waited until he was out of earshot, and the three brothers stepped closer to the table. “Thank you.”
“We’re lovers, not fighters,” the older one said. “But that jerk doesn’t know it.”
The taller, thinner one with glasses nodded. “Brandt says Nick Baxter is all talk. He can’t produce the results and cuts bait before he’s found out.”
“Taryn Lawson, I want you to meet my brothers.”
She smiled at them “I hope your flight went well.”
“It did.” Keaton motioned to his oldest brother. “Except he almost killed us twice on the drive from Seattle.”
Flynn rolled his eyes. “Time is money. And neither incident was that close.”
“Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades,” Garrett said.
Taryn laughed. “I see what Callie meant.”
