He folded the list, tucked it into his shorts pocket, and held on to the tote bag. “Have fun cooking.”
As he walked toward First Avenue, the sun beat down on him. He put on his sunglasses.
When he reached the strip of businesses, Garrett stopped. The town was no longer decked for the holidays. Instead of garland and wreaths, flower baskets hung from the old-fashioned-looking streetlamps. People strolled in and out of buildings. Two women pushed strollers as a kid rode past them on a skateboard.
Silver Falls was nothing like downtown L.A. where he lived in a high-rise condo. But the slower, quieter pace of the small town appealed to him on a gut level. Not as a place to live permanently, but he enjoyed visiting.
Garrett stared up the street. He could go one of two ways—hit the shops on the right side first or cross the road to the left. If Garrett stayed on this side, the bakery would be his last stop. He didn’t know if Taryn would be interested in picking up where they left off, but perhaps they could grab a drink or a meal together.
Flutters filled his stomach.
He hadn’t felt those since…December.
That made Garrett’s decision an easy one. He stayed on the right side of the street.
He picked up two pounds of beans at the coffee shop. The small sample of iced coffee refreshed him, so that he could hit the next place. Two yards of fabric was waiting for him at Margot’s quilt shop. The liquor store had one champagne and two wine bottles for Margot. A good thing he had the tote bag, or he would have been juggling too many shopping bags. He purchased batteries from the hardware store. A jar of salad dressing from the Falls Café came next.
He studied Margot’s list. Only one stopped remained—Lawson’s Bakery.
As he opened the door, a bell dinged. Not the jingling he remembered. The smell, however, hadn’t changed. The mouthwatering aroma of baking bread tickled his nose. He would order something, or he’d never survive until dinnertime.
The tables were empty. That surprised him, given how crowded the place was the last time he was there. The pleasant weather might be the culprit, or people ordering to go.
Garrett approached the counter. He hadn’t taken three steps when Taryn stepped out from the kitchen.
She wore all-white clothes with a hairnet and cap. Six months had passed, but she looked the same. No, that wasn’t entirely true. She was prettier than Garrett remembered. He waited for her light-up-his-life grin to appear.
Her gaze met his, and her eyes widened. “Garrett?”
Her voice was tentative…surprised.
He got that. They hadn’t seen each other in months. “Hey. Margot sent me by for two loaves of your artisan bread.”
“She phoned in the order and prepaid.”
Taryn grabbed a bag from under the counter and handed it to him. She moved so fast he almost dropped it.
But a whiff of Taryn’s sugary scent brought memories of her sweet kiss to the surface. Yes, getting together sounded better and better.
Garrett added the bread to the tote. It barely fit.
“Thanks.” He flashed his most charming smile, the one that worked as well with the women on a jury as it did at a party. “I’m in town for Callie’s wedding. I’ll be here for two weeks.”
Taryn raised a brow and pressed her lips together.
She must want him to ask her out. That was fine with him. He’d start with something easy so that they could catch up. Then he would invite her for a meal. “Let’s meet for coffee tomorrow.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Tea Leaves and Coffee Beans. Say three, unless you can’t take off. I have a few things to do but have a flexible schedule. The same as the last time I was here.”
Not exactly subtle, but at least she would know where he was coming from.
Her jaw tensed. Lines deepened on her forehead. “I don’t believe this.”
Her harsh tone surprised him. “What?”
Taryn’s lips thinned. “You have some nerve, waltzing in here as if you hadn’t ghosted me over six months ago.”
