We satin silence for a few moments while Logan inhaled his treats.
“What do you put in this?”
“I like to think the special ingredient is love.”
Logan halted just as he was about to take another bite. His eyes flicked over to me as mine widened in horror. I had meant that as a joke. My mom always used to tell us her food tasted better because of that extra dash of love she mixed in. It was out of my mouth before I could think about what I was saying.
“I didn’t… I…” Words were not coming fast enough.
He raised his eyebrows as he watched me struggle to talk myself out of whatever I’d just gotten myself into.
“It was just a joke,” I finally sputtered.
He shook his head and sent a mild threat my way. “If I’m fifty pounds heavier and in love with you by the end of summer, Jailbait, you’re gonna be in big trouble.”
I hid my smile while I processedthat.
He took another bite. “Why don’t you sell these at your stand?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure people want to buy treats when they’re here for healthy produce.”
“You’re around fruits and veggies all day long, and that doesn’t seem to stop you. This is two days in a row I’ve been here, and you’ve had a different dessert each night.”
A flush heated my cheeks. I had definitelynotbeen baking more because I knew Logan would be around. “Baking is a stress reliever for me.”
“What are you stressed about?”
Logan was back to eating. He had started out with four and was now on his last bar, and he didn’t seem to realize he had broken one of our cardinal rules with his question.
Suddenly, all I could feel was his warm body pressed against mine as we rocked together. He felt like a friend. Even with the bet, being with him felt easy. Comfortable. A warning bell began to ring deep in the recesses of my mind. I almost told the bell to shut up, but after giving it thought, I thanked the bell for its wisdom. Being casual friends with Logan was fine, but I had to set the boundaries. I still needed to make it through this summer with my whole heart. Though I was proud of Logan’s question, I had to shut it down.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Logan gave me half of a smile and polished off his last square. “Anyway, you could just start small. A different treat every day and see how it goes. It might give people recipe ideas for the fruit they’re buying.”
I glanced at our two saggy, beat-up old tables, trying to imagine selling my baked goods on them. I loved feeding people my own food, but asking somebody to pay money for simple homemade goodies was something else entirely.
He wasn’t deterred. Sitting up, he turned toward me. “I’m serious. You like baking. This is a great showcase for the products you’re selling.”
When I only stared at him, he slunk back in his chair. “It’s Business 101.”
I remained silent as the moment seemed to pass, but I couldn’t help but think about his idea. Baking soothed me. It made me happy. It made me forget. I loved watching people as they ate something I’d created. The idea of it certainly held weight in my head, and it wouldn’t have been a horrible thing for my waistline to get rid of some of the treats I made.
“You could try it one time and see how it goes. No skin off your nose either way.”
“I’ll think about it.”
12
Logan
There was a movement outside of the construction trailer window. Out of habit, I glanced up in time to see the flash of Trevor’s blue t-shirt as he passed by. I flexed my hands at my desk where I sat in front of the computer wishing I was outside working. I’d have a great view of the parking lot out of the office. I forced myself to finish the email I had been working on for the past twenty minutes until I glanced out the window yet again, this time with no movement drawing my eye.
“What are you watching for?” Javier’s smooth accent broke into the quiet of the trailer. He stood on the opposite side from me, printing off the mockup cabinet designs I had worked up for him to look at. Nothing like being called out over things that should have never happened.
“Nothing.” I cleared my throat and picked up the phone. I guess now was as good a time as any to put in that order for the tile I wouldn’t need for another two months.
Javier furrowed his brow at me before glancing back out the window, trying to discover whatever it was I was looking for, before turning his attention back to the printer.
