“Thanks. Lacey noticed we were selling out of brownies quicker than anything else on the days we made them, so I’ve been playing with some new recipes,” he explained. I resisted the urge to pull out his chair and hold it for him as he sat. Still, he smiled back at me as he settled in. “What is your favorite flavor combination with chocolate?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s not the sort of thing I’ve given much thought to. I’m not picky. If you put something in front of me, I’ll put it in my mouth.” Shiloh choked on his sandwich, and my face burned with embarrassment as I realized what I’d said. “I mean—wow, I’m sorry. That was…”
“Funny as hell,” Shiloh finished. “But it’s good to know. I’m always looking for someone who’s not going to ask twenty questions before trying something I give them.”
We were nearly finished eating when I heard a door creak and Shiloh stiffened.
“Did you hear that?” Shiloh asked suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.
I paused, straining my ears to listen. It sounded like… giggling? As if on cue, the front door swung open, and in marched a group of nosy old ladies, all chattering amongst themselves.
“Shiloh, dear,” one of them said, approaching us with a knowing grin. “We heard there were some changes happening so we had to come by and see for ourselves.”
“Mrs. Thompson,” Shiloh responded respectfully, although I could detect a hint of annoyance in his tone. “I’m afraid there’s nothing to see so far. We’re just starting work on the expansion. Teddy’s helping me out.”
“Ah, Teddy, I’m sure it will be beautiful with your handiwork involved.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins,” I replied, forcing a smile. Their presence had momentarily disrupted the comfortable atmosphere we’d built, but I tried to remain polite. Hell, maybe it was for the best because the middle of the day in a dusty work space wasn’t where I wanted to taste Shiloh for the first time.
The gaggle of women asked about every detail of the renovation project, offering unsolicited advice and opinions as they went. They even went so far as to start rifling through the plans I had laid out on a makeshift workbench. Shiloh and I exchanged knowing glances, silently commiserating over our shared irritation.
If I’d learned one thing spending my life in a small town, it was that it was easier to let them do their thing rather than fight them. Hopefully, they’d give us some peace after today. Eventually, they seemed satisfied with their investigation and filed out of the bakery, leaving us to return to our lunch in peace.
“Gotta love the small-town busybodies,” I remarked before popping the last bit of sub into my mouth.
“Tell me about it.” Shiloh sighed. “But you know, despite their meddling, I appreciate that they care about what’s going on. I’m sure they’ll tell everyone. Their approval is the type of advertising I couldn’t pay for. Being nice to them could be good for business.”
“I’m sure it will be,” I agreed. We went back to eating, our earlier easy banter seeming to have followed the ladies out the door. Now, the air between us felt heavy with tension.
As we resumed our work, I noticed how Shiloh’s meticulousness balanced out my own focus on efficiency. While I took care of removing layer after layer of dust from every surface, Shiloh followed behind, wiping everything down so it shone. I didn’t have the heart to tell him the dust would be our constant companion until the work was complete.
We worked in silence for most of the afternoon, the only sound the soft swish of the broom and the occasional grunt of effort. Every once in a while, I caught Shiloh humming but he was too quiet for me to catch the tune.
I could feel the weight of attraction between us growing with each passing moment. I glanced over at Shiloh, watching as he wiped down a countertop, his face a picture of concentration. I wondered if he felt the same way.
As the afternoon wore on, we had finally made some progress in clearing out the back room. Shiloh paused for a moment, surveying the space with a mixture of satisfaction and uncertainty.
“It’s hard to imagine this will eventually become a place customers want to hang out, isn’t it?” he said, leaning against a freshly cleaned counter. This was a change from the optimism he’d expressed from simply looking at my crude first sketches. “I mean, I know it’s going to be great but I can’t see past the junk and cobwebs everywhere.”
“I know it’s difficult to see it now, but just imagine this space once we’ve taken down that wall,” I said, pointing to the barrier between the bakery and the soon-to-be lounge area. “It’ll open up the entire space, making it feel more inviting.”
Shiloh nodded, his eyes following my gesture. “And over there,” I continued, “we’ll eventually take down the boards so the large windows behind can let in tons of natural light, making the whole area feel warm and welcoming.”
Without thinking about my actions, I took Shiloh’s hand in mine, leading him to another corner of the room. It warmed something inside of me that he didn’t pull away or tense this time when I touched him. “Here, you’ll have a seating area with comfortable couches and chairs, perfect for customers who want to relax with a cup of coffee and a good book. And the toy chest and bright rug for kids to play on while their moms catch up.”
As I spoke, I could see the doubt in Shiloh’s eyes slowly fading, replaced by a glimmer of hope and excitement. “And along this wall, we’ll install a long counter with barstools, where people can sit and watch you work, or just chat with friends.”
I smiled at Shiloh, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me, once everything is in place, this will be a beautiful, welcoming space for your customers to enjoy your amazing creations.”
Shiloh returned my smile, his eyes shining with renewed enthusiasm. He leaned in slightly before catching himself and standing up straight, putting a respectable distance between us. “I can’t wait to see it all come together. Thanks for helping me visualize it.”
“You’re welcome, Shiloh. I’m glad I could help,” I replied, feeling a swell of pride at being able to reassure him.
As we packed up our things at the end of the day, I could see that Shiloh was already looking at the space with new eyes, excitement for the future brimming within him. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye for the day.
“Hey, would you like to come over to my place for dinner?” Shiloh asked suddenly, as if reading my mind. “It’s been a long day and I’m sure you could use a decent meal after all that heavy lifting.”
I hesitated for a moment, my heart racing at the thought of spending more time with him. Time that had nothing to do with the bakery. Despite my reservations, I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt. Waylon’s words echoed in my head, telling me to go for it. “Sure. What time should I be there?”
