“You keeping the Sweet Dreams brand name?” Kinsley chimed in. She was excited about my new venture, and I hoped I could convince her to come back to work for me a few hours a week.
She’d done an amazing job while I was away and even saved me money. I was hoping she’d agree to help with the initial setup, at the very least.
“I think so. The businesses would be connected since we’re using the same recipes.”
A tap on the front door diverted our attention. Landon was staring through the window, arms crossed over his chest. Once Willa was looking at him, he shot a pointed look at the bucket that was clearly visible through the glass that covered the front of the bakery.
“Kinsley, can you pretend to be choking? I’m sure he’ll come rushing inside no matter what,” Willa asked her friend, who rolled her eyes in answer.
“Keep me out of this.”
Willa seemed to debate her options, not coming up with a better plan. I hoped she’d abandon this one and clean everything up again. Then her eyes went wide, and she sprinted to the front door. “No, don’t come inside.”
Landon had been standing off to the side, his attention on Willa instead of the sidewalk.
Mae’s face lit up when she spotted us and pushed through the front door, only to trigger the bucket mechanism. The bell chimed, the bucket fell, and we all gasped. Thankfully, it was only flour inside.
And as annoying as it was to get covered head to toe in flour, it was fixable. Especially since the bucket didn’t fall. Guess Willa was at least worried about causing serious injuries and had secured it enough to only tip it.
We all rushed up to Mae, Willa getting there first. She frantically brushed the flour out of her hair. “I’m so sorry, Mae. You weren’t supposed to come through the door. Please know this is an isolated incidence.” Kinsley snorted at her statement, and Willa shot daggers at her before continuing. “And we’re allprofessionals.”
I put a hand on Mae’s arm, leading her out the back. She sent up a flour cloud around her with each step. “What just happened?”
“You walked into one of Willa’s attempts to get one over on Landon. She usually keeps them confined to Drake’s Garage and his house, but since he changed his locks, she’s trying out new locations.” I turned back to my niece. “And Sweet Dreams is off-limits from now on.”
Willa had already grabbed the broom and was cleaning up her mess. “Sorry again, Mae. I hope this doesn’t affect your plans to invest in Rayna’s venture. She’s a professional through and through.”
Mae chuckled and waved her off, sending up another flour cloud. “Don’t worry about it. But maybe you could make it up to me and find me a coffee and something to eat? I’m starving.”
Willa nodded, her hair flying everywhere. “Yes, absolutely. I’m on it.” She dropped the broom where she stood, sprinting to the counter.
After helping Mae get rid of most of the flour outside, she washed her face and hands while I got all the folders and samples I’d prepared for our meeting. Mae and I had been talking nearly every day, putting together spreadsheets and a business plan.
Willa had worked miracles and not only made a sandwich but also coffees. “I wasn’t sure how she liked her coffee, so I made a few options.”
I glanced at the four cups in front of her. “I can see that. And she likes caramel lattes.”
Willa added caramel syrup and a dash of vanilla syrup to one of the mugs. “Done.” She pushed another one toward me. “Then the mocha is yours.”
“Thanks.” I glanced around the nearly empty café. It was thirty minutes until closing, and I was planning on sitting down and catching up with Mae before we dove into business talk. “You okay on your own?”
“Of course,” Willa confirmed and went back to cleaning up the mess she’d created.
I sat down at a table near the windows, enjoying the late-evening sun streaming through.
Mae joined me a short time later, and we talked for hours, making plans. I was buzzing with excitement when I went back to the apartment where Grayson was waiting for me.
* * *
“You brought me to a biker bar?”Mae asked, horror written all over her face.
We’d just walked into Elmar’s, and I could understand how she’d be put off by the worn furniture and holes in the wall. The floor also emitted a squishing sound when you walked on it, sticky from years of lackluster cleaning.
They received regular deliveries from my bakery, and I’d been in their kitchen and bar area and knew both were spotless. Which was all that mattered to me. There was live music every night, and the food was great, the atmosphere electric. A perfect mix.
“You’ll be fine. We brought along our personal bodyguards, after all,” Willa joked, attempting—and failing—to wink at Jameson.
Grayson pulled me in to his side, not sure about the bar either. Tonight was Mae’s third and last night in town, and we were celebrating signing the contract and finalizing all the details.
