“Well, I’m not.”
“You are, and I’m not the only one who thinks so,” she says in a singsong voice. “Cruz kept trying to talk you up at the baby shower.”
“We’re just friends.” I duck my head and study the numbers in front of me.
What else can I talk about besides a tall man with a crooked smile who makes my insides melt? Cruz did chat with me, but there were so many people there that we kept getting interrupted. Campbell’s dad talked with all the Foster House owners like it was his job. The man always had a gift for gab, and when he used to run across my dad at the farm supply store, we’d be stuck for an hour while they caught up in the middle of the aisle. I haven’t gotten to visit that much with Mrs. Hawthorne, or Avery and Thea, because I’m always working.
I had a lot of fun at the shower, and I’m glad Clem and I could split the time helping our parents. I’m also glad I had a chanceto tell her that things had gone nowhere with Cruz, mostly. I told her about running out on him. Not about the kiss with a friend I very much do not have friendly thoughts about.
The bakery saved me once from my mess of a personal life. It can do that again. “Actually, can I hire you for something that’s not quite an event but will take some coordinating?”
I told Cruz I didn’t have the money to pay Campbell, but I also need the cash this venture will bring in. I made July’s payment, but August is approaching. Dwayne and Damon won’t give up, and I know that making one payment only cemented me into a vicious cycle of blackmail.
I need Taste of Springs to be a success, and I need to figure out the fundraising. Then I’ll extract myself from my ex and his brother. Again.
Campbell’s eyes light up. “What can I do for you?”
I outline my fundraiser plan, and she’s vibrating by the time I’m done.
“That’s such a good idea.” Her grin is wide. “Everyone wants to support local and get a good product when they do. Do you have the pricing and how much in sales you can handle?”
“That’s the hard part.” I’d be fitting cookie dough prep into every spare minute of the day. “I’ll come up with some numbers, but it’ll be limited, and I need to be done before November when holiday orders surge.”
“Can you hire more people?” When I wince, she puts her hand on mine. “You realize you get the money first from the orders? So if you need to hire someone just temporarily, you’ll have the money up front.”
I slowly let out the breath I started holding at the thought of bringing on more people. “Really?”
She nods. “My professor for the marketing class I took used to complain about fundraisers all the time. He’d rant about how they were asking too much money and not offering much qualityfor a product. Makes the sale harder.” She waves her hand like she’s afraid of getting too far off topic. “Regardless, you can just hire a couple of people to help package and box, whatever. You have plenty of people who want to see you and this place succeed.”
My chest grows tight. I was cheered on so hard when I moved home to open the bakery. On my first day, I ran out of food. For the entire first week, I sold out. It took me forever to figure out how much to prepare because the whole town supported me. I’m a local girl, come home to make good.
If they found out I bought this place with money that wasn’tdirectlymine—but should’ve been—they’d all lose faith in me. I was too close to Dwayne when he stole from others, and worse, I knew about some of it. If that got out, I’d lose my precious business and distress my parents.
Campbell adopts a secretive smile. “I know one man who’ll be the first in line to roll his sleeves up.”
“Sleeves up, pants off?” I snort-chuckle, but my blood starts to heat. Cruz is a nice distraction from my problems, but he deserves more than that. He deserves a woman without a seedy ex who somehow still fucks with her life from prison.
“I won’t tell the health inspector.” She covers her mouth like she’s hiding what she’s saying but we’re the only ones here. “The tasting room has seen some action. But we clean up after ourselves.”
“Oh my god, TMI.” My laughter spills out like a dam broke.
“It’s not TMI, but more of a... recommendation.” She winks.
I laugh harder, but the flush of heat returns. I recommend sitting on the counter in the back with my legs wrapped around Cruz too. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
When did I last have this kind of girl talk? I instinctively kept Dwayne away from my parents and Clem. I missed out onfamily time and girl talk. I’ve pushed Cruz away more than once. Dwayne took so much more from me than I thought.
Maybe it’s time to get that back.
Campbell’s expression turns calculating, but her smile remains in place. “I think Cruz is working the tasting room tonight.”
Cruz
The last customer left ten minutes ago, and I have most of the closing duties done. I leave the door unlocked while I’m in the storeroom. If anyone comes in, I can still talk to them, but I can’t serve them.
I grab a new bottle of our juneberry vodka and the newest whiskey that Haven bottled. Durban’s our flavor profile mastermind, but the rest of us still throw out ideas too and make batches. The rye whiskey is cask strength for extra bite, and it’s a popular sampler.
Whistling to myself, I start back. The bell above the bar tinkles.
