“Yeah. You’re a force to be reckoned with. I have no idea how you find enough hours in a day to make all those baked goodies you have on sale every day.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling my cheeks get warm.
Good thing it was quickly getting dark outside, and he wouldn’t be able to see me blushing.
“That…that’s because I get like three hours of sleep every night.” I laughed.
He raised an eyebrow.
“You do?”
I shrugged. “More or less. I prepare as much as I can the night before, like bread dough and stuff and then in the morning I bake everything before I open up.
“Wh-what time do you wake up?”
I sighed.
“Four. Very rarely five.”
Dare’s eyes shot wide open and he blinked fast.
“Wow. That’s early. EvenIdon’t get up that early.”
“I know. I’m a special case. I just…well, I can’t sleep thinking of all the delicious stuff I can make. And I’m a severe insomniac, which doesn’t help either.”
Dare pressed his lips together. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I said. “I’ve gotten a lot better lately. But yeah, I guess I’m not helping my case with my chosen profession.”
“Have you always wanted to be a baker?”
“More or less. My grandma used to bake a lot. She practically raised me and we were always in the kitchen, conspiring, baking something for my parents to have when they got home. They worked so much I loved doing something for them. And Iloved the time we used to spend together baking. It was very sacred. But then she passed away and I wasn’t allowed to bake anymore.”
“Well, that sucks,” he said.
“Yeah. They thought I was too old to be playing housewife when I should be studying to follow in their footsteps.”
“I’m sorry, that’s awful.”
I shrugged.
“It is what it is.”
I sat back and Dare glanced at me but continued driving until we reached the house.
“I feel like takeout, do you?” he asked and then his cough unsettled even Lookah who had passed out on my lap.
“Do they deliver out here?”
“I can go pick it up. Whatever you want.”
I shook my head.
“You’ve worked hard enough already. How about we get some soup in you and call it a night.”
His shoulders sagged, and he let out a huff.
“You’re no fun.”
