“Walk-in. Please. For the love of everything,” he pants.
I shake my head and smile as I walk into the fridge. Eli is close behind me, and he sighs with relief when the cool air hits his face. I reach for the fresh baking pumpkin and thump it in a few places, listening to the sound.
“Hm, this one’s good. Now, for the acorn squash,” I murmur to myself.
Walker appears in the doorway to the walk-in a moment later, a wine glass in hand. He leans against the frame, watching me like I’m something worth studying.
“You look happy,” he says.
“I am,” I answer simply as I pick up an acorn squash.
I look over at Walker just as he takes a sip of his wine, and his gaze is noticeably softer.
“Good,” he murmurs. “I want you happy.”
I hear the quick patter of footsteps and it doesn’t take a genius to know that Amber’s running back to us.
“Mama Lia! Mama Lia! Tansy’s here!”
That gets my attention. “Tell her we’re not open yet!”
“And what does that have to do with anything? Can’t I come by and congratulate you on your opening?”
I smile as I shove the produce into Eli’s arms. I rush out of the walk-in and directly into Tansy’s embrace. I hug her close, because the truth of the matter is, she and I have gotten close over these last few months. She helped me move my things out of that insane apartment and into Walker’s villa. She came with me and Amber to pick out Amber’s new bedroom set when I finally got things settled with my renter’s insurance.
She’s become the closest thing I’ve ever had to a best friend.
“Ohhh, you give the best hugs,” I say.
She squeezes me one more time before relinquishing me. “That sign out there’s pretty snazzy. I notice you’ve got it above the kitchen, too.”
“Because this kitchen is only for bakery purposes,” Walker says as he walks by, motioning his wine glass to Tansy. “Morning.”
“Morning!” she says with a bright smile.
I peer around her and see a cake box sitting on the kitchen island. “What’s that?”
“Oh!” she says as she takes my hand and pulls me over. “Well, I figured I couldn’t show up empty-handed. This is for you.”
I eye the box. “What is it?”
“A welcome gift,” Tansy says as she crosses her arms proudly over her chest. “And possibly a business proposition.”
Walker pauses. “Should I be part of this business proposition?”
“Where do you want these?” Eli asks, holding up the produce I gave him.
I peer over my shoulder at him. “Set those next to the oven. I need to get them baked and scraped out.”
Tansy licks her lips. “Another seasonal batch of cinnamon rolls?”
I turn back to her and smile. “I’m trying out sweet potato rolls as well as pumpkin spice rolls.”
“Ugh,” Tansy groans as she places her hand on my upper arm. “Please let me try them when you’re finished.”
“I’ll even let you order some for The Gilded Lady.”
“Yessss,” she hisses as she moves the box toward me. “Open it.”
