"I'll do my best," Morgan promised.
Aspen moved onto the next table, and I dropped into my seat again."I'm not sure I can stay up late tonight."
"We could drop by for a bit and then go home."
"Yeah, maybe."I wanted to hang out with the other shop owners, but I was exhausted physically and emotionally.Morgan's news had been a shock.I knew the renovation would be done eventually but not this soon.Everyone worked hard to get the bakery open as soon as possible, and I should be grateful.
But now, I wanted to keep the status quo.
Morgan reached over and squeezed my hand."The festival brought in a ton of people today, and your bakery should be open soon.Everything's going great."
I smiled."I think I'm just tired."
"Jill, why don't you eat while I man the table."
She raised a brow."You're going to answer questions and ring people up?"
He shrugged."I can handle it."
Jill and I exchanged a look, and I shrugged too."Sure.Why not?"
Jill sat in the seat next to me and bit into her sandwich.
A little girl stopped by the table with her mom."What do you have?"
"Tons of sugar.Which one would you prefer?A lemon bread, a lemonade cupcake, or hot chocolate cookies?"
"Cookies?"The little girl looked at her mom who said, "Just two."
Morgan placed the cookies in a bakery bag and took the cash.Jill stood to show him how to open the cash drawer for change.And I was struck that Morgan wanted to step in and help with my business.
No one I'd dated had ever been that interested in the business side of the bakery.They lamented my early hours but seemingly enjoyed the baked goods I brought home.But I couldn't remember them visiting the shop, much less spending their Saturday behind a table, selling them.
It hit me then.Morgan was special.He wasn't like other guys.He was invested in my business.And yeah, maybe that was because he was renovating it.But it seemed like something more.Like something a boyfriend would do.But we hadn't talked about being anything more than what we were.There was an unspoken agreement that whatever we were would be over once the renovation was done.Or maybe that's just what I assumed.
Morgan was insistent on honoring his vow to Tom to take care of me, which I'm positive did not include dating me.There was no way our relationship worked outside of our current arrangement.The pit in my stomach only grew bigger at the realization that we'd be over when I moved home.
Could I sleep in that apartment, knowing it had been on fire once before?Despite Morgan's assurances that everything was up to code, I couldn't shake the memory of waking up to smoke and the panic that ensued.
Soon the bakery would be open again, and I could get back to what I did best, baking and greeting customers.
Jill sat next to me again."He's not bad.You should hire him to work in your bakery."
I laughed at the idea of Morgan working with me.But I couldn't shake the thought of him visiting me at work and pitching in when we were busy.It was sweet that he wanted to help.Maybe he was doing it out of some sense of obligation to my brother, but I wasn't so sure about that anymore.
I was having all these feelings for him, and I was getting ideas about us together in the future.It was dangerous because I wasn't sure we were on the same page.This could just be a fling for him.A way to pass the time.
We stayed at the table until the crowd dissipated, and then we packed everything up.
When we got to town hall with the leftovers, Morgan asked, "You want to shower and change before we go out?"
I looked at the clock."Yeah, we have time."
He winked at me."Maybe we can fit in a nap."
I shook my head, feeling the exhaustion set in."If that's a euphemism for something, I don't have the energy."
He grinned, putting his arm around me."First sleep, and then we'll see."
