“Tom, are you still coming over for supper tonight?” Linda asked him.
“Of course, I’ll be there by seven,” Tom confirmed.
“Good. Kids, say thank you.” Linda turned to the three kids now standing beside her.
“Thank you, Lila!” three small voices chorused. They walked over and hugged Tom goodbye.
Linda hugged Lila briefly across the counter. Tom walked them to the door and held it open. Sophia gave Lila a small wave on her way out. The bell above the door jingled, and the bakery fell quiet again.
Tom turned around. The bakery had emptied, leaving just the two of them. The afternoon light was pale gold as it glinted through the front windows, the small hum of the fridge under the counter the only sound.
For a half second neither of them spoke. Lila felt the warmth rise in her cheeks again and turned quickly to the cupcake tray to busy her hands.
“Lila.” Tom walked toward the counter, making her heart skip a beat, much to her dismay.
“Yes?” Lila stood up and looked at him.
“I enjoyed last night.” Tom stood in front of her, watching her, and she had to stop herself from squirming and hoped he couldn’t hear how hard her heart was pounding against her rib cage.
“I enjoyed it too, Tom,” Lila said quietly.
“It has been a long time since I have enjoyed someone’s company quite like that,” Tom admitted.
Now the butterflies in her stomach got disturbed, probably from all the noise her heart was making. Lila gave herself a mental shake. She was sixty-eight years old, and Tom was her boss. Their evening last night had been a kindness from one tired widow to another, and that was all it had been.
“It was a lovely evening,” Lila answered carefully.
They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments, and Lila noted that Tom seemed to be battling with something.
“Lila. I’d like to hear your ideas for the bakery and look at the new pastry recipes you’ve been wanting to try.” Tom’s words stunned her
At first, Lila thought she was hearing things and stood staring at him. “You do?”
“I do.” Tom nodded.
“Would you go to dinner with me tomorrow?” Tom asked. “And we can discuss it all.”
Lila’s mouth opened and closed once before she could form an answer.
“Uh…” Lila swallowed and cleared her throat. “Yes, that would be… would be nice.”
“Good,” Tom said. “Tomorrow night, then. I’ll book somewhere nice, and we can leave from here as soon as we’ve closed up.”
“All right.” Lila nodded.
Tom stepped around the counter as she turned to go toward the kitchen, and they ended up facing each other. Although she didn’t think it possible, her heart seemed to hammer a bit louder, and her pulse raced in a way that no one of her age should have it race. Lila was battling to regain control of her traitorous heart and settle the butterflies in her stomach when something small, dark, and ferociously quick launched itself onto her back from somewhere behind her.
“Oh!” Lila cried.
She pitched forward, stumbling when two strong arms caught her around the waist before she hit the counter. That was when she saw a black-and-white tabby go flying across the bakery in a graceful arc, landing with a soft thump on the marble counter, then springing down to the wooden floor and trotting, tail high, to the empty chair by the window. Harold leapt up onto the seat, settled himself with infinite dignity, wrapped his tail around his paws, and turned to look directly at her and Tom with an expression of pure, unmistakable satisfaction.
Lila stayed exactly where she was, unable to move or breathe. She was wrapped in Tom’s arms.
Tom’s chest was warm against her. His hands were spread firmly across her waist where he had caught her. She could feel every breath he took. For one suspended moment, neither of them moved.
Then Tom let go, slowly, gently, his hands lingering for the briefest second longer than they needed to before they fell away. Lila straightened up and pressed her hands to her cheeks, which she could feel were burning red.
“Harold,” Tom said, rather hoarsely. “What in the world?”
