Page 53 of Bear and Book

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LEO

I kept checking my phone between orders, and every time the screen stayed blank, my stomach twisted tighter. It had been hours since I’d texted Elias, just a simple Good morning, fox. Hope you slept well.

Normally he’d respond with something short but sweet. A clipped you too or one of those rare little emojis he used like precious gems.

But today? Nothing.

At first I told myself Elias was busy. He had the store to open, inventory to manage, customers to wrangle. Maybe his phone had died. Or maybe he’d just forgotten.

That thought stung more than it should have, but I tried to shake it off.

We’d parted on such a good note this morning, wrapped around each other on his bed, his hair still mussed from my fingers and his smile so soft it had stayed with me even in my dreams.

Elias wouldn’t just ghost me a few hours later. Right?

Still, the silence weighed heavier as the hours crept by.

I was in the middle of frosting a batch of muffins when I’d leaned too close to the oven while trying to balance the tray in one hand, my phone in the other.

Then the corner of the hot pan nearly clipped my wrist.

I yelped, jerking back just in time, but the tray tipped and half a dozen muffins went rolling across the counter like they had a vendetta. The frosting spatters looked like I’d murdered a cupcake family.

“Leo!” Beau’s voice boomed across the kitchen. “What the hell are you doing?”

I froze, cheeks burning. “Uh multitasking?”

“Multitasking?” Beau stalked over, grabbed the phone from my hand, and set it out of reach. “You nearly branded yourself with that pan. You’ve been all over the place all morning. Talk.”

I winced. I hated when Beau used that tone. He wasn’t angry, exactly, but the kind of firm that left no room for dodging.

He wasn’t just my boss; he was practically family. And family knew when something was off.

I rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding his sharp gaze. “It’s nothing. Elias hasn’t answered my texts. Since this morning,” I said.

Beau’s expression softened immediately, though his brow stayed furrowed. “And that’s got you so rattled you almost took your arm off?”

“I didn’t almost take my arm off,” I muttered, embarrassed. “Just almost got a little scorched.”

“Leo.”

I sighed, shoulders sagging.

“I know, I know. I’m being ridiculous. He’s probably just busy. It’s just he could’ve texted something. Like, I don’t know, I’m alive, don’t panic. He knows I worry,” I muttered.

Beau crossed his arms.

“Then go find out. Take ten. You’re not going to be any good here if you’re jumping at shadows and dropping half our inventory,” Beau said.

My head snapped up. “You mean it?”

Beau gave me a look that said don’t push your luck. “Yes. Just go. Make sure you come back in one piece.”

I didn’t need telling twice. Stripping off my apron, I washed the flour off my hands and grabbed my phone.

My chest felt lighter the moment I stepped out of Bear and Bun, like I’d been holding my breath in the kitchen and finally let it out.