Page 1 of Dr. Sexypants

Prologue

Kristy

I approached the bakery door with my key ready in case it was locked. Some days, Lainey still had a few customers past closing time lingering over the counter while trying to make a decision whether to get a cupcake or a pastry.

My answer was always, “Life’s short—get both!”

The door was unlocked, but I didn’t see anyone stirring when the overhead bell jingled as I made my way inside and turned the lock behind me.

“Hey, bitch! It’s just me!” I yelled as my footsteps echoed off the brick walls and wooden floors that were in desperate need of resanding.

There were no smells coming from the kitchen, so I assumed my BFF, Lainey, was waiting for me to get started baking.

I helped her three nights a week baking selections for the following day. She insisted on paying me, that way “I’d treat it like a job and not charity”. But I didn’t cash the checks—it wasn’t like I needed the money, and she pretended not to notice.

I walked into the kitchen to find it empty and nothing in the oven.

Weird.

Maybe she was in the bathroom.

Or maybe Conor woke up earlier than usual, and she was upstairs in her apartment nursing him. Or maybe he had another diaper emergency.

She still should’ve locked the front door.

I know it was Haven Springs, but she couldn’t afford to have someone rob the cash register, or even steal some inventory. My girl was watching every penny.

I grabbed the baby monitor she kept on the counter to keep track of her infant son sleeping in her upstairs apartment while she worked. It was on, but the volume was on low, so I turned it up, then paused to listen if I could hear anything before pulling out the mixing bowls and baking sheets, but there was nothing other than the low hum of the fan running in her living room.

Lainey couldn’t be far. She had a first date with Justin Weaver tonight. He was an emergency room physician who’d been coming to the bakery a lot lately, so it’d been obvious something was up. When I’d mused out loud that he was interested in more than the pastries, Lain had poo-pooed it immediately, but I knew I was right. Our cinnamon rolls and coffee were good, but I didn’t think they were that good.

Finally, yesterday morning he’d asked her out.

But when she’d relayed how it happened, it was obvious she wasn’t excited. I think her words were, “zero chemistry”. Not like the fireworks that always seemed to fly whenever the new cop, Adam Callahan, was around.

Unfortunately, Adam also happened to be the Marine brother of Shawn O’Brien, Conor’s daddy who’d been killed in action last Christmas never knowing he was going to be a father. Adam had been injured in the same blast that killed Shawn, so he hadn’t been able to attend the funeral. Once he healed, he came to Haven Springs to pay his respects—and never left.

My money was because of Lainey and Conor.

But he couldn’t get past the guilt of moving in on his dead friend’s girl, or what everyone would think of them. So, he’d been dragging his feet.

I was proud of Lain for saying yes to Justin’s dinner date invitation, even if it was short notice. But as we talked and worked last night, she seemed to be having second thoughts.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m not even sure why he asked me out.”

“Because you’re smart, beautiful, funny, and a successful business owner.”

“And a single mom.”

“Which he’s well aware of.”

Still, she’d shifted her feet, like she was trying to make a decision, so I’d added, “He doesn’t have to be Mr. Right, he can just be Mr. Right Now. Let him fuck you against the wall, then send him on his way.”

I’d seen his arms and broad chest—he was more than capable.

Lainey had just shaken her head. “You know that’s not my style.”

I’d looked at her with raised eyebrows—she and Adam had had a few romantic interludes, so she’d quickly corrected herself. “You know what I mean.”