Page 26 of Delicious (Delicious #1)

Chapter One

Cookie

“C ookie, are you done with the cupcakes yet?” a soft, sweet voice asks.

“Almost,” I murmur, finishing another swirl of rainbow-coloured frosting with a flourish and only then looking up.

“They look great.”

I smile at my newest friend, Colin. My best friend Tyler, being kinda prickly, is always bemused at how I can collect people wherever I go, and this impromptu trip to England has been no different. People are fascinating to me, and I just love figuring out their stories. Tyler says that’s because I’m too nosy for my own good, and he does have a point.

Take Little Red here, for example. With his bright red hair and swathes of freckles, his neat sweaters and cute bow ties, he’s way too adorable for his own good.

I’m also pretty sure he has a crush the size of Vegas on the hot silver fox that builds boats on the other side of this cute little British bay. I can’t say I blame Colin though— ay papi, Garrett is hot, like full-on scorching. I would have climbed that man like a tree if it weren’t for Colin. I don’t poach on another man’s territory even if Colin is oblivious to the fact that he has a major thing for the sexy older guy. Garrett, on the other hand, couldn’t make his interest in my little ginger friend more obvious if he pissed in a circle around him.

I’ll give the man his due, he’s got a l0t of patience. And as I’m so fond of Colin, I’m going to make it my mission while I’m here to help them get their happily ever after…or at the very least, several very satisfying orgasms. Garrett sure looks like a man who knows what he’s doing; if it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to never underestimate a man who works with his hands.

I do seem to drive Ty crazy because I can’t resist matchmaking. Maybe I should’ve been called Cupid instead of Cookie. I can’t help it though, I just like seeing people happy and in love.

“I have something new for you to try.” Colin stops beside me and sets a small bag down on the counter.

With eager hands, I open up the bag and pull out a handful of tiny candies. Placing them down on the tray beside the cupcakes, I pick one up to examine it more closely. It’s made from a clear hard candy with swirls of edible glitter running through it.

I beam at him as I look up from the twisted cone shape sitting in the palm of my hand. “A unicorn horn?”

Colin nods eagerly. “Taste it!”

Not needing to be told twice, I put it in my mouth and suck for several seconds before groaning in happiness. “Is that watermelon?” He nods again. “Oh god, so good!”

His cheeks flush with pleasure. “There are other flavours too. I tried to do something a bit different, not just the regular orange and strawberry. There’s an apple in there, too, as well as peach.”

“You are so talented.” I hum and suck the candy harder. “You should spend more time creating stuff like this.”

“Maybe at some point.” Colin shrugs and starts placing a unicorn horn in the centre of each swirl of frosting. “I usually only make them for the festivals and markets, or as special favours. But I have my hands full with the bakery, so I don’t really have time to build up a second business, even if they would complement each other. There’s just not enough hours in the day. Sometimes I wish I had a twin, or any sibling at all, then there’d be two of me and I could get more done.”

“Honey, you don’t need a sib. What you need is a manager and more staff.”

“That costs money.” He sighs. “Maybe one day. This place does well during the summer months now that tourism is starting to pick back up in the bay, especially since I started adding ice creams to match the flavours of my cupcakes, but it still gets pretty quiet in the off season.”

“Are you crazy?” I follow him as he picks up the tray of cupcakes and heads into the bakery. “That’s the perfect time to build up your candy empire. You can sell online, and you’ve got all the best holidays. Halloween, Christmas…Valentine’s.”

He chuckles as he places the cupcakes in the display case on the counter, lining them up alongside mouthwatering, sinful-looking cookies and pastries.

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “It would take a lot of planning, and that’s time I just don’t have at the moment. I’ve got my hands full just with this place, and the Festival of the Sea is coming up soon. Not to mention Nat and Beck’s wedding cake, plus all the other special occasion cakes people keep asking me to make.”

“Colin, you’re going to burn out if you don’t take a moment to breathe and figure out a better way of doing things. This place makes more than enough money to support more staff.” I glance at the clock and, noting the time, go to unlock the door and flip the sign to Open.

“I know.” He exhales slowly and puts the tray away. “I know you’re right. It’s just...”

“Just what?”

“When I first opened my business, the bay was so quiet. Tourism had dropped off over the years with people heading to bigger towns like Newquay and Falmouth. It was really just the residents and a very small summer crowd. I could pretty much handle everything on my own and still earn enough to cover the bills. But now, with Finn re-opening the old theatre, Nat helping to bring Sully’s restaurant back from the brink of bankruptcy, and all the new festivals and markets Nat and Mel have talked the local council into hosting here in the bay, this place just keeps getting busier during the season.”

“But that’s a good thing?”

“It is.” He nods. “I guess I’m just worried because what if we hit a downswing again? Let’s say I find the money somehow to take on new staff, open a whole new kitchen off-site, which I’d need to make and store all the candies in quantities to make it profitable, and buy new equipment. What if I did all that and then it doesn’t work out? I’d lose the bakery too.”

“It’s a risk, yes.” I head behind the counter and begin to fix him a latte the way he likes it. “But you have a passion and a talent, mijo . I know you can do this.” My mouth twists as I stare at him thoughtfully. “You know what you need?”

“Besides a manager, new staff, a new kitchen, new equipment, and about twelve extra hours in the day?”

I snort. Colin is so quiet and sweet that I get the feeling not a lot of people get a taste of his sassy side. Except me. I’m so extra most of the time I just bring it out in others, I guess.

“What you need is an investor.”

“Sure, because they grow on trees. Have you seen what the interest rates look like right now? I’m not taking out any loans with the bank. I built my business from the ground up on nothing but hard work and my savings. I’m not going to risk that now, especially not with the way the economy is.”

“I don’t mean a bank. I mean me.” I slide his latte towards him.

“What?”

“I’ll invest.”

“You…” He pauses, his cup halfway to his mouth. “What?” His gaze trails over me, from my faded pink hair and eyeliner to the Colin’s Cupcakes T-shirt, which I customised with glitter and rhinestones before removing the sleeves and widening the neck. Continuing on, his eyes track over my tiny little denim cut-offs to my knee-high sports socks and sparkly purple Converse high-tops.

I know nothing about me screams money—not my Puerto Rican by way of Long Beach accent, my clothing style, or, if we’re being honest, my whole personality—but I do have money, and a lot more of it than people think, thanks to Tyler.

“That’s, er, nice of you to offer, Cookie, but I pay you next to nothing for working here. I’d need a lot of capital just to buy the machinery I need.”

I laugh warmly at his wrinkled nose and look of confusion. “Trust me, I have more than enough. I don’t even use what you pay me.”

“You don’t?” If possible, he looks even more confused. “What do you do with it, then?”

I shrug. “I give it to a place that supports at risk and homeless teens.” I turn back to the coffee machine and start making a cappuccino.

“I…” Colin frowns and tugs the strings of his apron, the way I’ve learned he does when he’s stressed or overwhelmed. “Okay, putting that aside, which is a really lovely thing to do, by the way, why did you even ask for a job, then?”

“Because you looked so stressed and tired when I walked in here my second day in the bay. I needed something to do while Tyler was dealing with his father’s funeral, and I love baking. I had a gut feeling.”

“A gut feeling?” he repeats slowly, and I nod.

“Don’t you ever just get a feeling about something and go for it?”

“No.”

I laugh again. “Well I do, and it has never done me dirty. I had a feeling about this place and about you. So here I am.” The work visas Tyler insists we always have up-to-date paid off there.

“And now you want to invest in the expansion of my business?”

I nod again. “It will all be drawn up legally, this ain’t no shady backroom deal. I genuinely believe in you. It’ll all be aboveboard, Scout’s honour.”

He huffs in amusement. “I doubt you were ever a Boy Scout.”

“Damn, you got me. I wasn’t, too many rules.” I lift my hands and shrug. “Anyway, the offer’s there.”

“Are you even staying in the bay?” he asks, tilting his head as he studies me. “Aren’t you going back to the US?”

I snort loudly. “Hell no. Not with the way things are at the moment. Tyler’s already moved his base of operations from Chicago back to the UK. Once he’s tied up all the loose ends here from his father’s death, we’ll be heading to London.”

“You two do everything together?”

“Mostly.” Snapping the lid on the cup, I bag up a pastry. “He’s my best friend.” I balance the bag on top of the cup and look up at Colin who is watching me. “Neither of us had great childhoods, didn’t really have any family until we found each other. When we met, we just clicked. Kismet.”

“That gut feeling of yours?” The corner of his mouth curves.

“Never steered me wrong.” I grin. “Seriously, me and him are tight, but we don’t need to be in each other’s pockets twenty-four seven.”

“I doubt anything can fit into those pockets of yours.” His gaze drops to my shorts, cut so high that the white linen of the pocket lining sticks out below the hem.

“You’d be surprised.” I wink. “But no, Ty and I aren’t joined at the hip or anything, just, where one goes, the other tends to follow. Plus, he’s a Brit, born and raised, so I always knew he’d come back to England someday. I’ve travelled all over since I was a kid and have never been particularly tied to any one place. I’m just as happy in the UK as I am back in the States.”

“Uh-huh,” he muses as he continues to stare at me thoughtfully.

“Just think on it, ’kay?” I pick up the pastry and the cappuccino I’ve just made and ease around the counter. Still balancing the bagged pastry on the cup, I reach for the door, then turn back to Colin at the last minute. “I’m just going to run these over the street for Dot, although I’m beginning to think her name should be Pot with the fumes coming off her.”

Colin chuckles. “Don’t breathe too deeply and don’t eat any of her brownies.”

Laughing, I open the door and start to move through it, only to collide with a big, firm body. The coffee explodes and I lose my balance, windmilling my arms comically as I fall back, hitting the floor with a thud.

“Ow, ow, ow,” a deep voice chants, and my eyes lock on a six-foot wall of spank bank material.

He’s tall and blonde, with tanned skin and blue eyes, and is now holding his drenched T-shirt away from his body, no doubt in an attempt to keep the hot coffee-soaked material from burning him.

For a second, I don’t say anything, just lay there dazed and gazing up at this gorgeous, sun-drenched god.

“Forgive me, Father, for I am about to sin…” I mutter.

“Are you okay?” he asks in concern as those blue eyes fall on my prone form.

“I, uh-huh.”

Leaning down, he takes my hand to help me up, but before I can say anything, Colin bustles over with a dishcloth and a roll of paper towels.

“Oh, Quinn, are you okay? Please don’t sue.”

He rolls his eyes. “Colin, why on earth would I sue you?” he asks in exasperation. “It’s just a bit of coffee, I’m fine.” He takes the offered dishcloth but instead of wiping himself down, he gently lifts my hands and wipes the coffee from them. “Are you okay? Did you get burned?”

“No, I’m should. I mean…” I close my eyes and shake my head. “Good. I’m good . I should clean up this mess.” I gaze down at the pool of liquid at our feet, then back up at him. What did Colin call him? Quinn? “Are you sure you’re okay? I didn’t mean to nail you with a cappuccino the minute you walked through the door.”

“I have to admit, I was hoping to drink it, not wear it.” He grins, then adds, “I’m fine though. Accidents happen.”

“I’ll make you anything you want, on me, after I get this cleaned up.” I promise, my cheeks heating as I take the roll of paper towels and unravel a load of them to soak up the mess on the floor.

“Here, let me help you.” He hunkers down next to me, and I’m treated to the sight of his worn jeans pulling tight on his delectably thick thighs.

“Ay, bendito…” I murmur under my breath.

Shaking my head, I concentrate on mopping up the spill and after a few moments, my hands are filled with a stack of soggy paper towels.

“I’ll just get rid of these.” I head towards the nearest trash can but as I dump them inside, I hear the bell on the shop door ring and turn to see two familiar men walk in hand in hand.

“Nat, Beck,” Colin greets them. “You’re early.”

“Sorry, that’s my fault.” The gorgeous dark-haired chef from Sully’s smiles. “Mel wants me in earlier to help with the inventory checks because Simon called in sick. Is it okay to do this now?”

“Sure.” Colin nods.

Beck looks over and does a double take. “Quinn? What are you doing back?” He strides across the bakery in two steps and wraps his arms around my hot, muscly wet dream in a tight hug.

“Finished up early. I got in last night,” Quinn mumbles into his shoulder. “I was going to grab a coffee and a croissant before doing the rounds and saying hi to everyone.”

Beck slaps him on the back affectionately. “Whoa, you’ve put some timber on. You’re solid as a rock. What were they feeding you at Uni? You were supposed to come back skinny with a borderline alcohol problem and possible scurvy from a constant diet of pot noodles and beer.”

“I’ve still got a reputation to maintain as the best-looking brother.” Quinn grins. “Besides, you’re soon to be an old married man. I hate to break it to you, but you’re first in line for a beer belly.”

“The hell he is,” Nat snorts. “You could scrub your pants clean on his abs.”

Beck smirks at his—“Brother?” I blurt out. “You’re brothers?” Now that I say it out loud, I can see it. Although Beck has the lean, wiry build of a surfer—something I’ve seen with my own eyes, seen and ogled from a distance on a few occasions when I’ve wandered down to the beach for a walk—Quinn is a bit taller and bulkier. Although there doesn’t appear to be an inch of fat on him. His jeans and T-shirt pull tight over a really, really muscled body; seriously, the guy looks like he could bench press an SUV.

“Yep.” Quinn grins as he hooks his arm around his brother’s neck. “Even though I’m the baby brother, I’m the prettiest.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Beck elbows him in the stomach, then frowns and rubs his elbow. “Jesus, Quinn. Seriously, when did you pack on so much muscle?”

Quinn shrugs.

“Just how many Ainsleys are there?” I wonder aloud.

“Six.” Quinn turns his attention back to me. “Four boys, two girls.”

“Four brothers,” I mutter reverently.

“Nat, Beck?” Colin looks down at his watch. “Do you want to come with me? I’ve got the wedding cake samples set up.”

“Sure.” Nat heads towards Colin. “Make sure you stop by the restaurant later,” he calls over his shoulder to Quinn.

Beck pats his brother’s shoulder affectionately, then follows his fiancé. A moment later, the three of them disappear into the kitchen.

“So, I guess we haven’t been properly introduced.” Quinn holds out his hand. “I’m Quinn Ainsley.” I take his hand and stare up into those blue eyes, which are dancing in amusement. “And you are?”

“Oh…uh, Carlito.” I blink. “Carlito Rodriguez, but everyone calls me Cookie.”

His gaze sweeps over me and a smile tugs at his lips. “It suits you.”

My stomach swoops and for a second, I feel like I’m falling.