Page 17 of How Sweet It Is (Willow Shade Island #3)

I park my car in the alley of the bakery and turn off my engine.

It’s been a week since Levi made those incredible gluten-free biscuit muffins, and he’s been surprising me with other gluten-free treats every day.

Cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. I’ve been walking the beach every evening so I don’t gain a million pounds working for him, but I have to admit it makes me excited to come to work each morning.

I walk in the back door.

Levi turns around and grins at me. “Morning, Spreadsheet. Are you ready to taste perfection?”

I try not to smile at his nickname for me. I went from hating it to not minding it to kind of liking it. Still, I want to maintain a professional relationship with him, for many reasons. “Your humility knows no bounds.”

“It’s hard to be humble when you’re amazing.” He places a croissant filled with something creamy on a plate and brings it to me. “At your request, I’ve been trying to make a really good gluten-free croissant. It hasn’t been easy. This is take number five, but I think I found it.”

I don’t even put my purse down. I pick the croissant up and take a bite. It’s warm and flaky and filled with an amazing Bavarian cream. I would never have guessed it was gluten-free. “This is so good,” I say around the food in my mouth.

Levi brings his smile out in full force, dimple and all. “Told ya.”

I force myself not to swoon at his pretty face. It’s difficult when he’s smiling at me like that. “Are you ready to debut the gluten-free line of creations in the store?” I’ve been trying to get him to sell them, but he’s been hesitant.

Levi purses his lips. “Do you really think they’d sell?”

“For sure. There’s more of a demand for gluten-free than you’d think. And you’d be shocked at how often gluten-free treats taste like Styrofoam or sandpaper.”

Levi nods. “All right, but there’s a reason mine tastes better. I’m using really expensive ingredients.”

“Then charge more.” I raise the rest of the croissant before I stuff it into my mouth.

“I’m worried they won’t sell.”

I shake my head as I chew and swallow. “These are so good, people will pay more for them. I’ve tasted gluten-free baked goods all over Cincinnati, and these are better than any I’ve found.”

He looks at me funny. “Why Cincinnati?”

Heat rises to my face. “I mean, everywhere I travel. I travel a ton, and I always see what gluten-free baking tastes like in every city.”

He slowly nods. “Right.”

“Anyway,” I say quickly, changing the subject, “I was going to talk to you about raising all your prices. The bakery is still in the red.”

Levi’s mouth drops. “Even with the coffee, tea, and Italian soda sales? We’ve increased revenue.”

“Yep, but we’ve increased expenses too.” I set the dirty plate by the sink. “Come talk to me before we open. I’ll give you my recommendations.”

Levi turns back to his ovens. “All right.”

I go in the office and shut the door, my heart pounding. That was close. Too close. I need to watch myself before I tell Levi everything.

I export the sales data from the last two weeks and plug it into my accounting software, even though I know the outcome.

I’ve been very careful not to talk too frankly to Levi about the way the bakery is bleeding money.

He got so sad on his birthday, and that led to all kinds of line crossing.

And now I have two very firm rules—no dancing and absolutely no motorcycle rides.

Levi comes into my office and sits down in the extra chair. “All right. Tell me straight. How much do I need to raise my prices?”

“I’ve done some market research. You need to at least double your prices, or you’ll never make it.”

His eyes bug out. “Double? So, four dollars for a cupcake? That’s ridiculous. Who’s going to pay that?”

“I’ve done my research. That’s what all the specialty bakeries are charging. Levi, how much does it cost you to make a cupcake?”

He tosses his hands up in the air. “I don’t know!”

“Well, I do. You’re spending between a dollar seventy-five to a dollar ninety per cupcake, depending on what’s in it. And that’s just for the gluten ones. You can’t turn around and sell it for two dollars and expect to pay rent, utilities, and your staff. You’re making only pennies.”

Levi furrows his brow. “But people can go home and make their own cupcakes for a dollar something. Who would buy a four-dollar cupcake?”

I stare at him, amazed that he doesn’t know how talented he is. “Sure, but they can’t make your cupcakes.”

He laughs. “I know they taste good, but I’m just playing around in the kitchen.”

I shake my head. “You joke about how amazing you are, but do you really not know? What you do is not easily replicated.”

“It’s just good ingredients.”

“And the know-how to put them together. And all of the state-of-the-art equipment you purchased. I’m sure you’re able to make even better pastries with all that fancy stuff you have in your kitchen. Didn’t you call it your ‘dream kitchen’ the other day?”

Levi slowly nods. “Yes. It is. And I think I get what you’re saying. Spending four dollars on a good cupcake is cheaper than buying all the expensive ingredients and equipment I have in my kitchen.”

“Yes, and the fact that people just don’t have time these days to bake. I know I haven’t baked in forever.”

“That’s just sad.”

I laugh and shake my head. “No, not really. I’m a disaster in the kitchen. You’ll know if I try baking by the fire alarms going off.”

Levi grins. “You think that’s bad? The first time I tried to make a cake, I used baking soda instead of powder, and that thing came out looking like a pancake but tasting like soap.”

I cringe, but the laughter won’t stop. “Oh, man. I’m so glad you kept trying.”

“And that’s the moral of the story. Never quit.” Levi jumps up. “Now that we’ve had that inspirational talk, I’d better get going in my kitchen.”

Levi leaves, and I check the clock. Fifteen more minutes until Kiera will arrive and we have to open the front doors.

It’s a Saturday, so I expect today to be pretty busy, which I hope is the case because Levi needs the income.

I go into the front and change the pricing board, raising his prices.

I know he’s nervous about doing that, but it’s necessary if he’s going to stay in business.

Kiera comes in and notices the price increase right away. “Whoa, four fifty for a croissant? That’s a bad idea.”

“We have to raise prices, or Levi can’t afford to pay you.”

Kiera grabs her apron. “Well, then that’s a great idea. I applaud you for raising the prices.”

I chuckle as I open the bakery. Kiera and I help out the first few customers for the day. No one seems to bat an eye at the price increase, which makes me happy.

An hour later, after the morning rush has waned, a woman walks in. She’s tall, blond, and could have stepped off a runway in New York. She looks around the storefront then walks up to me. “Is this the bakery Levi Barrett owns?”

“Yes.”

She grins at me. “Great. Can you tell him someone is here to see him?”

I eye her warily. “Who should I say is here?”

“Tell him Lisa wants to talk to him.”