Page 9 of How Sweet It Is (Willow Shade Island #3)

M y entire body flushes with embarrassment as I shut the office door. Why did I say that to Pretty Boy? What is wrong with me?

I shake my head as I open my laptop. Levi’s rubbing off on me. That must be it. His flirty lines are getting to me. That’s the only explanation. I need to get my head back on straight. That was totally inappropriate.

When it’s time to open the storefront, I sneak through the kitchen so Levi doesn’t see me.

I go out front and unlock the door. I glance across the street at Rafe sitting in his car.

He told me it was just a precaution. They have no reason to suspect that Victor knows where I am.

Still, it makes my insides churn to think about, and I go to the cash register, determined not to think about Victor or his cronies.

I grab a few pastries before taking some more photos to post on the social media accounts I created for the bakery, cross posting in the local group for Willow Shade Island. I get a few likes and one comment.

Several people come in asking for the buttercream croissant, which pleases me.

My advertising is starting to work. I busy myself making more posts and working the cash register.

Every time Levi comes in with more items to fill the display case, I act like I’m too busy to talk to him.

Luckily, he doesn’t ask me about my momentary lapse of judgment.

Kiki comes in around noon, Skyler with her. Kiki’s carrying a wicker basket with a blue bow on top. “Hello,” she says, greeting me as Skyler races to the display case to look at today’s selection.

“Hi,” I say, eyeing the basket. “What’s up?”

“I just brought this in for Levi.” She sets it on the counter.

“I’ll go tell him you’re here.”

Kiki raises her hand. “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to bother him. I’m sure he’s working hard making something delicious. Can you give this to him when he’s on break?”

“Sure.” I peek curiously at it. I see an oven mitt, a pair of socks, and a few other things in it. “What is it?”

She smiles and ruffles Skyler’s hair. “It’s a birthday survival basket.”

Understanding dawns on me as I stare at the basket—today is Levi’s birthday. That’s why he objected to working on the books later. Now I feel bad that I insisted and acted like he wasn’t taking his business seriously.

Skyler looks up at me. “I picked out the squishy.”

I pull out the cupcake-shaped stress ball with a note attached to it. The note says, “For when life, or customers, get too heated. Use this to de-stress.”

I hold it up. “This?”

“Yes!” Skyler says, grinning. “It smells good.”

I take an exaggerated sniff. “Ooh, that does. Like strawberry cupcakes.”

“Do you think he’ll like it?” she asks.

“I know he will.” I put it back in the basket.

“Thanks for giving it to him,” Kiki says, tugging on Skyler’s hand. “Let’s go, sweetie.”

They leave, and I peek at the things in the basket, taking a longer look. It’s not just the stress ball that has a note. Kiki’s written notes for everything. The oven mitt says, “To keep you from getting burned… from the oven, not from the girls you flirt with.” I laugh out loud at that one.

The socks are turquoise with rolls and muffins all over them. She wrote, “To keep your toes warm. I wanted to make a joke about your buns with this one, but Tobias wouldn’t let me.”

There’s a bundle of beef jerky with the note “Because you can’t survive on frosting alone.”

She added a fancy package of coffee beans, and the note says, “For when you’re running on zero sleep and sarcasm.”

The last thing in the bottom is a gift certificate to the local movie theater. It says, “Because even a baker deserves a break from flour and ovens. Try taking someone out. You need to get over Lisa.”

I stare at the note. Who is Lisa? Is that who broke his heart? I contemplate this for a moment. He’s always flirting, and I thought that he was just shallow, but maybe I’ve pegged him wrong. Maybe he’s covering up some hidden insecurities.

The door swings open, and I toss the gift certificate with the note back into the basket, hoping I didn’t get caught snooping. I pick up the basket and turn to Levi. “Hey, Kiki just dropped this off for you.”

Levi’s carrying a cookie sheet full of small strawberry tarts. His eyebrows fly up. “She did?”

“Yes. Why didn’t you tell me it’s your birthday today?”

He slides open the case and starts depositing the tarts inside. “It’s no big deal.”

“Really? So, you want to spend your birthday evening going over projected expenses with me?” I give him a challenging look.

His lips twitch, and I can tell he’s holding back a smile. “Is this your way of saying you’ve changed your mind about going dancing with me?”

I realize I am pressing him to do something other than work on his business with me, and I backpedal. “No, I just thought you might want the night off. You know, to do something.”

He stops holding back his grin, and it stretches across his face. “With you?”

I shove his side, but he doesn’t budge. Wow. He might have more muscles than his skinny self looks like. “No. Alone.”

“Ouch, Amelia. You think I can’t scare up a date on my birthday? What kind of a loser do you think I am?”

His grin gives him away, and I know he’s teasing me, not really upset with me. I set his basket down. “You can date whomever you want. I don’t care.”

He finishes putting his tarts on display and slides the case closed.

He sets the cookie sheet on top of the display case and turns to me.

I take a step back, but I hit the counter.

He places his hand on the counter beside me and leans down close to me.

My senses go crazy as I inhale his masculine smell.

It’s probably just the soap he used this morning, but it’s making my insides go all fluttery.

“I think the lady doth protest too much,” he says quietly, and his breath tickles my ear.

I don’t even know what he’s talking about. All I know is I can’t think clearly anymore, and I’m having a hard time breathing. “You’re crazy,” I spit out, shoving him back.

He chuckles and grabs the cookie sheet and his birthday basket. “Crazy for you.” He winks and goes into the kitchen.

I stare at the swinging door as it settles into place, my heart going a thousand miles a second. Pretty Boy didn’t mean it. He’s a huge flirt with everyone. He does not like me , and I definitely don’t like him back. I have no idea why I can’t get myself under control.

Levi’s just playing with me. I take in a deep breath and let it out. He’s flirting with me, without liking me, and that makes me angry. That’s totally unfair of him. He’s stirring up all these stupid feelings in me. And for what? Because he thinks it’s funny?

I shove my way into the back, going into the office space.

I grab the buttercream croissant Levi gave me.

I walk over to the trash can, but I can’t make myself toss it in.

The hurt look on his face when he found the cupcake I threw away flashes into my mind.

Even though I’m mad at him, I can’t do that to him again.

I sneak it back into the storefront and quietly slide the glass open.

I put on a pair of gloves and move the croissant from the plate to the display case.

There. Levi won’t know. I slide the glass back and take off the gloves.

I turn to toss them into the trash, but I run smack into Levi standing behind me.

He raises one eyebrow at me. “Let me guess. It’s still too early for sugar?”