Page 25 of Only for the Season

“Don’t be stupid, Parker.”

I spin around to face Jeremy. “Do not call me stupid.”

“Stop being stubborn.”

My eyes widen. “And now I’m stubborn. Wow. You really know how to compliment a woman.”

“If you’d calm down for a minute, you’d realize this is a great opportunity for the bakery.”

“I didn’t realize there was going to be a show this morning,” Lana mutters. “We should have brought popcorn.”

“Popcorn? Who needs popcorn? We have cookies.” Jennifer slides the tray of cookies across the table to Lana.

Great. My little spat with Jeremy is going to be all over the island before lunchtime. The residents of Smuggler’s Hideaway do love their gossip. I usually stay out of it. I’m too busy trying to save my bakery to care about gossip.

I march to the table and grab the tray of leftover coffee. “Feel free to finish the cookies. But please return my tray to the bakery.”

I continue toward the door.

“You’re going to run away?” Jeremy taunts.

I spin around so I can properly fire the lasers in my eyes at him. Jeremy Holland is a complete and total jerk. I can’t believe I was softening to the billionaire. I know better!

“I’m not running away. I’m leaving this meeting as I am no longer involved in the treasure hunt.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and I ignore the way his biceps bulge with the motion. Yep. I’ll be ignoring those muscles starting in a few seconds. Just as soon as my eyes listen to my brain’s instructions. Any second now.

“Liar. You’re running away because you don’t want my help since you have a problem with me.”

“Wrong. I don’t want your help because I don’t need some billionaire to waltz onto this island and save me like I’m some dimwitted woman who can’t handle life herself.”

I don’t give him the chance to respond before I throw the door open and stomp away.

Stupid billionaires sticking their noses where they don’t belong. Why was he even in the meeting? No way did Eli arrange a meeting in the town hall for this morning.

Whatever. I don’t care. I’m staying away from Jeremy from now on. I can ignore how he lives above my bakery. I won’t wonder what he’s doing while I’m downstairs baking. Nope. Not I.

Chapter 9

“I came for coffee. I stayed for the woman wielding a piping bag like a weapon.” ~ Jeremy

Jeremy

Igrowl at my computer. Why is this code not working? Crap. I’m going to have to go back to the beginning and check every single line.

And I will. But first. Coffee.

I stand and rub my eyes as I make my way to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. I pick up the container of coffee cups. Crap. It’s empty.

Desperate for caffeine, I check the refrigerator. Maybe there’s a Coke in here. Except it’s empty. Probably because I haven’t done any grocery shopping since I arrived in town. I’ve been relying on the coffee and basket of food Parker provided with the rental.

I grab my phone and walk to the door. There’s no better time than the present to get some shopping done. Except when I’m outside, I realize it’s still the middle of the night. The grocery store won’t be open yet.

But there is a light on in the bakery. And Parker’s coffee is excellent.

Too bad she’ll probably skin me alive with her cake knife after our last conversation. I didn’t mean to upset her. I thought providing for the moonshine would help her out. She obviously didn’t want to front the money for the alcohol.

Instead of thanking me, she threw my offer back at me and tried to kill me with those daggers in her eyes. The woman is the most prickly, the most stubborn, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met.