Page 28 of The Alpha and the Baker

Felicia

Two of a Kind

I was freezing my ass off, but I couldn’t care less. When I’d gotten ready, I certainly hadn’t dressed for an early spring night outside, but we’d had to adapt, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I had tried to hold my tongue at first in the restaurant. I knew how stressful it could be to work with the public. But when the server had rudely cut off Cas, who was possibly one of the most polite people I’d ever met, I was done.

I’d been all geared up to read her the riot act, but a look in Cas’s direction made me realize we were even more on the same page than I had thought, and that was how the two of us ended up leaving.

I hadn’t walked out of a restaurant like that in years , but I was so incredibly relieved that Cas had picked up on all the same rudeness, too, and that he was willing to partake in street food. Was it a fancy steak dinner? Not by a long shot, but it was so damn good .

“So, do you have any customer horror stories?” Cas asked once he’d drained his drink. I was stunned that he had room for anything else after he’d wolfed down three full meals. He had to work out like a fiend to have an appetite like that and keep up his good physique.

Some people had all the luck.

“You bet,” I said, clapping my hands. “Only one situation ever turned kind of dangerous, thankfully, but mostly it’s been little old ladies trying to pull an advanced Karen.”

“Dangerous?” Cas repeated, and I appreciated the slight warning tone in his voice. We knew next to nothing about each other, but I liked that his hackles raised at the thought of someone hassling me.

Protective? Check.

“Yeah, someone tried to rob me. Unfortunately for him, he did it at the end of my first week of business. I’d been so overwhelmed with everything that I forgot to get change for my cash register, so there was only twenty dollars in it.

” I shook my head, thinking back to that time.

The guy hadn’t had a gun, hadn’t even had a knife, but I’d been so panicked that I’d shown him my empty register anyway.

“You were robbed?” The smile had vanished entirely from Cas’s face, and he looked legitimately upset. That wouldn’t do.

“Wait, no, this is a funny story. I promise.”

“If you say so,” he muttered, crossing his arms. Although I preferred him smiling, the protective look on his face wasn’t half bad. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have him protect me.

Getting a little ahead of yourself there, Felicia.

“You see, I showed him my register, and he stood there for a moment and asked if business was bad. I told him it was my first week and I didn’t have the buzz I’d expected, but then the door chimes, and wouldn’t you know, it’s a couple of cops coming in for fresh donuts.

I’d put an advert out that all medical personnel, teachers, and law enforcement got half-priced breakfast items before eleven. ”

“Really?” There was that smile. Small, but there again. “Cops literally walked in?”

“Yup. It was so awkward. All four of us froze there for what I swore felt like five solid minutes. It was probably less than ten seconds, but man, in the moment it sure didn’t seem that way.”

He let out a sharp bark of laughter at that. “I can imagine. Did they arrest him?”

Now here was the moment where I knew I was going to learn a lot about Cas real fast. “No, I covered for him so he could go.”

His eyes went wide for a moment—just a moment—before he cleared his throat. “You what?”

“He was a young kid. Couldn’t have been more than eighteen. I grew up in the poorer areas—I know how easy it is to get off on the wrong path. Sometimes you just need a little nudge one way or another to entirely change your life. So, I hoped maybe I could be a good nudge.”

I watched Cas’s face closely as I explained my reasoning.

I knew some people would say I was an absolute moron for what I did, but they didn’t get what it was like to be that desperate.

The good thing was that while Cas looked concerned, perhaps even a little confused, I saw no judgement in his face. Just a desire to understand.

That told me so much about the kind of person he was. It told me he was a safe soul to be around. Granted, I felt like I’d picked up on that from the moment I met him.

“So, I told him that yes, I did deliveries, so he could tell his mother I was happy to do her birthday party downtown, and then he beat it. I thought that was that, but wouldn’t you know, he came back two weeks later with his grandmother.

We didn’t talk much, but he bought her a croissant, coffee, and a small quiche for them to share.

They sat at one of my tables for two hours, during which the grandma called two of her friends to join her.

All three now stop by at least once a week on their own, and they have an official breakfast at my place once a month. ”

Cas let out a low whistle. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

Whoa, that was kind of out of left field. I found myself blushing pretty hard. “What, for giving a kid a second chance?”

“For seeing him as a kid at all.” Cas paused, the muscles in his jaw moving as if he was thinking exactly what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it.

“I feel like so many folks today look at a person and judge everything about them in a few moments. So much so that they don’t see an actual person at all.

“But you saw a person that day, and you showed him kindness that a lot of people wouldn’t. So yeah, I’d say that’s pretty damn incredible—pardon my language.”

I laughed softly. “Don’t worry, I’m a baker. I swear like a sailor.” Although I was changing the subject, a large part of me was incredibly flattered. I was so prepared for him to tell me I was off my rocker, but no, he’d given me one of the loveliest compliments I’d had in ages.

“Oh, is that a thing?”

“What, you’ve never watched The Bear? Pretty much any job that involves cooking and the public requires a colorful vocabulary.”

“Noted,” he said with another chuckle.

Goodness, this was definitely the best date of my entire life.

Sure, it wasn’t most people’s idea of a perfect date, but I was having great conversation with someone who thought highly of me and saw me not as a conquest or an opportunity to get laid, but as someone he really wanted to talk to.

My belly was full and warm. I hadn’t mentioned it to Cas, but the very first street meat I’d ever had when I moved to the area was with my mom.

It had been after my father died, and it had been a huge splurge for us.

It was such a treasured memory that it was impossible for it not to cast a positive glow over the night.

Not that the date needed any help. I seriously couldn’t remember when I’d laughed so easily and so often while the conversation flowed so naturally. I was filled with feelings—too many for me to sort out at the moment—but I knew that somehow, this strange, hunky farmer made me feel less alone.

It was almost enough to make me forget about all the weird quirks I’d noticed about both him and the other McCallisters.

Because really, what did it matter in the end?

I knew Cas was a good soul, and that his family was down-to-earth and incredibly open, which couldn’t be said for a lot of other people in the world lately.

Besides, I was probably just paranoid from being overtired. Almost every single strange thing that I’d begun to pick up on had a logical solution. Although, silver allergies were pretty rare.

The minutes continued to tick by, but eventually my biology kicked in, and I absently rubbed my arms for warmth. Of course, Cas noticed right away, because he was exactly the type of gentleman who would.

“Are you cold?” he asked quickly, concern layering his voice. I had no doubt some men would be irritated with me for wearing something so impractical, but there wasn’t a hint of condescension in Cas’s words.

Yeah, I was definitely beginning to like this guy.

“I am,” I admitted even though I very much wanted to deny it. Lying to my date when he could see the goosebumps on my bare arms would be pretty stupid.

“It is getting pretty late,” he said, glancing at his phone. He sighed. “I should probably take you home, shouldn’t I?”

I wished I could say no, but I had to be up early. I’d done as much prep as I could do, and Saturday was my slowest day, but a baker’s work was never really done.

“Yeah,” I said, drawing the sound out. As if doing so would give us a few extra minutes. “Unfortunately, duty calls.”

“I really never should have given her my number.”

“Huh? Oh!” It took me a moment to get his joke, but it startled yet another laugh out of me. Not a big one, but most certainly a satisfying one. “I should just block her at this point.”

“If only it worked like that.”

“If only,” I agreed. “If wishes were fishes, I’d cast a hook.”

Cas tilted his head to the side, and it reminded me of when dogs did that particularly cute head tilt. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before.”

“My mother used to say that. Hits a little different in our native language, though.” Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to recall a few instances when she used that phrase.

I didn’t want to get locked in memories right now, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy their temporary embrace.

“Basically, it was her way of saying that she wished the same.”

“It’s a good phrase. I can see why it stuck with you. Your mom had a way with words.”

A flush rose to my cheeks, and the backs of my eyes pricked with unshed tears.

I loved my mother, but I was so used to having no one to share that with.

My mother had had friends and a crochet circle she’d loved, but no one else.

Her funeral had been lovely, but sparsely attended, and I hadn’t kept in touch with the few friends she’d had. A mistake on my part.

But now, with Cas genuinely complimenting my mother, it felt like she was getting the respect and recognition she deserved. I was very grateful for that.