Page 105 of Theirs for the Holidays

VIOLET

Over the next few days,things continue the way they’ve been going.

Namely, I go to the bakery to work and come home to bake more—and the guys and I continue to hook up.

It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve been having such regular sex, and comparing it to being with Andrew is like night and day. I come home from the bakery, and at least one of the guys is there to greet me, all hands and lips and teasing. That usually turns into making out in the entryway, which leads to fucking in the living room. Or the bathroom. Or the bedroom. Or the kitchen.

My house has been thoroughly broken in by them at this point.

All the weird tension that was hanging in the air is gone now, and their playful attitudes toward each other have only gotten warmer and easier. Maybe regular sex is good for them too.

For the most part, it feels a little bit like I must be dreaming all of this. I’m just as busy as ever, but being lost in a happy haze of sex and orgasms really does take the edge off long days and early mornings.

It helps that the guys often stop by the bakery, either to help or just to hang out.

All the usual holiday stress is so far in the background that I can’t even see it most of the time. It’s the most fun I’ve had this time of year in longer than I can remember.

Rhett has a dry sense of humor and a knack for comedic timing that never fails to have me laughing. Two days ago when an angry woman nearly cursed me out at the bakery, he diffused the tension by cracking a joke about her coat that had me in tears of laughter instead of frustration.

Sawyer keeps me on my toes with his charm, and soothes away any bad mood by being attentive and sweet. I feel like he sees me in a way that no one has in a long time.

Lennox, for his part, really seems to have stepped into his role as older brother. He’s a natural leader, always has been, and he has a way of bringing us all together that we defer to easily.

I remember him being like that when we were younger, but I guess it fell apart with the brothers’ relationship. Now that he’s back in that role, it fits him perfectly, and he seems happier for it.

I feel lighter and more energetic than I have in a long time, and it’s even made its way into my baking. I feel creatively on fire in the kitchen. When I come home, I fill page after page of notes with ideas of new combinations to try.

Things have been flying out of the case at the bakery, and I have more special orders than I know what to do with. Customers are coming in all day, and there is hardly any down time, which is really unheard of.

With business picking up so much, this is looking like it will be the best and most profitable season I’ve had since I opened the bakery.

“I saw a post about your bakery on social media!” the woman in front of me chirps, startling me out of my thoughts.

“Oh—really?” I ask, blinking in surprise.

She nods. “Yeah. Caitlin Cane—do you know her?”

My eyes go wide and I nod. “Yeah, she’s a food influencer, right?”

“Right! I guess you did some baked goods for a holiday party her boyfriend was at, and he brought home some of the leftovers for her to try. She raved about them, so I had to come try some for myself. I live half an hour away, and I didn’t even know this place was here.”

It’s amazing to see the word of mouth picking up speed, and I’m so hopeful that this momentum doesn’t die out any time soon.

Once the woman leaves, the lunch rush is officially over, and I sigh with satisfaction as well as exhaustion. It feels like the rush has been starting earlier and earlier these last few days, basically leaving no breathing room after the breakfast rush on the weekdays.

I’m not complaining about the business, but it is nice to have a minute.

Just as I think that, the bell over the door jingles, and I paste on my best Customer Service, I’m So Happy To Serve You smile, only to let it drop when I see that it’s the guys coming back from deliveries.

Having their help has been invaluable with how much things have picked up, and I give them a different smile.

“How did it go?”

“No issues,” Lennox says.

“And lots of tips,” Sawyer adds. He unloads a handful of bills into the tip jar with a wink.

“Whoa, what’s all that for?” I ask him.