Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery, #1)(26)

He set the box down, and I noticed he was having a hard time holding eye contact. In two neat rows were small brown paper bags, the crisply folded edges of each bag held down by different colors of tape. In black marker, the bags were labeled with different names.

Almond

Wheat

Cake

00

Pastry

Spelt

Rye

Buckwheat

Barley

Rice

Oat

"Oh," Joy breathed out as I stared into the box like a giant dummy. "Flours. They're kinds of flour."

My eyes snapped up to him. "You brought me flours?"

His hazel eyes were bright, but before he could answer me, Joy sighed loudly. "That is so romantic."

I burst out laughing. "Oh my word, Levi, you didn't."

He smiled. "You told me once that buying flowers were a waste of money because all they did was suck up water and then die two days later."

"I did say that," I said around my helpless giggles. "But-but you totally ripped this off from that movie, you cheater."

His face blanched. "You've seen it?"

"What movie?" Joy asked, still staring raptly at the box of flour.

I shook my head, still grinning at Levi. "I can't even remember the name of the actor, but he's an IRS guy. She's a baker. It's good, you should watch it." Clucking my tongue, I gave Levi a mock-disappointed look. "Was this a test of my movie knowledge or something? You're the one who made me watch it a couple of years ago."

"I did?" He scratched the side of his face. "Huh."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the box so I could set it on my lap and head back into the kitchen. "Oh, how quickly they forget. I'll be off work in an hour if you want to wait."

"I'll wait," he told me.

"Thank you for the flours," I said over my shoulder.

He answered in a weary tone. "You're welcome."

Joy was smiling at Levi like he'd dropped off a check for a million dollars. "I still think it's romantic."

"Thanks, Joy." He sighed. "Do you know how far I had to drive for the spelt flour?"

"So romantic," she repeated.

I was still laughing as I went back to my cupcakes. But every time my eyes caught on the box containing the neatly folded brown paper, I smiled.





Chapter 9





Jocelyn





The night before my next PT session, I promised myself that I'd draw the line at a quick swipe of mascara. The reflection of the girl staring back at me from the rearview mirror of my car the next morning all but called me a big fat liar.

My hair was tamed in two neat braids that met at the base of my skull. The shirt I wore was a deep bluish-purple color that made my eyes look "freaky blue," according to Levi, the one time I wore it to the gym. Freaky blue eyes or not, I liked how my arms looked underneath the cap sleeves. I stuck with my black leggings because there was no hiding how skinny my legs were, no matter what I wore.

This time when I arrived, I didn't hide behind the open car door. I stood and took a deep breath, inhaling the warm mountain air, which promised to turn into a hot June day in no time.

Five steps, and I had the back of the car open. When I sat down, I was proud of myself for not letting the butterflies overwhelm me. The other thing I promised myself last night as I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling was that I going to woman up and ask the man to Connor and Sylvia's wedding.

Not right away or anything, because the truth was that I knew very little about Andrew. It simplified things in my head to think of him by the name he went by at PT. Cupcake Guy was no longer in the building as soon as he realized I was his client.

What was it with the bakery anyway? It like, shot out some weird Jocelyn pheromones or something. First Andrew buying me the cupcake, then Levi showing up with his ridiculous box of flours. He'd waited for me the day before as promised, after taking Nero to the park and running some of his energy out. There was no more mention of the box, or the movie, and when he asked if I wanted to take Nero on a hike down one of my favorite paths, I agreed.

For some reason, once I was inside those walls, I was a different person. And I needed to figure out how to bring that person out of the Donner Bakery kitchen.

As I wheeled up to the door, I could feel someone's eyes on me, so instead of hitting the button, I yanked the door open with my left hand and pivoted my chair so that I was able to hold the door open for myself.

Andrew was behind the main desk, smiling at something in his hand.

"Good morning," he said without looking up.

"Morning."

The office was empty, which was a little unusual for the morning. His smile was friendly when he aimed it at me. "Ready to work?"

"I guess so."

He hooked a thumb over one broad shoulder, and I saw a long ramp set at an angle up against the wall. "You'll love this."

I scrunched my nose at it. "I almost don't dare ask."

Andrew laughed when he set the clipboard down and came around the corner. "We need to start building your glute and quad strength. You have more muscle atrophy than I'd like to see at this point."

My cheeks were hot when I looked back at the ramp. "Yeah, it's just … easier to use my chair."