Page 59 of The Sweetest Ingredient

“I should’ve been honest with you from the start. I’m sorry too,” I said softly.

Standing in my apartment with Bishop, the heavy sadness that had filled me began dissolving, and for the first time in weeks, I dared to hope we could be friends again.

Bishop moved closer to me, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Furious as I was, and even in those moments I believed I never wanted to see you again, your beautiful face, your haunting smile...clung to me, refusing to fade. It’s like once my heart recognized yours, it just couldn’t let go.”

This intense, brooding man had been haunted by thoughts of me?

My pulse throbbed as he moved nearer still, his tormented gaze holding mine. The air between us shimmered with possibility. Slowly, hesitantly, I reached up to graze his cheek with trembling fingertips. He made a soft, desperate sound, leaning into my palm as it cupped his jaw. In that transcendent moment, our fractured past fell away.

I lowered my arm. “I tried to forget you too, but my heart just wouldn’t let you go either.” I blinked back sudden tears, all the weeks of missing him welling up inside. “Oh, Bishop. I understand now...your passion for baking, your need to excel. It wasn’t about rejecting me, not really.”

“No, it never was.” He took a deep breath, lifting one hand and brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “The last few weeks whenever I baked, every scent that wafted from the oven, every smile I saw on a customer’s face, it reminded me of you. And it wasn’t only memories—everything good in my life bore a resemblance to you. It became maddeningly clear that no matter how upset I was, my world was unmistakably, undeniably intertwined with yours. And as much as I wanted to be angry, to push it all away, love doesn’t work like that. It forgives...I think I was so hurt because I love you so much.”

My breath caught in my chest. Had I heard him right? I studied his face for sincerity, scarcely daring to believe it could be true. But the adoration in his eyes was unmistakable, a mirror of my own overflowing emotions.

“Really?” I whispered, my limbs shaking. “Because you own every broken, beautiful part of my heart. It only ever wants you.”

He inched closer, the distance between us shrinking with every beat of my heart, and took my smaller hands in his larger ones. “From the instant you walked into my bakery, you’ve turned my world upside down. With your sass, charm, and compassion, you made me realize what’s been missing in my life—you.” His hands tightened around mine, his heated gaze never leaving my face. “The way you light up every room you enter, and always try to make the best out of any situation...well, I can’t imagine another day going by without you by my side. I love you more than I can express, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Tell me I haven’t blown it.”

Hearing his confession, a torrent of emotions swelled within me, overwhelming yet unnamable. My gaze stayed fixed on his, and time seemed to slow down around us, every detail magnified—the intensity in his stare, the subtle shift in his tone. Tears clouded my eyes, and my heart was going to burst from the overwhelming affection I felt for this man. I knew with absolute certainty that I was head-over-heels in love with Bishop.

A tear slipped down my cheek. “I love you, too.”

He kissed my forehead and stepped back, wiping away the tear with his thumb. “Every argument, every misunderstanding—it all led us here, to something real. I’ve never met anyone quite like you, and I never want to let you go.”

“Then let’s start over.” My smile was so big, my cheeks hurt. “Hi, I’m Kenzi Middleton, graphic designer, Janeite, and pet treat artiste. It’s nice to meet you.”

He grinned, too. “I’m Bishop Caine, the owner of a bakery with a soft spot for cute, sassy women. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Bishop wrapped his muscular arms around me, and my hands settled on his waist. My breathing hitched as he lowered his head, our lips meeting in a passionate and tender kiss. It was as if all of our suppressed feelings were being poured into that one moment, igniting an intensity beyond anything I had ever experienced before. The warmth of his body seeped into mine, and I tightened my hold on him, never wanting to let go. Yet, he held me so gently, like I was glass and could break if he held on too tight.

The kiss deepened, igniting a fire within me that I hadn’t known existed. It was more than physical; it was a fusion of souls, a mingling of hearts. It felt like every unsaid word, every pent-up emotion, was being channeled into this one kiss. The taste of him was intoxicating, a mixture of desire and something inexplicably familiar, like a long-lost memory suddenly resurfacing. His lips moved against mine with a fervor that spoke of longing and love, of pain and healing, all at once.

When we slowly parted, both of us were breathless. All the hurt and lies had been swept away, replaced with tenderness, love, and affection.

“Wow,” I whispered.

“Wow indeed,” he said, his voice husky.

A smirk curled my lips. “For a baker, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”

He chuckled. “That’s because I specialize in crafting sweet things. And if that kiss was any indication, I’d say my skills are quite multifaceted. Almost a match for your feisty attitude.”

Giggling, I nudged him with my elbow. “Oh, trust me, there’s plenty more sass where that came from. You’ve only had a sample.”

He leaned in, his stubbly cheek warm against my face, and whispered, “Then I look forward to the full menu.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Over the next few months, Bishop’s bakery had become the talk of the town. Our unique blend of traditional baked goods and scrumptious pet treats had charmed the population of Serenity Falls. People even came from neighboring towns to try our mouth-watering delights. It was incredibly gratifying to see how our hard work brought joy to so many.

However, Sweet Sensations went from baking delicacies to facing the heat, all because of Maxwell’s love affair with gambling and fraudulent baking skills. Soon after, his bakery shut its doors. Turns out, like a cookie left too long in the oven, Maxwell crumbled under the pressure. Last I heard, he’d packed up and moved out of town, and no tears were shed at his departure.

And within this bakery, Lucia had finally accepted me, and we had become sort of friends. Not that we were exchanging BFF bracelets anytime soon, but I likened us to two cats in an alley, who’d stopped arching their backs long enough to give a curt nod before resuming their territory standoff.

Bishop had sent her and Jordan home early today, leaving us to finish closing up.

“Kenzi, could you pass me that pan?” Bishop asked, washing dishes at the sink.

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