Page 12 of The Sweetest Ingredient

“Do I have to?” I mumbled. “Lucia is not a Kenzi fan.”

The corner of his mouth twitched in a semblance of a smile. It was a rare concession, as if a momentary lapse in the fortress he’d built around himself.

In the kitchen, I started whisking and creating a flavored icing for the cookies. Bishop worked on his signature cupcake recipe with the precision of a true artist.

“My shift’s over. See you both tomorrow,” Lucia said, wiping her hands on her apron before making her way toward the exit.

The atmosphere shifted the moment we were alone, making my hands tremble. Bishop was the epitome of restraint, never once looking up from his work.

“Kenzi, how’s that icing coming along?”

“Almost perfect, just needs a bit more sunshine.” I added another dash of lemon zest to the mix.

Bishop snorted. “Just make sure all that sunshine doesn’t overpower the ingredients.”

I waved my whisk like a magic wand, splattering the counter. “Trust me, I’ll keep the forecast deliciously balanced.”

We worked in silence for several minutes. The wall clock ticked, and the oven grumbled. Bishop’s focus remained on the batter he was mixing with strong, steady strokes.

“By afternoon, it’s so quiet in here. Do you really need another employee?”

He cleared his throat. “I do. Jordan’s starting college soon and he’ll only be able to work the weekends, but you’re right about business being slow.”

“Is it because of that other bakery opening in town?”

“You could say that,” he said, his forehead creasing. “Competition is becoming fierce.”

I bit my lower lip. “I may not be a baking prodigy yet, but I’ve got amazing design skills that might help.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Bishop said. “Anything I can help you with?”

“There is something I’m struggling with,” I confessed, glancing nervously at my concoction. “I can’t seem to get the consistency right for this hazelnut icing.”

“Ah, let me take a look.” Bishop moved beside me, his sandalwood cologne tickling my senses.

Our arms grazed, and the contact sent electric shocks of awareness shooting through my veins, awakening every nerve. I took a step back, my blood pumping hot.

“Try adding a bit more powdered sugar and whisk it until it thickens,” he suggested.

I did as he instructed, feeling a small sense of accomplishment when the frosting started to resemble the desired texture. “It sounds as if you’ve done this before,” I teased.

He shrugged a shoulder, and the corners of his mouth twitched. “Once or twice, you might say.”

We continued working, and there was this ever-present mindfulness of each other’s space; never quite touching, yet close enough to feel the heat radiating between us.

“I don’t know much about you besides your devotion to baking. Are you friendly with your folks?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m close with my parents, and I was especially close to my grandparents before they passed away. No siblings, though.”

“I can’t imagine not having my sister around…did I mention, she’s a gifted violinist?” I swallowed hard. “But she stopped playing for over a year after our parents died. It was just the two of us after the car accident. It was rough, especially since we didn’t have any other relatives in the area. I became her guardian and tried my best to take care of her, to be there for her, but nothing could fill the hole from Mom and Dad’s deaths.” I sniffled. “I’m just glad she’s playing again.”

He stared at me, brow furrowed. “Oh, Kenzi. I’m so sorry.”

My chest constricted at the memory. It had been a few years since they had passed away, yet somehow still felt like yesterday—a hurtful place I did my best not to revisit often. It was one of the reasons why I didn’t own a car.

I wrung my hands on my apron. “Sorry. Am I oversharing?”

“Not at all,” he said. “Sometimes it gets lonely being an only child and being single…you know, not having someone special in my life.” He stared at the counter, and a nerve ticked in his jaw. “I’ve never been married, so the bakery keeps me busy and content.” He let out a sigh. “Maybe someday I’ll meet the right woman and start a family of my own. But for now, this place is my baby.”

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