Page 48 of The Sweetest Ingredient

Bishop and I wandered through the market, eventually finding ourselves near a beautiful flower stall tucked away in a quieter corner. The sweet fragrance of roses, lilies, and lavender floated on the breeze.

“Your dedication to the bakery borders on legendary, but even the great Bishop Caine must have other pastimes?”

“Ah, well...” He cleared his throat. “I enjoy watching classic movies. And occasionally, I like to do paintball with a buddy of mine.”

“So, you do have a fun side! I’m so dragging you to karaoke night one of these days.”

“We’ll see.” He moved to the next stall and regarded the produce. “Why can’t I say no to you?”

“Ahhh, I knew you were just a big softie under all that grump and flour.” Leaning in, I bumped his shoulder. “They say karaoke reveals the soul. Are you afraid I’ll discover you’re actually a secret pop divo?”

“Hmmm.” Bishop shook his head. “Oh, I have hidden depths few people see.” The teasing lilt in his voice sent my pulse skittering.

I met his gaze. “I’d be happy to schedule an in-depth study session. When are you free?”

Bishop lifted a brow. “For you? My schedule just opened up.”

I laughed, grasping a perfectly ripe peach and handing it to him. “Well, in that case, don’t forget to pick up some snacks for our study date.”

As Bishop took the fruit from my hand, his fingers grazed mine. His gaze, intense and smoldering, made my knees threaten to buckle under the weight of his stare. Suddenly, the bustling farmer’s market around us seemed to fade into the background, leaving us in our own little world, charged with an undeniable chemistry.

Trying to shake off the sudden self-consciousness, I flashed him a brittle smile. “If we stay any longer, people might start to think we’re plotting to take over the town with organic produce.”

Bishop nodded, his voice laced with amusement. “Well, if we are, we’ll have the healthiest army the world has ever seen.”

I laughed again, feeling a warm rush of affection for him.

We started shopping again, passing vendors and looking over their wares. We stopped beside a booth with wooden crates filled with ripe fruits of all shapes and sizes, with apples, kiwis, papayas, grapes, and mangoes.

“Do you have a favorite classic movie?”

Bishop juggled the netted bag of oranges between his hands. “You ever seen Casablanca? It’s a timeless masterpiece—all that passion, sacrifice, and the complexities of relationships.”

I smirked. “Who’d have thought? Mr. Stoic-Baker is a softie for those old-timey love stories. I’ll have to watch it sometime.”

“We could see it together one night.”

“Only if you promise to sing one song at karaoke.”

He groaned. “My singing makes dogs howl.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

My boss grabbed an apple from the cart next to us and twirled it in his hands. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. But prepare yourself for some very upset canines.”

I shook my head. “Good thing I’ve always had a thing for strays.”

The more I got to know him, the deeper my feelings for him grew. I knew it was crossing a line, given he was my boss and didn’t have time for romance. But it might be too late to second-guess those feels now, and I enjoyed our flirty banter.

Besides, when had playing it safe ever been my style?

Bishop put the apple down and moved in front of a stand overflowing with assorted breads.

“In the immortal words of Jane Austen, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man with good bread must be in need of butter.’”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how the quote goes. Though you get points for creativity.”

I grinned, lifting a brow. “I’m all about those modern interpretations.”

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