Page 68 of Never Let You Go

“So, that’s how you measure your click-through rate, but keep in mind that only matters if you have a qualified audience,” Alexandra’s saying.

The women are all drinking her words in as if she’s some kind of oracle. Even Emma moved from her table to stand within earshot, looking at Alexandra, arms crossed.

“That’s why your branding is so important. Know your target.” She shows them something. “Before and after,” she says, and they all oooh and aaaah.

“Daddy!” Skye exclaims as she spots me.

Alexandra blushes, and she’s so obvious I immediately regret coming over to her table.

“You guys stealing my apprentice away already?”

“Shhhhh… She’s showing us something important,” Grace answers.

They all hover back over Alexandra’s phone. It’s full of beautiful pictures of the local businesses, their products, their people. It looks like professional photography to me. I know she spends a lot of time taking photos with her phone, but I didn’t realize she was so talented.

It makes me wonder again about her motivation for this apprenticeship. I’m concerned about her.

“How come I don’t see the bakery?”

Skye grabs my hand, and I’m so close to Alexandra her scent intoxicates me.

She glances my way but continues swiping through her phone. She switches screens on her phone and pulls up a social media app. It’s her account, and she has a lot of photos of Emerald Creek. “I do have some photos of the bakery.” She types something on her screen and a slew of photos of the bakery appears.

They’re filled with warmth and really make it look great. I never realized my bakery was so… wholesome. There are photos from the outside looking in, the darkness of the street framing the lit windows like a promise of what’s inside.

Willow smiling as she hand wraps confections. The line of costumers chatting together. Isaac carrying trays of cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Close-ups of full shelves of breads.

Then, I see photos of me working in the lab, carrying bread, talking to customers. I generally hate seeing myself, but I have to admit her photos make me look embarrassingly good.

I clear my throat. I need to get out of here. I lean over to kiss Skye on the head and am about to tell her to be good before I get myself back to the safety of my table.

I’m impressed and proud at how good Alexandra is. I should freak out over the stakes I have running on her, but I’m not. The fact that, if she fails, I’ll need to repay my grant barely registers in my mind. What I’m concerned about is, why the hell is she wasting her time trying to get a grasp of baking, which she doesn’t have a talent for, when she could make a killing following her true passion?

The words fall out of my mouth. “You sure you want to continue the apprenticeship? Seems to me you have a customer base for your own business. Right, ladies?”

The ladies approve loudly.

“What was all that ruckus about?” Grace asks me.

“What ruckus.”

“The clapping and stuff,” she says, gesturing to where Justin is.

“Oh, nothing. The guys got a little excited that I’m throwing my hat in the baking competition.”

“You are not,” Emma snaps.

“That’s great!” Grace says at the same time.

“That’s ridiculous,” Emma counters. “He’s got a business to run!”

“Oh,” Grace backs away. “You gonna be okay with that?”

Alexandra is looking at Emma, me, and Grace. Skye’s face is ecstatic. The way Alexandra and Skye look at me, both excited, is all I need. “’Course I’ll be okay,” I say as a slow smile spreads across my face. “It’s gonna be fun.”

I wink at Alexandra, who turns a sweet shade of pink, and ignore Emma’s disapproving grunts. “Ladies, sorry for the interruption.”

Back at my table, I’m met with Justin’s smirk and a pint of beer. “Spill it,” he says, leaning forward so only I can hear him. “How far did you take it with her?”

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