Page 15 of The Hot New Single Dad Next Door

“He was.”

“Was he cute?”

“No!” I glare at her over my shoulder. “Priorities, Tish.”

She grimaces. “Sorry.”

“I mean, yeah. Sure. He’s got a nice square jawline and thick dark hair and soulful brown eyes and a really adorable daughter who looks just like him, but that’s beside the point!”

“Wait? You met his daughter?” she asks, confused.

I groan. “Oh, the nerve! The cheek! I asked nicely — so nicely! — and he said no. He looked right into Liam’s little eyes and said that his barbershop is more important than my bakery. And then! Oh, and then! He said I looked cute when I was angry and asked if I was single.”

Still confused, Tish gives a tentative nod. “Okay.”

“I mean, what a dick!” I say as I refill another mug.

“Huh?”

I wave apologetically to the man at the table. “Not you, Sheriff Spelling. Can I get you anything else?”

He shakes his head. “No, thanks, Lottie. I’m good. Still waiting on that patty melt.”

“I’ll go check on it.” I smile politely, then walk off, beelining back behind the counter. “I can’t believe I gave him my muffins!” I say.

“Okay. Honey, slow down,” Tish says, her shoulders slumped forward. “I feel like I’m missing a lot of info here.”

I return the coffee pot to its warmer. “The hot new single dad next door,” I say. “Is him.”

“Him?” She blinks. “Him?”

“Him.”

“The guy who bought your bakery is your new neighbor?”

I nod. “Yup. He rolled into town, he bought my bakery and the house across the street.”

“Aw, man,” she says.

“Yeah.”

“He’s handsome and rich?”

I glare at her.

“Sorry,” she says.

“Hey, he’s all yours now,” I say. “By all means.”

Tish pumps her arm. “Yes!” Then, she drops her shoulders again and looks at me somberly. “Sucks about your bakery, though.”

“Yeah.” I collapse back against the wall by the back room door, waiting for Bruno to finish the Sheriff’s patty melt. “It really sucks.”

“Maybe another space will open up!” she says optimistically.

“Doubt it.”

“Hey, you never know!” She peeks out at table four. “Old man Henderson ain’t gonna live forever and that hardware store could easily become a bakery.”

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