Page 25 of Just for the Holidays

Katie rolls her eyes but keeps her focus on Max. “For a long time, people didn’t like gay people, for no good reason. Some people are still like that.” Katie explains.

“Dumb.” Max declares.

“Very,” Nichol agrees, smiling.

“Finish your dinner, you need a bath.’’ Katie notes the sauce splattered all over Max’s face and hands.

Max grumbles.

Nichol scratches the top of Stuart’s head and tosses him a noodle.

Chapter 14

Teddy

Naughty Little Devil’s Food Cake

Studies have reported that sexual thoughts cross a person’s mind up to twenty times a day but Teddy’s last twenty-four hours have been racked with self-scolding expletives and regret at his foolish overconsumption of whiskey. Leaving him unable to remember whatever magic had happened between him and Nichol the previous night.What an idiot! How could he have been so stupid?Of course, he blacked out during the opportune moment he’d fantasized about since high school.Nichol Anderson was right here, in his bed, and he can’t dredge up a single visual.

The nagging chime of his phone’s alarm demands he wake before he’d even had a chance to fall asleep. He’d set it for earlier than usual, so he could get a head start on baking, and focus the rest of the day toward helping Nichol get better acquainted with the shop.

GiGi is already glaring at him, poking out of her hidey-hut, chattering irritably, and twitching her nose with tiny nostril flares.

Teddy silences the alarm with the tap of a finger, and rolls up off the futon, rubbing the lack of sleep from his face as he trudges out to the kitchen. Exhaustion piles heavier onto his shoulders with each slap-foot step across the cold tile floor.

Caffeine is priority one. He fills the coffee pot’s reservoir and flicks the machine on. It hisses and gurgles, as he gathers produce and pellets from the fridge for Princess GiGi’s breakfast, including some mixed berries to sweeten the bounty, apologizing for yesterday’s neglect.

“Here you go, girl.” He smiles sleepily, setting the bowl down on her feeding mat.

GiGi waddles gleefully across the office and chirps as she gnaws a raspberry.

Teddy grabs fresh boxer briefs, a pair of jeans, and a pullover hooded shirt from the locker, scoops up his toiletries bin, and makes his way to the little washroom to freshen up and get dressed.

Remerging to the bright aroma of Columbian brew filling the shop, gives him a sampling of vigor ahead of that first sip, igniting his senses for the day ahead.

He uncovers the fryer and dials the temperature up, then adds precisely measured ingredients to the stand mixer, for Gram’s signature doughnuts. He pops the ball of dough onto a cuttingboard, spreads it with his hands, just like she taught him, and repeatedly presses the sheet of dough with a silver ring, and gentle twists of his wrist, to cut out the doughnut shapes, setting each aside to rise, while he moves onto mixing pie crusts with his bare hands.

The early morning hours pass quickly before he notices the denim sky fading with a hint of daylight peeking over the horizon. He scurries back into the office and slips his feet into boots, just as knocks rattle the front door.

He pokes his head back into the kitchen to see Nichol’s scowling face in the glass panes of the entrance.

Teddy scurries around the counter, unlocking the door and swinging it open.

“Good morning . . .” he chimes.

“Please tell me coffee is an employee perk?” Nichol stomps through the door, hair still wet, and trailing a fresh-from-the-shower zesty soap scent. He straddles a stool and drops down on the pink vinyl, exacerbating a sigh from himself and the cushion under his butt.

“As much as you’d like!” Teddy cheers, trotting to the coffee machine and pouring two fresh cups, adding oat milk from the fridge to one, and passing it to the grouchy new hire. “Did you walk here?”

Nichol closes his eyes, blissfully inhaling the steamy aroma, and indulges the first sip. “No, Katie dropped me off.” His cheeks flush pink and his mouth curls in a slight grin, as his systems all come online.

“Thank you,” he sighs again, opening his eyes with an invigorated glean. “You start work this early every day?” Nichol asks.

“Mm-hmm,” Teddy smirks, sipping his coffee. “I’ve already got most of the baking done, so we can focus on your training.”

“How long have you been up?” Nichol stretches his neck to peer around Teddy and scopes the kitchen for evidence of the baker’s claims. “What’s involved in the training?” he winks.

Teddy’s face heats up and he turns away to hide his blush. “Gram had a certain way she liked things done.”

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