Page 6 of Baking Spirits Bright

He scoffs. "What the fuck do you mean theme? Aren't they just Christmas cookies?"

I hate this with every fiber of my being, but I also know what's popular right now, because I have to. "Everything these days has an aesthetic, Landon. What is the aesthetic for this party? Are they planning a snow theme, snowman, vintage Christmas, whimsical? I gotta know before I ask Lyla to do it tomorrow."

"Holy. Fuck. She's coming back to work for you? After all the shit, you two said to each other. What did you do? Promise you're first born to the devil?" He laughs.

God, why do I mess with him? He's such a pain in my ass. "No, she needed a job, and I needed a decorator. Simple as that."

"Only it's not. She quit working for you a year ago and opened her own shop. How is she going to be working for you, too?"

I hate being the person to tell others about this. It's not my place, but I also know he will not let me get away with being vague. Landon is the type of person who likes definite answers to his questions. "Her bakery closed a couple of days ago." Noreason for him to know exactly when it happened. "So she's coming back to work for me."

"Couldn't handle it without you, huh?"

My chest tightens. I don't want him to think she's not capable of handling herself. She's more capable than most people I know. I'm not sure why this is offending me, either. It's not as if I have any skin in the game with her. All I want is for her to help make my bakery as successful as it can be. "She could handle it, but Sugar Creek wasn't prepared for two bakeries. The town failed her, not the other way around."

"Better be careful, Linc. Sounds like you have a crush on her."

This isn't the first time he's said those words, but it's the first time I really listen to them. I've missed Lyla since she left. Seeing her was always one of the best parts of my day. That hour we'd come in before anyone else? I treasured it. Not that I shared those feelings with any of the other employees, or my friends. She and I typically argued with one another. Lyla hated my marketing ideas, and I disliked the way she refused to see reason. "I don't have a crush on her. What I do have is complete respect for what she's able to bring to the table with her artistry. Everyone should've seen that and helped her make Holly Jolly a success."

"Which you should've been happy about. What if they'd left your patronage for her? Would you have been able to make that up? There are layers to this, Linc," Landon reminds me.

It's all complicated as fuck and way more full of emotions than I'd ever intended. "It is what it is, Landon. She'll be here. She's going to make your cookies amazing, and you're going to owe them for me. What is it you want her to make? If you don't tell me, then I'm going to decide for you and you might not like it."

He sighs. "I don't know. I've never been the bonus dad for a little girl before."

I throw my head back, laughing. Landon? A bonus dad? He's never even been a good uncle before. I can count on one hand how often he's been to see our niece since our older sister had her. "A bonus dad? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Have I walked into a motherfucking alternate universe here? I'm so confused.

"Look..." I can hear him rubbing his forehead. "I really like this woman and her daughter. I want to make the best impression I can. What would you recommend? Even though you have no kids, you know better than me." His voice is hoarse as he begs for help.

This is the first time I've ever heard him be so earnest. Landon can lie about most things, but what he won't lie about is the women in his life. He's a hopeless romantic, and he takes anything he sees as a lifetime commitment to heart. He's been engaged three times, and each one of those engagements, he thought would be the one. "Alright," I sigh. "What I've seen most girls want this year are the sparkling lights and glitter of Christmas. We'll make sure they're magical. I'll send you an invoice, and you better pay it."

This time, I hear the smile in his voice. "You don't have to worry. I'll pay for it as soon as I get it."

"See you later, Landon."

"Love you, bro."

"Love you, too."

With a shake of my head, I hang up and wonder what the fuck I've gotten myself into.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lyla

Ibarely slept last night because I couldn't stop thinking about going back to work with Linc, and here I am, sitting in the parking lot, waiting for him to show up. I can't believe I made it before he did, but I've always been a stickler about being early for things like this. I'm still not convinced I've made a good decision. There's a part of me that's severely questioning if I'm crazy or a glutton for punishment. Either way, I'm here because I need to pay the bills.

If this were a year ago, I'd walk in with my own key and alarm code. So much has changed since then, though. Since I quit, I haven't even walked back into Sugar and Spice. I walked by here a few times, but I refused to look inside. Although I'd gone out on my own, it hurt to no longer be there, because I'd given so much of myself to it.

How long am I going to have to wait for someone to let me in? My question is answered when I see the headlights of another vehicle pull in beside mine. I'd know Lincoln's truck anywhere. My stomach flutters as I think about what all of this means. "It's not failure, Lyla, it's surviving."

Getting out, we greet one another. "It's good to have you back," he says, averting his eyes down to his feet.

"Believe it or not, I'm excited to be back. It was stressful every single day. I worried about being able to meet rent and payroll. I loved doing exactly what I wanted to, but in the end, I was too stressed to enjoy it," I admit. He's the only person I will admit this to. Since he's a fellow small business owner, he understands better than anyone else.

"It's rough." He twirls his keys in his fingers, flipping them back and forth. "It's not for the weak, not saying that you are, but it's harder than anyone can ever imagine."

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