Page 4 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

He stepped away and Jamie turned to her, a sheepish grin on his face. “I wasn’t trying to be a dick. It’s just, my sister owns a bakery, and she has strong opinions about cheesecake. She’s made me listen to that speech five times at least, and apparently I’m carrying on the torch.”

His voice was appealing, too. Deep and smooth and ...Dammit. She ignored the dimple and the flutter it caused in her belly. Forced her brain to blow right past thepretty woman, too. “How often do you strike up random conversations about dessert?”

“This is the first,” he admitted. “But I gave up on my date ten minutes ago and had been trying to work up the nerve to talk to you, so when the opportunity came, I went for it.”

She dropped her gaze for a beat, cheeks heating. Despite it being impossible, she was inclined to think Yuka had something to do with this. Elliott wouldn’t put it past her to light some sort of enchanting incense. “I’m sorry you got stood up.”

“Eh, it was someone from a dating app, and we haven’t talked all that much. I wasn’t too invested.”

She nodded as if she knew what he meant. In reality, she hadn’t been on a date in years, and the total number she could count on one hand.

Cancer was a real cockblocker.

“Honestly, I’m more disappointed about missing out on dessert than anything.”

Dessert? Elliott side-eyed Gus as he tipped a clear glass underneath a spout several feet away. “Do they have a secret menu here I didn’t see?” She’d be interested ... The hummus had been damn good. Something sweet would be even better.

Jamie laughed. “No. My sister told me about a place a couple doors down that does baking classes for date nights, so I made reservations. First dates are so awkward, you know? I figured as long as the first half-hour wasn’t a crash and burn, we could go make French vanilla soufflé while we got to know each other.”

Elliott put a hand to her chest, unable to stop the moan that slipped from her throat. “Ilovesoufflé.”

“God, me too.”

Gus brought Jamie a fresh, hoppy-scented beer, and Elliott eyed the large man standing across from her. “Got any candy back there? It’s kind of an emergency.”

The bartender squinted, stroking his beard. “Candy? I have a stout on draft that’s heavy on the chocolate, but it’s so thick you can basically chew it. Jamie’d probably like it, but it’s a far cry from that cosmopolitan I made you.”

She made a face. “Never mind.”

Gus chuckled and disappeared to serve a trio of middle-aged women chatting at the other end of the bar. A warm sensation shimmered along her collarbone, and she turned to find Jamie’s attention squarely on her face.

He regarded her thoughtfully. “Would you—” He stopped suddenly, shaking his head. “Nah, too weird.”

“What?” she pressed as he took a long drink.Curious E, her dad had dubbed her as a kid. Always asking why, pressing for more information.

Never letting anything go.

“I was going to ask if ...” He passed a hand across his jaw. “The cooking class. Would you want to come with me?”

Chapter Two

Elliott

She blinked. “Go with you?”

“Yeah, so those reservations don’t go to waste. If, you know, you didn’t have other plans tonight?”

A swirl of excitement burst beneath her ribs, and she almost said yes on the spot, if only because there was something about this man that made her wish their time wasn’t over just yet. She probably should have been apprehensive about the prospect of going somewhere with a strange man she’d exchanged no more than a few sentences with.

But,

This kind of thing never happened to her. There was something inherently flattering about a man like Jamie asking her on a date. Or technically, someone else’s date, but she wasn’t in a position to be picky.

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