Page 43 of Falling for the Guy Next Door

“Seriously, Isla, I don’t know how you do it.”

“Me either. I’ve got to find another baker. Ella’s right. I’ve got to cool down the perfectionist side of my brain and find someone who I can mold into the baking assistant I want.”

“I better get back out there.” I drained the cup, put it in the sink and headed out of the kitchen. I froze in the doorway. Dustin was at the counter. He spotted me before I could slip back into the kitchen.

“Layla,” he said with a slightly desperate tone.

Isla noticed I hadn’t moved. “What’s wrong?”

I looked over my shoulder at her and mouthed the word “Dustin.”

Isla put down the spatula full of frosting. “Right. Stay here. I’ll handle this.” She marched past me and right up to the counter. I backed up into the kitchen and out of view.

There was still enough activity in the bakery that I couldn’t hear their conversation over the noise. I waited a few minutes and silently chastised myself for being the frightened little sister. Here I was nearly thirty and still waiting for my big sisters to protect me. I took a deep breath, straightened my apron and headed to the front of the shop. Dustin was just leaving.

Isla turned around. “He’s gone.”

“I see that. What did you say to him?”

“I asked him if he seriously thought following you around was going to make you like him more. I told him he needed to save his dignity and move on. Not sure if he’ll take the advice. I did, however, use my meanest glare when talking to him.” She pointed to her baby blue eyes and lowered her brows.

I giggled. There was nothing more ridiculous than my beautiful, princess-y sister trying to look mean. “So, you pulled out the big guns, did ya? Your kitten glare?”

“Oh, shut up. I can glower pretty fiercely when I want.” Her face relaxed. “Seriously, I’m worried, Layla. The man is obviously obsessing over the breakup. Maybe we need to get Dex involved.”

“That’s a big jump from your formidable kitten glare and therapist’s advice to a bulldozer with iron fists.”

“Well, it’s up to you, of course, but I’m not sure you should let it go on much longer.”

“I’ll think about it.” Ten minutes later I had another visitor, one who I was usually glad to see, only I was hoping to avoid Emily for a while, at least until I knew how all this was going to turn out.

Emily came up to the counter. “The usual. How bad is it when you have a ‘usual’ at a bakery?”

“I don’t think it’s bad at all.” I walked over and pulled a pecan roll off the tray. “Should I bother with the whole pretense of putting it in a bag?”

Emily snatched a napkin from the dispenser. “Nope, just hand that baby over. I need my pecan bun fix. It’s been a long morning at the shop. Lucille decided to have a sidewalk sale. Talk about spur of the moment. I walked in this morning, and she was snapping her fingers at me.” Emily attempted to snap her fingers, but they were already sticky with glaze. “‘I’ve decided to have a sidewalk sale, Emily, so carry tables and racks outside.’ Next thing I know, I’m dragging tables and boxes of clothes out to the sidewalk. People were rummaging through the stuff like it was lost treasure.”

“We’ve been crazy here today, too. This is the first lull all morning. I love summer, but I won’t be sad to see it end this year.”

“Well, I’ve got to get back to the shop. You’re going with me to Comstock Bar tonight, right? Moonstone is playing, of course. I think they’ll be here for a few more weeks.”

I hadn’t even thought about it, but now that she brought it up, a knot grew in my stomach. How was I going to go with her to watch the band, holding two big secrets in my brain, one that the band would be breaking up, and two, the real big one, that I’d become more than just Nash Ledger’s dog walker.

“Oh, come on,” she pleaded. “If you don’t go, then I’ll have to ask Kelly, and she whines the whole time about it being too loud and too crowded and that there aren’t any cute guys in the bar. She’s one big, continuous complaint, that one.”

“Let me see how I feel later.” The truth was I loved the idea of going to watch Nash on stage. It would just be more enjoyable without the big secrets hanging overhead. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Emily scooted closer to the counter. “How is he? The neighbor? Have you seen him recently? Has he asked about me?”

The lies were going to give me a stomachache, but I didn’t have time to come up with a workaround. “I’ve spotted him a few times, but we haven’t spoken.” All morning I’d been wishing the flow of customers would stop, but now, I was thrilled when a group of three women stepped inside. “I’ve got to get back to work, too, Emi. I’ll let you know later about tonight.”

ChapterTwenty-Six

Nash

Rocky and I walked up from the beach, both of us soaked and salty. “Stay,” I told him. He sat and looked very insulted as he looked up at me. I walked inside to get a towel, and the dog hopped up enthusiastically for a brisk rubbing. I lifted the towel, and he gave himself a major shake.

Ronnie showed up a few minutes later. I wasn’t expecting her, but she was the one bandmate I was always glad to see. “I was just at Whisper Cove Café having a late lunch. That place makes awesome sweet potato fries.” She patted her stomach. “Rocky, my man, what are you up to?” She petted him and then lifted her hand. “Didn’t know he was wet.”

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