Page 29 of Fire and Icing

This whole morning has been unexpected. I figured I’d come in, say the line the guys are making me say, get shot down one more time, try to convince Emberleigh to give me the donuts anyway, and return to the station with my tail between my legs. Instead, I seem to have caught Emberleigh on a morning whenshe’s a little more open. I’m known for pressing my luck. I can’t really help myself. My mom says it’s one of my most endearing qualities. My brother and sister would beg to differ. Whether it’s an asset or a curse, it’s just who I am.

“Come on, I’m charming. And I definitely can’t bake. I could pretend to be your significant other and you could enter the contest."

Emberleigh eyes me skeptically, "You? My partner?”

I grin, "I can follow instructions. Plus, think of the publicity. And the prize money. It’s worth a shot, right?"

“Yes!” Sydney nearly shouts.

“I don’t know,” Emberleigh says.

The bell over the door tinkles and a couple of women enter.

“I’ve got it,” Sydney says.

We’re alone, Emberleigh and I, separated by the glass display case. She’s eyeing me as if she can see through to my soul. I stand stock still, giving her time to consider her options.

"This would be strictly professional,” she finally says. “No funny business."

I raise my hands in mock surrender, "Scout's honor."

“Were you even a scout?”

“Nah. But you have my word. Think of this as my penance for hauling you out of your home.”

“Like an oaf,” she says with a smile.

“Like an oaf,” I agree.

Chapter 7

Emberleigh

I don’t know how people can fake whole relationships.

I can’t even fake a hello to someone I don’t like.

~ Ziad K. Abdelnour

I runmy hand down my apron—again. Dustin is supposed to be here any minute. He said he’d take a break from work and meet me here.

The bakery is usually my safe space, a comfort when the rest of the world feels loud and demanding. I can lose myself in creating sweets and baked goods, and everything melts away.

Tonight the darkened storefront feels empty—almost too quiet. Everything’s wiped down, put away, mixed and prepped for tomorrow.

I submitted my application—our application—to Plated Network after Dustin agreed to be my partner. I wasn’t sure we’d get in, but we did! So, now we’re doing this thing. And I’m beyond nervous.

I look around the bakery, trying to think of something to occupy my time. Shuffling the already organized coffee supplies,I hum a song my mom used to sing to me when I was little. I should call my parents. Not now, obviously, but it’s been too long. Gran would tell me to call them. She’d shake her head and make a tsking sound at me if she knew how long it had been since I initiated a call to Mom and Dad.

As soon as I’m finished meeting with Dustin, I’m going to Gran’s to settle into the upstairs bedroom. It’s my home away from home for at least the next few weeks. My house has been going from bad to worse with the restoration work going on in the kitchen. It’s crazy how something so small can wreak so much damage.

I startle at the sound of the back door flying open.

“Are you okay?” Sydney asks. She’s holding a baseball bat overhead in one hand and a frying pan in the other.

“You scared the living bejeebers out of me,” I tell her, dropping my hand from where I raised it to my chest.

“What are you still doing here?” she asks.

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