Page 1 of Dating Your Fake Fiance
1
DANA
I knew that walking away from my family’s wealth and guaranteed high-powered position at the company after college was a risky move, but I knew it wasn’t the life for me. Baking is my passion, and opening my own bakery was always going to be the end goal for me.
Growing up, I spent most of my childhood in the kitchen watching Martha, our cook, prepare an assortment of desserts for the many dinner parties and events my parents would host at the house. Even at a young age, she would trust me to measure out the ingredients and hand them off to her as she prepared her latest edible work of art. Martha believed in me and my dream when no one else did, and I promised her before she passed away two years ago that I would open my own bakery, just as we planned. And I did.
“You do know you have to pay for everything you're eating," I tell my brother Carter as he stuffs another cake pop in his mouth.
“But I’m family,” he says around a mouth full of red velvet.
“Just because you are family doesn't mean I'm giving you the moocher discount. I have a business to run—for now.”
He swallows his mouthful in one gulp. “What do you meanfor now?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “Forget I said anything.”
“Is the bakery in trouble?”
I turn away from him and pretend to focus on filling the dessert case with a tray of fresh butter tarts. It’s not his concern that after only a year in business, I’m not showing the growth I need if I have any hope of keeping the doors of The Cake Hole open.
“Dana, come on,” Carter urges me. “You can talk to me.”
I’m so used to my younger brother being the slightly self-absorbed wild child of the family that I forget that when he wants to be, he can show a more caring side. It’s not something he shows to many people, but I’m glad that I’m lucky enough to be one of them.
“I’m having a hard time getting my name out there,” I tell him. “People who do wander in here love my desserts, but if I hope to make this a sustainable business, I need to get more traffic in here.”
“You could always talk to—”
“Don’t say mom,” I say, holding up my hand to stop him. “If I asked her for help to recommend me to her charity friends, then I’d never hear the end of how she singlehandedly saved the business she warned me not to open.”
Carter makes a face. “Yeah, that sounds just like her.”
“Besides, I have a few things planned to try and bring things around.”
“Like what?”
“I’m meeting with someone soon to go over plans for a new logo and menu design." I shrug. "Maybe something eye-catching outside will help draw people in."
The bell of the bakery door chimes, and we both turn to see Charlie walking in, one half of the new design team I hired. My heart starts thumping double time in my chest when his blue eyes find mine, and the corner of his mouth twists up into a smile. Although I did not hire him because he's just so yummy to look at, but it certainly didn't hurt. But his business partner Kelsey is gorgeous, and I can't be sure if there is something more going on between them. I think that reason alone might be the only reason my panties don't burst into flames when he looks at me like he is right now.
“You’re looking a little flushed,” Carter whispers to me, snapping me back to reality.
“Will you please leave?” I hiss under my breath.
“And miss this?” He chuckles. “Not in your life.”
“I know I’m early,” Charlie says, pointing to one of the empty tables. “But I can wait here until you are ready.”
“It’s fine,” I say, pushing Carter towards the door. “He was just leaving.”
“But I wanted to stay and see if I can help,” he says, rooting himself in his spot.
“If you don’t leave, I will tell your next girlfriend all about how you used to wet the bed until you were nine.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “I didn’t do that.”
“Sure, you didn’t, little brother.”
