Page 35 of Sugarlips
I shrugged. “You have a lot on your plate. And I know you and Neil are struggling to pay off your mom’s bills—”
“We’re not struggling nearly as much now that Neil’s check from the reality show came in. Besides, we’repartners.”
It didn’t really feel like I had a partner this week, which was admittedly my own doing. Fear lurked in the back of my mind that Liam would walk away from the business. Leave me with a stupid food truck and no skills to cook or serve from it. “I didn’t want to burden you. Not when I had promised to make this as easy on you as I could.”
Liam closed the distance between us and put his arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. It caught me so off-guard that I actually gasped into his shoulder as he said, “You did… and at your own expense. I shouldn’t have let you do all this work without me. That’s not what a good business partner does. I’m so sorry.”
I blinked in shock as he pulled back, pushing me to arm’s length, but keeping his hands gently on my shoulders. “Even still, you knocked this out of the park, Chloe. It’s perfect.”
My grin widened and my eyes flicked to where Liam’s tongue slid across his bottom lip.
The draw to lean in and kiss him was so strong, so potent. “Chloe?” Liam’s raspy voice saying my name did nothing to abate the pulse between my legs or the stare I had locked on his full, slick pout.
“Yeah?” I whispered, slowly dragging my gaze up to his.
“Knock, knock!” A loud bang came on the side of the truck, and I jumped, nearly falling into the refrigerator. “Chloe, are you in there?”
It was my sister.Shit.My sister. Who I had promised that never in a million years would I get involved with Liam.
I caught my breath, hitching it high in my lungs, and threw open the awning to peek out of the truck. “Hey!” I cried. My voice was just a fraction too shrill. My eyes, a tad too wide. My smile, slightly too rigid.
And if anyone in the world would notice, it would be my big sister.
Sure enough, she paused, examining me. “You okay?”
“Um, yeah. Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh…kay. Oh, hey Liam! It’s good you’re both here. I just need your signatures here on the permit, and you are good to go.” Elaina slid the permit and a pen across the counter toward us. I clicked the top of the pen and scribbled my name and date at the bottom, then handed it to Liam to do the same.
“I scheduled you an inspection for nine tomorrow morning. He’s agreed to meet you here in the parking lot, since I figured that would be easier for you, Liam. Don’t be late. He’s squeezing you in as a favor to me so that you can hit your soft open.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do I feel like you’re talking solely to me about not being late?”
Her mouth twisted and she gave me a look. You knowthatlook. The pointed, judgmental kind that saysc’monwithout actually saying it. “Uh. Because I know you. I shared a bathroom with you for eighteen years and practically had to drag you into my car every morning for school.”
“And also,” Liam added, “I work here… so, you know, I’m not going to be late.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “You’re not helping.”
He shrugged, seeming unaffected by my warning. “I had first period calculus with you junior year… and you were never on time.”
“Was itmyfault that my locker was on the other side of the building?”
Liam pressed his lips together and shared a look with Elaina. It only lasted for a second before I threw my hands into the air. “That wasyearsago, guys! I promise I won’t be late tomorrow, okay?”
“Good enough for me,” Elaina said, then lifted on her toes to try to peer into the truck. “You got any sweets back there right now?”
I shook my head, looking around the bare kitchen. “Not a single one.”
Liam hitched his thumb over his shoulder toward Beefcakes. “I’ve got some in there, though. Even got a cupcake that’s made wi—”
“No, no,” Elaina said hastily, backing away from the truck. “I’m fine. I have yogurt and almonds waiting for me at my office.” With a small wave, she dashed off, nearly diving into her car and screeching out of the parking lot.
Liam sighed dramatically. “Wow, just the prospect ofwalkinginto the bakery had her pulling aFast & Furiousout of the parking lot.”
“Yeah. I think there’s a lot of memories in there that she’d rather avoid.”
“So, they’re still not talking?” Liam asked.
