Page 26 of Break My Heart
‘Take the fritters, just in case.’ She shoves them in my hand, then reaches up to kiss my cheek. ‘Goodbye, honey.’
‘Bye, Mom.’ I race out of there before Nick shows up and gives me my third lecture for the day. I feel like my whole family has turned against me ever since Gina came to town. They’re acting like she and I should be friends, which makes no sense. You don’t make friends with the enemy.
Or maybe I should. If I became friends with Gina, maybe I could find out how she knows so much about making beer, where she learned this stuff and who taught her. Maybe if we were friends, she’d stop running price specials that make people choose her bar over mine.
Keep your enemies close. I’ve heard it a million times but never had to use it until now. The question is .?.?. how do I get Ginato spend time with me? She can’t stand me, and she knows I feel the same way about her. She’ll get suspicious if I invite her to do something, unless I phrase it just the right way.
As I drive to her brewery, I practice what to say to her, how to ask her out without actually asking her out. This isn’t a date. It’s just two people spending time together, getting to know each other. She’ll probably turn me down, but it’s worth a shot. I feel kind of guilty doing this, but it’s not like I’m trying to steal her recipes. I’m just trying to protect my business and make sure she doesn’t do something to destroy it. I don’t think she would, but it’s possible. I don’t trust her. I’m almost positive she cheated during the trail race back at camp. I think she went off the route and took a shortcut. There’s no way she beat me following the actual route. I’m a fast runner and that trail was full of rocks and twigs. She had to have tripped at least once, slowing her down. She tripped just walking through the orchard today.
When I get to G’s I go around to the back, assuming Gina’s working in her office since the place doesn’t open until four. I knock on the door, then ring the bell the delivery guys use.
Gina opens the door, looking more annoyed than surprised at my unexpected visit. ‘What do you want?’
‘To give you these.’ I hand her the sack of fritters. ‘A peace offering.’
‘What is this?’ she asks, holding the sack far away from her, like she’s expecting it to blow up.
‘My mom’s apple fritters. They’re fresh from the oven.’
‘Why are you giving me these?’
‘To make up for being an ass back at the orchard. I was just surprised seeing you there. But I shouldn’t have talked to you that way. You have every right to be there.’
She tilts her head and narrows her eyes. ‘Is this some kind of trick?’
‘No, I’m just being nice.’
She opens the sack and looks inside. ‘Are these poisoned?’
‘No! What the hell? I try to do something nice and you accuse me of trying to poison you?’
She pulls out a fritter and takes a bite. ‘They’re really good. Your mom made these?’
‘She’s been making them for years. We sell them at the orchard. People come from all over just to buy them. On the weekends, we sell out of them by noon.’
‘Tell your mom thanks.’ She drops the fritter in the sack. ‘See you, Sawyer.’ She goes to shut the door.
‘Wait!’ I push on the door. ‘I’m not done.’
She leans against the door frame and flings her hair over her shoulder. She took off the flannel shirt, leaving her in just the tank top and jeans. I’m trying really hard not to look at her tits, but they’re right there, her nipples on display because she’s not wearing a bra. ‘Hurry up. What do you want?’
My eyes dart back to her face. ‘I want to take you to dinner. A welcome to town dinner.’
‘I’ve been here for almost two months.’
‘Yeah, but you’ve probably been working that whole time.’
‘Most of it, but I’ve gone out a few times.’
‘C’mon, just let me take you for dinner, and afterward I can give you a tour of the town.’
‘I don’t need a tour. It’s not that big.’
I sigh. ‘Okay, what will it take to get a yes? And please don’t make me beg.’
‘Why are you insisting I have dinner with you?’
‘Because I feel bad about how I acted and I want to make it up to you.’
