Page 94 of Bake You Mine
And if she were patient, additional space in the city could become available, especially if the contest achieved its goal and brought Port Fortune into the spotlight.
She worked out a plan in her sketchbook. Getting organized was half the battle. They could close for a week over New Year’s, then maybe do a grand re-opening with Liam around when Elevation reopened. Would that annoy him?
No, he’d find it cute. He was just supportive. Maybe that’s why she’d come to terms with losing.Of course, she still wanted the prize. It would do wonders for her business. But if she was anything, she was a realist and could sense this prize had all but slipped through her fingers.
“Earth to Aubrey, are you there?” Liam slid his large frame into the booth opposite her.
She slammed her sketchbook closed. “Sorry, I was just doing some sketching.”
“You must’ve been super into it, because I was doing my best interpretive dance in front of the window to get your attention. I think I’m going to end up going viral for all the wrong reasons.”
She laughed. “I apologize for missing it. Do you think you could show me again sometime?”
“I have to work tonight, but tomorrow, maybe?” He leaned across the booth and squeezed her hand. “Or maybe a post-competition celebration? If we’re up for it, I mean? This thing is still up in the air, you know?”
She flipped over her hand and threaded her fingers through his.“You’ve got it.”
He leaned across the table, kissed her, and bustled out the door. Aubrey went back to her sketching, her mind elsewhere. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she came out of the haze. Instead of reimagining Petit Chou’s new organizational system, she’d drawn a rough sketch of Liam’s face.
She drew her thumb over the fine pencil lines of his jaw. She should finish it before the announcement. Seeing his reaction would be the consolation prize her heart needed.
twenty-nine
Aubrey peeredout of the window of the vacant space and exhaled. The wait was almost over. A few more hours, and she’d be either starting construction or beginning an overhaul to make do. The money would’ve been nice, but her dad had always taught her not to spend money until the check had cleared.
Port Fortune PD were busy closing off traffic along Sweet Briar, and work crews had begun to set up for Port Fortune’s Night Out.
She excused herself to the bathroom and took a moment to compose herself. Her anxiety had been tracking upward the closer it got to announcement time. She needed a distraction and began flipping through her social media accounts.
A knock on the bathroom door interrupted her doom-scrolling. “You alive in there?” Ted called.
“Why are you constantly monitoring my bathroom time, you weirdo?”
Tom laughed. “Fuck me for caring about you, dumbass.”
She swung open the door. He gave her a hip bump as she passed by.
“You survived the competition. Now the wait for the winner begins,” Tom said.
She turned to find her best friend standing on the opposite side of the space. “Wedid. Why don’t you start taking credit for your work? Petit Chou isn’t just my baby.”
“I do. And I appreciate you offering me credit. But I’m content to be by your side as the business grows. I don’t need the hassle of being an owner or partner.”
Tom meant what he said, so Aubrey only nodded. “Understood.”
They watched as a crew from the rental company finished lining up tables and chairs to form one long table that ran the center of Sweet Briar. A floral team came behind them, laying down centerpieces.
Over 150 people were expected to be in attendance. Thankfully, Aubrey and Tom had settled on croque madames and had all their supplies ready in one of the two kitchen tents.
“Where’s your fam? Are they coming tonight?” Tom asked.
“Dad has a charity gala in DC that he couldn’t get out of. And Daphne’s got that creeping crud, so Chris kept her home.”
“Well, you’ve got me and Liam. We’ll have to do.” He slung an arm around her shoulder.
“What’s he making, anyhow?”
“His take on peri-peri chicken wings, I think. He waffled, and I think that won out.”
