Page 2 of Hers to Marry
Susie’s strength added velocity to Kat, who burst through the doors as though the kitchen was on fire. Startled patrons snapped their heads in her direction, and all eyes were on her.
But the only eyes she saw were the gray-green ones of Andrew Callaghan.
“Drew…” she whispered.
She dug in her heels as her heart skidded to a halt.
Susie tried to conspicuously push her forward, but Kat didn’t budge. Susie eventually gave up that approach and took Kat’s hand, tugging her forward. Kat reluctantly allowed herself to be led closer and closer to Drew.
Who was every bit as gorgeous as Susie implied.
God-like gorgeous—if such a thing existed.
Reddish-brown hair and a matching five o’clock shadow; intense, stormy eyes; and a smile that hinted of…recognition?
Did he truly remember her? It had been…um, math was too hard at this moment. Kat recalled the skinny eight-year-old boy, but the man before her filled out the untucked, button-down shirt that hung nicely over a pair of dark jeans fitted firmly around muscled legs.
“Amazing…” Kat whispered.
“Okay, stop acting crazy,” Susie hissed. She cleared her throat. “Ah, this is our baker—”
“Kat,” Drew said smoothly. “I thought it was you. You look…”
His eyes strayed from her hairnet—which she wished now she had followed Susie’s advice and removed—down to her flour and icing-covered apron.
A mess. She looked a mess. If he just said it, it’d be over and she could start dealing with the aftermath. Why hadn’t she ditched the apron, at least? She wasn’t overweight, but at least she could’ve shown off her legs in the slimming yoga pants she wore.
Susie interrupted. “Oh, she doesn’t normally look like this. The hairnet and apron are really deceptive, believe me.” Susie laughed awkwardly, pinning wide, accusatory eyes on Kat.
Kat wanted to drown in a vat of her own icing. At least she’d be smiling when she took her last breath.
Drew laughed. “You look amazing, Kat. I remember you had knobby knees and your mouth was too big for your face.” He wagged his brows.
Kat ducked her head. Her legs happened to be one of her best features. The Kaye sisters all had long, dancer legs, although Keke was the dancer of the trio. Their height was one thing they could thank their father for inheriting.
The only thing.
As for her mouth? Kat pinned her bottom lip beneath her top teeth. She had full, round lips, the kind models used fillers to recreate, and she kept telling herself one day they would be kissed in a way that would truly make her swoon.
“But now…” Drew’s voice faded as his eyes settled in on her face. Kat couldn’t read them, but she liked how they were looking at her.
Drew’s smile turned shaky. “Uh…” He held up a half-eaten cupcake. “Incredible. You made this?”
Kat nodded. “It’s one of my newest flavors. Has a touch of elderberry in it.”
“Wow. Yeah, it’s really, really good. I ordered a dozen of them.” He looked down at the display case. “If everything in here tastes as good as this, then I would order everything, but then I’d never leave the gym.” A hand went to his stomach, and he laughed.
From what Kat could see, his shirt hung smoothly over his abs. They were probably just as muscular as his arms, which bulged and strained the fabric. Kat’s eyes scanned the expanse of his chest. He definitely spent a lot of hours in the gym—time well spent.
“I wouldn’t mind it,” Susie spoke. “Cake and gym seems like an excellent combination. Kat doesn’t eat all day, contrary to popular belief. She works out regularly too.”
Okay, she would definitely choke on icingandcake.
Kat didn’t know where to look, so she hopelessly stared at Drew, who winked.
“I’m surprised Kat even bakes. I remember she burned our mud pies.”
Susie laughed heartily while Kat smirked. “Those weren’t edible anyway.”
