Chapter Seventeen
The Brewed Muffin—Take Two
“Everything’s ready out here,” Gertrude said from the kitchen doorway. “People are already waiting outside for us to open. The line is huge! It’s so exciting, yes?”
“Yeah. Exciting.” More like nerve-racking. I raised my hand in the air and did a little pumping motion. “Go, team. And stuff.”
She laughed and returned to the main dining room.
Having been through it once before didn’t make it any easier. Panic set in whenever I thought of the crowds of people and that huge line Gertrude mentioned. Had we baked enough cookies? Cupcakes? I scanned the platters we’d been working on all morning in preparation for the big day. More nerves.
“Breathe, love,”I imagined Briar saying as he pulled me into his arms.
I missed those arms. I missed the smell of his skin.
“Evan?” William asked. “Are you well?”
“Y-Yeah.” I snapped out of my daze. “I’m just freaking out. A little.”
“So am I,” he said, exhaling. “Edwin will be here with his family.”
“If he hasn’t fallen for you yet, he will after today. I mean, look at these perfect cupcakes.” I pointed to the platter of vanilla ones topped with chocolate buttercream. “How could he not?”
“I learn from the best.” William pushed his glasses farther up his nose, and there was a slight tremble in his hand. “My… my parents won’t be able to come today. They’re attending aluncheon at Lord Delmont’s estate. He oversees the mines and is quite wealthy because of it.”
I heard his heartache over that fact. Saw it in his eyes too. His parents had chosen some rich jerk wad over supporting their son. I made a fist and gently bumped his arm. “We got this. Today will be amazing.”
He smiled. It was shaky. “Yes. It will. We’ve worked too hard for it not to be.”
“Exactly.”
“Thank you, Evan. For everything.” William squeezed my shoulder. “In our short time together, you’ve become a good friend. I’ll miss you when you leave.”
Which would be first thing the following morning. I only needed to stay for opening day. William would then be in charge of hiring other bakers and baristas for the kitchen and training them. I was homesick like crazy, but…
“Yeah.” My throat did that dumb wobbly thing. “I’ll miss you too.”
“Cavalry coming through!” a voice boomed before Callum entered the kitchen. Duke trailed behind him. “We’re here to offer our incredible services to our muffin lord.”
“And to sample anything you need us to,” Duke added, already scoping out the treats. “To ensure it isn’t poisoned, you see.”
Their presence took away the last of my nerves. Gave me courage. The only thing that’d make the moment perfect was if my men were here too. I squeezed the protection stone and took a deep breath, then another. I sensed Briar, Maddox, and Lake from within the necklace. Their energy was imbued within the leather strap, magical stone, and the skillfully crafted wood housing it.
Rowan was missing though. I wanted to feel him with me too.
“There you go, looking like a sad toad again.”
I flipped around, a smile instantly bursting across my face.
Rowan sat on the counter beside the pantry, one leg dangling down and his elbow propped on his raised knee. No hood or mask to hide behind. His dark auburn hair remained pulled to the side and clasped together with a golden cuff as always. What drew my attention the most? The way his gaze lingered on me, the pools of gold warm and maybe even alight with the same joy I felt too. One derived from seeing him.
“How did you get in here?” William asked him, then emitted an exasperated gasp. “And do you truly have your muddy boot on that counter where we makefood? By the gods, do you have no manners or sense of decency?”
“Afraid not.” Rowan hopped down and wiped once where his boot had been. “There. All clean.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. William’s head looked like it was about to pop off.
“Oh!” I held up a finger before rushing over to the prepared desserts, looking for one tray in particular. “I made you something.”
