Page 16 of Sugar and Spice
“Okay, not the road. The trail? I mean you have tons of those around town, don’t you?” Bunny asked, one hand going to her hip as she glanced around her. The townsfolk that had gathered had almost completely dispersed but some were still lingering in the square. I spied a few of them sitting on benches sipping cocoa, others pretending to stare at the skyline, and still others making a show of fussing over the Christmas decorations. God, it was getting worse by the second. They were adding to the mistletoe and tinsel that was already there. And was that fake snow someone was dumping on the ground? We had real snow. The area around us was fast resembling a snow globe under the hands of the gathered townsfolk. Whatever Bunny was about to say, the entire town would know within the hour.
“Yeah, we do but what does that-” Austin began, but Bunny was speaking again.
“You two have real chemistry, and I think we should make the most of that. Which is why I’m proposing we have a head-to-head bake off in the woods!”
“A what?” Austin and I asked in unison.
Bunny brought her fists together gleefully. “A head-to-head bake off! Just think of it. Viewers will be expecting all lovey dovey vibes but the two of you are like gasoline and fire. Can’t hide fire from me, you two! Bet it could burn this whole town down. I see the inferno you’re barely keeping a handle on.”
Austin shook his head. “No, we aren’t.”
“We are so in love, andvery soft,” I insisted.
Bunny sighed at us. “Don’t try and tamp down the passion I see between you. We want to feed into that with a little competition. It’ll be great! You’ll see! We are going to have you two baking in the woods, using only fire and whatever you can make from the land, and we will cap it off with a little overnight stay.”
“This sounds like Survivor,” I said. “I thought you wanted to focus on our bakeries? The community?Our marriage?”
“Oh, we will, we will,” Bunny hedged, but I didn’t believe the woman for a damn second. She wanted sensationalism. Hadn’t spared a second thought about jumping on the drama of my father bursting into Carey’s. There would be none of that focus on Clarity and what made it special, just Austin and I duking it out with sticks and dough in the wild. All of this, and we had just started working together. What the actual hell?
Austin cleared his throat and then stepped close to Bunny. “The extra ten grand is still on the table?” he asked.
“Sure is.”
“And are we making our shelters as well as cooking out on damn rocks?” he asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about that. We have a lovely little cabin I just reserved for you to use. Anything you find in it is fair game to use in your bake off. You can just think of the change in filming as a little romantic getaway. We don’t want Survivor vibes, just a little healthy competition,” she laughed.
“Yeah...yay,” I said weakly while Austin snorted at me.
“We think it’s a great idea. We look forward to the change in filming.”
“Perfect! We are having the ingredients driven to the cabin as we speak. I’ll have the car brought around to get us on the move. The crew will start filming in a few minutes, so take a second to breathe and then it’s show time!” Bunny grinned at us and then, before I could try and find the words as to why this was a bad idea, she bounced off.
“We are fucked,” I told Austin.
“No we aren’t. Don’t be so negative.”
“What do you mean don’t be negative? You know we can’t have a healthy competition. I throw your butter in bodies of water and you—you sabotage me at every turn.”
“Look, it’s noteveryturn. I just sort of push you off the ledge when I’m offered the opportunity.”
“And that is supposed to make me trust you?” I asked dryly.
“I’m your fake husband. We are a team, remember? No secrets. Unified front. I’ve got your back to get the bag.”
“I still don’t get why you’re helping me.”
He shrugged. “Don’t worry about the why, just know that I am. Now, get a smile on your face and kiss me, because Bunny is hopping back this way.”
“Austin I don’t think that-”
“Kiss me, goddammit.”
“Oh all right.”
CHAPTER8
AUSTIN
