Page 65 of A Taste of Trouble

She sneered because she could. He had already walked past her into the kitchen.

Instead of following on his heels, Liv let Cross do his thing. She puttered in the front of the store, doing her best to avoid annoying the man. She had better things to do, like serve her very first customer.

The cold winter air swirled around the bakery when an attractive woman stepped through the door and looked up when the bell jingled above her head. She pulled her red coat tighter against her body and inhaled deeply, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

“Good morning and welcome,” Liv said. Maybe she should tone it down a bit. She didn't want to seem too eager.

“Hello.” The woman glided to the counter and extended her hand. “I'm Valerie. Your neighbor. I own the dry cleaner down the street.”

Liv gripped her hand. “Great to meet you.”

“I'm so happy you're finally open.” She smiled brightly, her teeth an abnormal shade of white. “I've been hungry for a cupcake ever since I saw your sign go up.” She peered inside the showcase. “I'll try one Chocolate Explosion, please.”

“Excellent choice.” Liv slipped on a plastic glove and grabbed the cupcake from the showcase. She reached for the single pink box but the woman stopped her.

“No need to waste a box. It's pretty, but it will be gone before I even get back to my store.”

Liv laughed. “Fair enough. That'll be $2.50.”

Valerie pulled out her change purse and rummaged around. She placed two dollars and fifty cents in coins on the counter.

Her very first sale. Liv's stomach danced with excitement. She was going to have to figure out how to frame two dollars in change.

Grabbing the cupcake from the counter, Valerie licked her lips and her eyes focused on Liv. “Fair warning, you might have to ban me from the premises if I start to eat too many cupcakes.”

Liv smiled at the woman's loud chuckle. “No such thing as too many cupcakes.” She dropped the money in the register. “Thank you so much, and it was nice meeting you.”

Valerie raised the cupcake and said, “I'll see you soon.”

Liv hoped every customer was as nice and excited as Valerie. She hoped she had fifty more just like her by the end of the day. She stared out the window into the busy street and sighed. In her dreams. But this was her dream, wasn't it.

Two minutes later, Mr. Cross interrupted her good mood when he asked, “What happened to those boxes in the sink?”

Oh, crap! “A little water damage. We had a power outage this weekend, but as you can see, everything is up and running.”

“As it seems.”

This time when he ripped the paper from his clipboard, the green color settled her nerves.

“You've fixed all of the necessary changes, Ms. Crawford.”

Liv had to stop herself from jumping up and down. She even had to stop herself from shouting a “take that” at Mr. Cross. But she was ever the picture of professionalism. “Thank you, Mr. Cross. I'll see you again in six months?”

“Give or take.” Why did it seem like he was angry at the fact she passed? Did he enjoy finding problems, messing with people's livelihoods? Maybe he was just a bitter city worker.

With the chaos finally behind her, and the green passing notice in her window, Liv's brain finally had the chance to remember the other reason why she was so upset this morning.

Jake.

Maybe she needed someone to walk the journey with. Maybe she wanted someone to come home to, to be there to listen to her ramble about her day. To notice the charm in her expression when she talked about the things she loved most in the world. Austin and Patti were supportive, but they had their own lives to live. She needed more.

But she couldn't put that into words.

Shaking her head, Liv pushed away thoughts of Jake. She had other things to concentrate on. Like getting a quote to reprint her publications. Liv had just checked on her latest batch of cupcakes when the jingle of the front door alerted her to a new customer.

She stole a look under the curtain and froze when she registered Jake standing in front of her. He was persistent. And a glutton for punishment. But something inside her warmed at the sight of him. She did her best to repress the smile she wanted to flash him.

He stood stiffly, his eyes glued to her, his fists clenched at his sides. Like he wanted to punch something.

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