Page 88 of And I Love Her

Rory jerked her thumb toward the walk-in freezer. “Getting more éclairs.”

As her sister returned to the front, Callie put her satchel in the office and grabbed an apron from the back shelf.

Eleanor emerged from the freezer with rosy cheeks and a tray of éclairs. “Hi, honey. Did you see the crowd?”

“Not yet.” Callie tied the apron around her waist. “Rory said it was tourists?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not questioning it.” Eleanor extended the tray. “If you’re going out front, can you please take these with you?”

“Sure.” Callie took the éclairs and started toward the front. A busy bakery was a happy and successful bakery, so she was grateful for whatever had caused this sudden influx of customers.

She pushed through the swinging wooden doors with her hip, then turned as soon as the large tray cleared the doorway. All the tables were full, and a line of customers snaked clear to the cold case.

She set the tray on the counter. A sudden energy charged through the air—voices rising, chairs scraping against the floor, forks clattering onto plates.

“That’s her!”

Callie’s heart jammed into her throat. Before she could move, over two dozen people surged toward her. The sea of faces blurred in front of her eyes, then flashbulbs began popping and exploding. She threw her hands upward to block them. Her vision darkened.

“How long have you been dating Jake Ryan?” someone shouted.

Oh dear God.Panic erupted in her veins.

“How did the two of you meet?”

“Are you the reason he backed out ofFatal Glory 7?”

“Did you and Jake know each other as kids?”

“What is your statement about the allegation that he assaulted a reporter?”

The flashbulbs blinded her. Somewhere in the distance, she heard Rory shouting at everyone to “back the fuck off.” Eleanor rushed in from the kitchen, her eyes wide with shock.

“How long have you been dating Jake Ryan?” a tall blonde woman demanded again.

“How… did you…” Callie’s words tripped over each other.

“Leave her alone.” Rory shoved between Callie and the woman, flinging her arms out. “None of your damned business.”

Callie closed her hand around her sister’s wrist. Her heart hammered. Did the paparazzi know Jake was still in Bliss Cove? Had they also swarmed the bookstore?

Maybe not.

Maybe she could somehow warn him in advance, if she could keep this mob from leaving. Still holding on to Rory, she took a breath and lifted her gaze to the blonde woman.

“Jake Ryan and I are old friends from high school.”

The woman almost sneered. She flipped her phone around and shoved it at Callie. “Friends, huh?”

Callie stared at a distant, blurry photo of her and Jake exchanging a kiss outside of Ruby’s Kitchen. How had she gotten that picture? How long had someone been following them? Who told them Jake was even here?

She stumbled backward, losing her grip on her sister. With a swipe of her arm, Rory batted the woman’s cell phone away. “All of you, get the hell out!”

Flashbulbs kept popping. Cameras clicked. The crowd rushed forward again as people in the back tried pushing their way to the front.

“In case you didn’t hear…” Eleanor thrust her hands up high. “You are all toget the hell outor I will call the police.”

“Are you Eleanor Prescott?” a man yelled. “Were you aware your daughter is dating Jake Ryan?”

---