Page 26 of All Mine

I sighed, “But we can’t let someone come in and tell us what to do. I think together we can convince Lewis…”

“If the big company want, a big company will get,” Rishi said. “Our time is better spent looking for new locations.”

“That’s the problem. We have prime locations across from the lake. We’re here first. Why should we give it up because some big-shot outsider thinks he knows better than us?”

“I don’t see any harm in talking to Lewis,” Isaac said.

“Wait, isn’t the guy buying this place your boyfriend?” Colleen asked.

“Absolutely not. And that jerk swears he’s just the middle man. But he is not my friend, let alone boyfriend.” My entire body tensed, pulse-quickening. That he was my boyfriend was a rumor that needed immediate squashing. I wanted nothing to do with Camden Carter. Nothing.

“Everyone knows what happened at Lou’s,” Brody said. “He’s kinda a local hero.”

“Yes, he may have helped Adrian, a little. And for that, I’m grateful. But don’t lose sight that he was there under false pretenses. And we do not trust him.”

They all glanced at each other.

“Whatever,” Brody stretched, “Can I go now?”

Eleven

Camden

On the drive over from my hotel to the bakery, I went over my plea to Lauren. She hadn’t taken the news of someone trying to buy the land so well. What appeal did that place hold for her? From the outside, they weren’t anything special. Although on the inside, the bakery was cozy and homey. A comforting place, with delicious sweet treats. I could understand the popularity. Imagine what she could do with a building that wasn’t run down and had a professional kitchen from the start.

The aromas of coffee, vanilla, and baking apple filled the bakery. It struck me as the scent of autumn. The apple was unusual at the beginning of summer.

A sign sat off to the side with an arrow pointing in the counter’s direction. Anyone could walk right in and up the staircase and stay there without ordering a thing. I followed the arrow.

The other girl worked behind the counter, Bethany, I think. I took my place at the end of the line and craned around, looking. Lauren wasn’t anywhere in sight. According to the chalkboard on the wall, the day’s special was apple fritters, which explained the pervasive aroma. The girl behind the counter struggled to keep up with making coffee drinks and doling out food.

Lewis had called me. The tenants had contacted him, asking him not to sell the land. And since selling hadn’t crossed his mind before, he was leaning towards no on the offer. I’d convinced him not to make any rash decisions on the matter. Since I hadn’t released the new building complex plans, and once the tenants had a visualization, they’d change their minds. There was no doubt where this protest to the landlord originated, and I’d go straight to the source. Why couldn’t the woman mind her own business?

“Just a minute,” she said and turned away when I finally made it to the front of the line. It’d been twenty minutes. Could this girl move any slower?

“Oh, come on,” I muttered. Where was Lauren? Was she still trying to talk Lewis out of selling?

“I’ll be right with you,” she yelled again, slowly placing scones, tarts, and fritters on plates and passing them out.

“What can I get you?” she asked an eternity later.

“About damn time,” I muttered.

She stared at me, “What can I get you?”

I sighed and placed my order, and she herded me to the side to wait for my breakfast and latte.

Bethany moved around in a rush, grabbing food from the case and handing it over. She placed a plate of tarts on the counter for me.

“I ordered lemon scones,” I said.

“Sorry,” she said, pulling the plate back across the counter and replacing it with a new plate of scones. A few minutes later, she handed me a coffee, caramel.

I sat the cup on the counter. “Excuse me,” I called. “You gave me the wrong drink too.”

“Oh,” she looked around bewildered. “Let me see your receipt.”

“I’m telling you, it’s wrong.” I removed the crumpled piece of paper from my pocket and handed it over.

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