Page 7 of A Cheesecake Christmas

And like a glutton for punishment, I’m moving in next door to where she works. For what? To torture myself until she’ll agree to go out with me?

Because that’s all I need. She’s gotten under my skin, and I don’t like that I can’t seem to crack the Aria code. I can’t figure out what makes her tick. And yes, it bothers me that she doesn’t like me.

Except, the weird thing is, somehow, Aria being mad at me is more pleasurable than any other woman being nice to me.

Chapter 3

Aria

I have to remove my apron and stand in front of the fan in the kitchen when I get back inside. Because Theo is like a little burr under the skin, and I’m overheating.

And continuing to think of him is a reflex that feels wrong.

Because, in theory, in some universe and in some way, I could like Theo.

Intheory. But only because I’m now single.

Rob and I broke up several weeks ago.

Strangely, this hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be. Rob gave me an ultimatum in the spring: move to Arkansas and get engaged, or we part ways.

I asked him for some time to think.

And I thought about it, all summer and into the fall, wondering if we kept things going a while longer if everything would become clear and a decision, one way or the other, would feel right. But when he brought it up again in September, I couldn’t agree to it. We ended the conversation no longer together.

We’d been a couple for four years, so it wasn’t a surprise that he asked me to make a decision. Rob’s a good guy. Stable, safe, and loyal. But the thought of taking that next step filled me with such dread.

And that was the thing that made the decision for me: the dread.

“It’s November.” Camilla comes into the kitchen to help Elijah, our delivery guy, load up the carts with our shipments for the day. “No fans.”

I shoot her a look. Yes, technically, she’s my boss. But she’s been my best friend for way longer. “Give me one minute. I’ve been dealing with Theo. Did you know he has a Beemer?”

“You didn’t? He’s had it for a while.”

“I’ve never noticed, but it was blocking the van.” I fan the bottom hem of my sweater in and out. “We’ve got to work out the parking with . . . what’s the firm called again? Weatherby and—?”

“Knowles,” Camilla supplies. “Weatherby and Knowles. A father-in-law, son-in-law type of deal. Well, father-in-law, son-in-law, and then Theo, the tagalong.”

Something about Theo being a tagalong makes me laugh. It’s a ridiculous notion because he has such a large presence. He could never be an afterthought. “And why are they moving in next door?” I shake my head. There aren’t many lawyers in town, and I was surprised to hear that the firm Jesse’s brother works for was one of the businesses taking part in the tax breaks and incentives that come with the downtown revitalization.

“Because they’ve had their old building since Weatherby’s grandfather started the firm, apparently. It was small and in a bad location. They recently sold it.”

“This location’s not much better.”

“Not yet anyway,” Camilla chides. “But they’re some of the brave souls who decided to take on this adventure to bring traffic over to this side of town. I, for one, am grateful to them. It can only help our business.”

Yes. But at what cost?

I almost say that aloud, but then I think better of it. Camilla already knows that Theo and I are like oil and water. There’s no sense mentioning it again.

Camilla rests her lower back against the counter. “Jesse suggested we expand our Christmas offerings. Our flagship shortbread is great, but he thinks adding something new for the holidays, something different from the shortbread, would bring in new customers.”

“Huh. I like that idea. What did you have in mind?”

“Well, nothing. That’s the problem. I can’t think of anything special enough.”

“Don’t worry, Camilla. We’ll come up with something good.”

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