Page 22 of Whisk Me Away
“I’mfine, Brant,” my words came out as if there was an exclamation point at the end of each one.
His chuckle caught me off guard. Against my will, the sound softened my heart a little.
“Look. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off as demanding. I just want to know how you’re holding up. I want to make sure you are taking care of yourself,” the gentleness in his voice softened my heart the rest of the way, causing me to release a long sigh.
“I’m doing okay. I know I can’t keep this pace up for too long, but honestly, I’m good. I enjoy it just as much as I thought I would. There are definitely hard days, and I am only two weeks in, but I love creating new treats for people to enjoy. Eventually, I will hire some help when I feel I’m financially able.”
“Understandable,” his steady breathing and the sound of birds and trees swaying in the light breeze were the only sounds between us for a few minutes.
"We should head back before anyone notices we’re gone," Brant said quietly.
I tried to mask the disappointment coursing through me at the thought of going back, "Sure."
We turned around and walked the rest of the way back to Gram's in a comfortable silence. That was one of the things I enjoyed most about Brant. He didn't make silence feel awkward. We could just exist in each other's presence and not need anything else.
When we walked up the gravel drive, my parents and Eden stood on the porch saying goodbye to Brant's parents, Brock, and Gram. I gave Brant a small wave before hurrying to join them, giving my round of goodbyes and thank you’s.
I followed Eden, avoiding eye contact with everyone. When I reached the safety of the backseat of Dad's truck, I sagged with relief. I was unprepared to talk about what was running through my brain. Thankfully, my family must have picked up on the signals because the conversation was easy and drifted nowhere near where I had disappeared to.
The jingle upfront drew my attention to a new customer entering the bakery. I was glad I had Dad install the little bell above the front door for moments like this. I was in the back, elbow-deep in flour, preparing another batch of blueberry scones.
After the incident where Brock scared Mia I knew I needed something to alert me if someone were entering the bakery. No more coffee spills on my watch!
“Out in a minute!” I called out to the mystery customer while I rushed to the sink and washed away the dough remnants from my hands. There was still flour covering my apron and probably my hair, but this was what I did. It was impossible to not be covered when working in a bakery. It came with the territory.
I dried my hands on the dish towel before tossing it over my shoulder and pushing through the swinging door.
“Welcome to Whisk Me Away! What can I get for you?” I asked cheerfully, scanning the bakery for the person who had caused the bell to jingle a few minutes before. It took a few seconds to spot them, and when I did, the air got caught in my lungs. I stopped behind the display case, taking in the large frame folded into the pink velvet armchair in the corner by the built-ins.
Brant was in uniform today, which did nothing but enhance his attractiveness. Was there anything this man wore that didn’t make him look good?
He was sitting in the chair with one ankle crossed over the other knee, with a book in one hand while his other moved in slow circles over the arm.
I leaned forward, squinting to read the book title he was pretending to read. I sauntered around the counter and leaned my hip against the front of it.
“Fantasy, huh?” I asked, my tone laced with amusement.
Without removing his gaze from the book, he smirked.
“Oh yeah. Big fan.”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped past my lips. I wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic or not.
“Can I get you anything, Sheriff?” I asked sweetly.
“I’m good. Just had a few minutes and figured I’d stop by and read a book,” his tone was so calm and nonchalant, like he didn’t just flip my world upside down with that one comment.
He remembered my random ramblings from last week in his truck. He came to my bakery today to start the culture of people taking up residence in my little nook area to take a load off and relax. The gesture did funny things to my stomach and my heart. The telltale sting lit my eyes, and I blinked furiously, determined to hold the tears at bay.
Once my emotions were under control, I turned back and headed for the swinging door.
“Holler if you want a coffee or something sweet while you read,” I called over my shoulder. I could have sworn I heard Brant mumble something but I couldn’t quite make out what it was before the door swung closed behind me.
I spent the next hour moving back and forth between baking and helping customers. All the while, Brant never moved from his seat in the corner. From what I could tell, he looked to be reading the book he’d pulled off the shelf. Maybe he really did read books about Fairies and dragons. The thought made me smile. I could picture him curled up at home, reading a book about different creatures in different worlds. It wasn’t my all-time favorite genre, but I had a few favorite authors I liked to read.
After finishing up with the last customer in line, my gaze drifted to Brant, and to my surprise, a young girl was standing in front of the bookshelves, searching through the books. A feeling of excitement bubbled up within my chest as I watched her select a book and get comfy in the chair opposite Brant.
It’s happening! I could hardly believe it! people were sitting down to relax and read, and it was all thanks to the handsome man now staring straight at me.