Page 20 of Sweet Rivals

“I was just waiting for the right time,” I said.

“And what time was that?” he asked, folding his arms over his chest and leaning up against the window of MY bakery.

I willed myself not to look at his strong, muscular arms. I took a deep breath. I had lost control of this conversation. “When I was sure.” I shook my head and shrugged.

“Sure of what? You seem pretty sure now.”

“I don’t mean sure. I’ve always been sure. I was born to run this bakery.” Holy shit that was lame. “I just, wanted to, you know, get all my ducks in a row or whatever.” My brain was failing me, and I felt the first prickling of tears threaten my eyes. How had this gone so far south so quickly? He asked me a few stupid questions and I was ready to fall apart. “You know what?” I said, lifting my chin and reminding myself of my mantra. If I had been Carrie, I would have made the glass he was leaning on shatter, so that he fell over like an idiot. Then I could point and laugh.

“What?” he asked. That knowing smirk was back.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

“No, you don’t,” he said. “But we are at an impasse. You seem to want the bakery I just purchased.”

“Like I said, it won’t be a problem for long,” I said, although I didn’t know how it could possibly be true.

“You know that I have a history of very successful restaurants under my belt,” he said, and I could only term it as smug gloating.

“Chain restaurants backed by your family’s company. Like I said, this isn’t a chain restaurant kind of place. You won’t be able to fall back on your tried-and-true methods of cheap menu items and khaki-covered walls. And,” I said, stepping closer to wag my finger in his face. As soon as I was within his orbit, I regretted the decision. I could feel the heat coming off his body and all I wanted to do was run my fingers along his biceps and shoulders. “It is now my life’s mission to make your life harder.”

He unfolded his arms and stepped even closer to me. I had to crane my neck up to continue looking in his startling brown eyes that looked at me like he could see every thought in my head. My breath caught in my throat, and I thought for a second he was going to kiss me again. With his body so close, I couldn’t decide if that was a bad thing or not. He leaned down, my eyes following the movement of his lips before they moved past me to brush against my ear. I forgot how to breathe.

“I look forward to it,” he whispered into my ear before pulling back, turning around and opening the door to the bakery. “See you around, Jenna.”

Chapter Fifteen

“Ilook forward to it?” Cat’s face screwed up in confusion.

“I know! The nerve of that guy. Like he is accepting a challenge or something. Do we think he is a psychopath?” I asked, taking a sip of my matcha latte. I had already had my coffee that morning, so I couldn’t justify the jitters of having a second. Still, I needed something to keep my hands busy.

“Maybe he likes you,” Cat said, lifting an eyebrow over her iced peppermint mocha.

The coffee place kept the peppermint syrup stocked all year round just for her. You can take the girl out of the Christmas shop, but you can’t take the Christmas out of the girl, I thought with a shake of my head.

“There is no way he likes me. Number one, he doesn’t know me. Number two, we aren’t in high school. I don’t buy into that he’s mean ‘cause he likes you bullshit,” I said. I hadn’t told her about the kiss. I didn’t want to add any fuel to her theory. Even if this guy thought he liked me two days ago, he certainly wouldn’t after I made his life a living hell, so it didn’t matter.

“Jay did,” Cat said with a shrug.

“’Cause Jay is insane. No offense,” I said.

Cat shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as if she were in full agreement. “I’m just saying, stranger things have happened.”

“It doesn’t matter. The man is clearly off his rocker.”

“Off his rocker? Where do you come up with these things?” she asked, trying and failing to hold back a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. “That is a totally normal thing to say.”

“If you’re eighty!”

“I’m an old soul.”

“An old soul out for revenge!” Cat said, her eyes sparkling. “That would make a great band name.”

“Or a horror movie title,” I said.

“I’m gonna do a photo series of that,” Cat said, and I could see that I was losing her. Her bright eyes sparkled with the sort of creative thought that I wished I had.