Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
I smile at the mention of the flirty chick. She’s definitely got an eye on me, but I don’t know what she wants. Yet. “Willow is cool. She’s hot, and she loves to flirt, which I like.”
“Cut the shit, man. You banged her yet, or is she still in play?”
I shrug. “Let’s just say we get each other for now and leave it at that. Oh, and hands off, fucker.”
Diesel starts chuckling and shaking his head. “That’s all I needed to know.”
“Dick,” I mutter under my breath but loud enough for him to hear.
“I just want to know the lay of the land. She’s yours. Hands off. Got it.”
Hands off. Mine. None of that is true yet, but Willow seems like a good-time girl, and I’m a guy in search of a good time.
Chapter Three
Willow
“Hey, Letty, how’s it going back here?” My voice shakes as I check in with my temporary employees. I try to sound like I’m in control of For Goodness Cakes, even though I’m still freaking out about Maven’s arrest.
Grinning, Letty looks up from a big ball of dough. “Going well. I haven’t baked on this scale ever, but in general, not in a long time. It’s crazy how quickly it all comes back.” She looks around at the goods piling up on every flat surface. “How did things go with Maven yesterday?”
I roll my eyes. “Shitty. The stupid fucking detectives took forever to process her to make sure none of us could get in to see her. She was able to meet with the lawyer, though. Hopefully, that made her feel a little better.”
Stupid fucking cops are determined to scare Maven, which makes me think this isn’t about that loser Cyrus at all.
The front door opens, and Kenna rushes in. “Sorry I’m so late, Willow! Kelsey took forever in the shower and rocking the little one back to sleep put me back to sleep too.”
Kenna smacks her face as she shoves her purse under the counter and signs into the register. “I take it I’m on the register today?”
I nod. “Yep. You have experience doing this from the pizza place, right?”
“Yes. I can work any point of sale system. I know how to upsell my ass off, and I’m very good with customers.”
I laugh. “It’s amazing you’re so good with customers considering that underlying bitchiness, but I’ll take it.”
Kenna flashes a fake pout. “Hey, I’ve toned down my bitchiness by like, a lot.”
“That’s because you get dick from a hottie all the time,” I tell her with a grin. “I’ll be in back decorating more goodies and bringing them to the display. If you see anything like crumbs or trash, give it a quick clean and get back behind the counter. The guys are out front, so I don’t expect any trouble.”
“Got it. You can trust me, Willow.”
“I know.” Kenna’s a bitch, but she’s got a squishy center for her friends, and being with Ace has somehow turned her into a better person. “Holler if you need anything.”
The next hour passes in a blur of frosting and fondant, of cookies and cupcakes, muffins, and dozens of loaves of bread. The displays are full with plenty of replacements to last a few hours, and Letty is still baking.
I tell her, “I think we’re good for a while.”
Letty nods. “Seems like it, but word is bound to get around about Maven, and customers will come here to get the gossip.”
“Oh, shit, you’re right.” In my worry over doing a good job and making Maven proud, it didn’t occur to me about the uptick in sales that Maven likes to call the gossip tax.
“Kenna! Let’s add a two-for-one special on cookies and cupcakes.”
Kenna’s head pops into the kitchen, smiling widely. “Two for one on cookies and cupcakes. Anything on the bread?”
I nod and think about what Maven would do in this situation. We make good profits on the bread, so we can afford a discount. “Yeah, let’s do buy one loaf and get one half-off.”
That’s good. Right? I try to sound confident, but I’m going to run it all by Maven if I can get in to see her today. “Cool?”
Kenna nods a little too enthusiastically. “I’ll write ’em up on the specials board.” She disappears, and Letty laughs.
“I think someone is excited to get out of the clubhouse and off baby duty,” Letty says with a shake of her head.
“Now that giddiness makes sense.” It’s not like Kenna, even on her best behavior, to be so cheerful. “I think she got some really good dick last night.”
“You’re bad,” Letty says, a bright blush starting to bloom on her cheeks.
“And that blush tells me you’re the one who got some good dick this morning. Or last night. Recently, anyway.” I stare at Letty as her face gets redder and redder before a loud laugh explodes out of me.