Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
He groaned when he read the label next to the display cabinet.
Pumpkin Spice cupcakes from Little Cakes.
Pumpkin spice happened to be his favorite flavor, and they looked like they were piled high with cream cheese frosting. He loved this time of year when everything was pumpkin spice from muffins to coffee. Some of his coworkers made fun of him for indulging in the sweet-flavored coffee each fall, but he didn’t care. It was delicious.
He wished he had some now to go with this cupcake, but he hadn’t been kidding earlier. Coffee was a no-no for him after noon. It would keep him up at night and turn the next day into an exhausted rat race.
Hunter considered himself a good doctor. At least he hoped so. His patients always seemed to like him. He had a better bedside manner than some people, including some of the staff in his ER. He always took the time to listen to his patients and look them in the eye.
Granted, the past few days he’d probably been slightly less attentive since he’d had CC on his mind nearly constantly. He’d found himself rushing to her room every chance he got, ignoring the knowing looks and grins from the rest of the staff.
Hunter had been truly concerned when he’d gotten his first look at CC’s hand. It had been red and swollen and looked painful. He’d thrown everything he could at the infection, grateful when Dr. Okino had narrowed down the specific type of infection and gotten CC on the best course of antibiotics.
He’d tried to remain as professional as possible with CC, but that plan had quickly flown at the window when he’d spotted the cute kitten stuffie and impulsively bought it for her.
Surely she hadn’t misunderstood his intentions when he’d visited her that first time in her room with a gift and a smoothie. She had seemed shocked but also grateful and pleased.
Hunter opened the box, picked up the pumpkin spice cupcake, peeled the wrapper back, and took a big bite, careful to get the right proportion of frosting and cake. He groaned as soon as it hit his taste buds.
Little Cakes was one of the newer shops in town, and he knew it was a hit for all ages of people, but he hadn’t had a chance to visit yet. If all their cupcakes were as delicious as this one, he’d have to start going there after work to pick up a few.
Now that he intended to have CC around as much as possible, picking up cupcakes for the Little girl seemed like the best idea in the world. Not that he needed an excuse to eat cupcakes. No one did. They were a food group, even for somewhat health-conscious doctors.
As he swallowed another bite, he chuckled to himself. Until pumpkin spice season was over, he wouldn’t have a single clue what any other flavor of cupcake tasted like from Little Cakes. This would be his flavor of choice every time he went there until the last batch was gone for the season.
Hunter finished off the cupcake, tossed the wrapper in a nearby trashcan, and pulled out a chair to wait for CC to finish her meeting. He stared longingly at the rest of the cupcakes still trying to lure him to the counter, but one was enough. For now. Maybe Sunshine would let him take a few home. Hopefully.
Chapter Six
CC somehow managed to tamp down her emotional overload caused by the hunky Daddy waiting in the main room of her shop to hold her meeting with Sunshine.
They went through the responsibilities of an assistant manager, negotiated an increase in salary, and shook hands on the deal.
CC found herself relieved. Having someone else in the store she could count on would make her life much less stressful. It always had. Sunshine had kept the place running without a single incident for three days.
Granted, several police officers and other friends had stopped by, but CC knew Sunshine had been the director of the show and hadn’t needed any of the others to help her keep things running like a tight ship.
“So…” Sunshine grinned and glanced over her shoulder at the empty doorway. She lowered her voice and leaned forward. “As the new assistant manager, I hope I’m not stepping out of line when I say that man is mouthwatering. Please tell me he asked you out.”
CC’s face heated but she didn’t mind Sunshine mentioning Hunter. She was too giddy inside to feel anything but excited butterflies. “He did.”
Sunshine quietly clapped her hands together. “I’m so excited for you. You deserve all the best.”
“Thanks. I’m kind of nervous. I haven’t been on a date since Darren died, and he’s the only man I ever dated in my life. I don’t know how to date really. I was young when I met Darren. We grew into our life together. I’m thirty-four years old and totally out of practice.”