Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Oh. That’s nice.”
“What about you? How long have you lived here?”
“I haven’t been here for long. I came for culinary school and fell in love with the town. This seemed to be a good place to open a healthy restaurant,” she shared.
“Right next to a cupcake bakery? So people could eat the freshest food and then come to indulge their sweet tooth here?”
“Well… I hope people eat my sweets at the restaurant. I chose this location entirely selfishly,” Elizabeth confessed. “Before we go on a date, I should tell you I’ve decided to go with your farm for my produce needs. My restaurant is super important to me. Do you think we can date and be linked for business?”
“I think we could support each other in our personal and business lives. It sounds like the perfect beginning to me,” Tom suggested.
Relieved, Elizabeth sat back in her chair. “So do you want to go to the park to skate?” she asked.
“I think that would be fun. Let me go pay for this,” he waved his hand over the crumbs left on his plate, “and get one boxed up for my mom. It will be okay in the cooler in my truck for a few hours.”
“I’ll run back to my shop and grab my skates. Shall I meet you in front of Little Cakes?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.
“I’m in so much trouble, aren’t I, Bunny?”
Without even trying to conceal her excitement, Elizabeth nodded. She couldn’t wait to spend more time with him.
“Go get your skates—just remember to come back,” he said, standing and picking up both of their trays to dispose of them.
“I can get mine,” she protested.
“Daddy’s job,” he said without hesitation.
Elizabeth felt tears prickle her eyes. She stood up quickly and turned to dart out of the bakery. She just needed a few minutes to regain her composure. Tom, however, stopped her with a gentle but firm hand on her forearm.
“Bunny, are you okay?” he probed as he tugged her around to look at him.
“I’m okay,” she assured him, dashing away a couple of stray tears that escaped. “I’m just being silly.”
“Elizabeth, stop and look at me. Listen carefully. I don’t know how we’ve been this lucky to find each other. I’m just as mind-blown as you are that our paths have crossed. Promise me you’ll be brave and you won’t disappear.”
“Promise,” she whispered.
“Good girl. Go get your skates and come back. I’ll meet you right out front.” Tom smiled.
Nodding with a much lighter heart and mind, Elizabeth almost bounced out of the bakery, returning Ellie’s goodbye wave as she got to the door. Darting into her store, she quickly changed from her shoes to her inline skates and coasted back through the front door. Elizabeth could see Tom talking to Ellie at the entrance to Little Cakes.
Playfully, she skated a ring around them before stopping. “Hi!”
“I’m stealing your produce man,” Ellie exclaimed and then added, “Or at least a bunch of his carrots for our cupcakes.”
“Great idea, Ellie.”
“I’ll stop by with a proposal tomorrow,” Tom promised. “This afternoon, I’m taking some time off.”
“Enjoy the day, you two,” Ellie encouraged before heading back into the bakery.
“Are you ready to give me some pointers?” Tom asked.
“Sure. Let’s go. The store is close.”
“This street is pretty busy out front. Let’s jump in my truck and I’ll drive us over there. Then, I can stash this there as well,” Tom suggested, lifting the cupcake box.
“Okay.”
Elizabeth rolled slowly next to Tom as they approached the big truck. It was obviously used for work. There were dings and scratches on the exterior here and there, but it was scrupulously clean. Elizabeth rolled up to the passenger door and froze. There was no way she could climb into the seat with her skates on.
“I got you,” Tom said and lifted her easily into the high seat.
“Oh!” Elizabeth gasped, her hands automatically wrapping around his biceps to steady herself. The bulging muscles under her touch didn’t seem to strain at all to handle her weight. “Do I weigh more than a bag of potatoes or a crate of carrots?”
“You are as light as a bunny,” he assured her, fastening her seatbelt and making sure she was tucked safely inside before closing the door.
Elizabeth watched him circle around the hood and climb up into the seat beside her. “The store is right over there,” she said, pointing.
“Got it.” Tom checked the mirrors to see around the large truck before moving. He was very vigilant as he maneuvered through the heavy traffic. “It looks like everyone is headed home. Hopefully, we’ll make it to the skate shop before it closes.”
Crossing her fingers, Elizabeth leaned forward to help him spot the way. A tiny sportscar darted in front of them. Tom braked suddenly to avoid rolling over the top of the car and flung a hand out to hold Elizabeth safely back against the seat.