The sound startles me, and I drop the baking soda onto the work table. The lid pops up, and white dust plumes through the air and straight into my eyes. They instantly burn.
No!Come on.
“I’ll be right with you!” I fumble around until my hand finds the kitchen sink. I turn it on and douse my eyes with the nozzle. It’s the fastest option.
“Did it snow in Phoenix, and I missed it?”
I freeze at the voice, turn off the water, then blink until my vision clears. “You.”
Sean smirks. “Me?”
“What are you doing here? I thought I told you to get lost.” I grab a towel and wipe off my face. Then I move on to cleaning the baking table that indeed looks like a little Christmas frost.
He frowns. “I definitely didn’t hear those words.”
“They weredefinitelyimplied.”
“Ah, see, this is why people shouldn’t beat around the bush and should say what they mean.”
I plant my arms across my chest. “Not if it’s going to hurt someone.” A specific memory of his harsh words on prom night comes to mind, but I push it down where it belongs.
“Agreed.” He stalks toward me.
I don’t like the look in his eyes as he approaches; it’s dangerous, and just a little sexy, and…I grab my trusty rolling pin. “Stay back, buddy. I’m not afraid to use this again.”
A smile dances in his eyes. “I’m not here to hurt you, London. I want to help. Starting with an apology…or several.”
My pulse thrums in my ears. I’m not ready to dive into the past if that's what he’s about to do, not right now at the beginning of a workday.
“See, I was rescuing something from the witches that had previously been stolen from my family.”
I blink. It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about yesterday.
That’swhat it was—some stupid bet, another prank. Of course, that’s why he’d come tearing through my door destroying things. He’s still up to the same mischief he was in high school.
I roll my eyes. “I don’t care what you do in your free time.”
“I was trying to apologize.“ He frowns. “I was an idiot yesterday.”
Can’t argue there.
A timer beeps, and I flip the donuts in the oil, carefully so I don’t burn myself.
“I’m glad you did it,” Sean says.
I turn.
“Opened a bakery, I mean. I remember those brownies you brought for your English presentation senior year. They were amazing.”
Do not read into his compliments. The man likes food, that’s it.
“Yeah well, I’ve worked hard. And now I need to get back to it. Thanks for the apology you never actually gave me.” I try to step around him, but he scoots to the side, blocking my exit.
“I was getting there,” he whispers.
“Don’t let me stop you.”
He smiles, this one isn’t teasing, or arrogant, it’s perfectly Sean. “I’m sorry. I was an attention-seeking child in high school—”
