All for This
Page 33
I squeeze my eyes shut. An offer on the bakery. Probably from Nate Crane—this would cut me out of Hanna’s life, and I’m sure that’s what he wants.
My lawyer’s right. I need the money. But the bakery is my last connection to Hanna’s life, and selling it makes the end of our relationship feel too final. And who is the client? I’m not turning over half ownership of Hanna’s life to just anyone. If it’s Nate, would he use his ownership as leverage to get Hanna to move to LA?
I dial my lawyer, but she doesn’t answer. She left the message on my office phone last night—a habit we formed when my involvement in the bakery was still a secret—and I doubt she’s in her office this weekend.
After locking up my office, I find Sam at the front of the club. He’s covering the front for me this morning—something he’s done most Saturdays since I bought the bakery and didn’t have the money for staff.
“I need to run over to the bakery,” I tell him. “Are you okay to open if I don’t get back in time?”
Smirking, Sam nods. Saturday mornings aren’t a hopping time for fitness. “Whatever happened to your plans to offer classes on Saturday mornings to get traffic in here?”
I shrug. “I’ve just had other priorities.”
“Like paying the bills for the bakery instead of hiring someone who could bring you new business here.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just making an observation. Grab me a cup of the good stuff while you’re over there.”
“Should I assume Liz knows how you like it?”
“Fuck off,” he mutters, but there’s a hint of a smile behind the command.
The bakery smells amazing this morning—always, really, but there’s an extra hit of vanilla in the air this morning, and it reminds me so much of Hanna’s smell that it makes my chest ache.
“Oh, hey!” Hanna pushes through the swinging door from the kitchen and gives me a tentative smile. For a moment, I forget all the bullshit and almost expect her to come around the counter and rise onto her toes to kiss me.
I wish she’d forget too—just for a moment—that those days are behind us. I’d hold her fast and keep her close. I’d deepen the kiss until she softened and moaned against my mouth. I’d remind her what’s worth fighting for.
“Thanks for helping me out while I did interviews last week,” she says.
“It’s not a problem.”
“Yes, it is. You have your own business to run, and I know it’s hard for you to get away. But I appreciate it. Can I get you some coffee and breakfast as a thank-you?”
“I’ll take a coffee. Thanks.” She pours me a cup, and we both do our best to pretend this isn’t as awkward as hell when she passes it across the counter. “How’s the hunt for new employees going?”
“It’s frustrating. I’ve found a couple of part-timers, which is great, but I really need a manager who can take care of the front of the house while I do the baking, and I need a second baker to take over for a few weeks when the babies are born. Drew is good, but she can’t put in the hours I’ll need.”
Nate Crane pushes out of the kitchen, and the sight of him hits me like a punch in the gut. She said she wasn’t leaving me for him, and he hasn’t been around, so I was starting to believe it was true. Until I found them on the balcony at Asher’s last weekend.
“Hey,” he says, locking his gaze with mine.
I lift my chin as we appraise each other. He looks at Hanna, and I want to pull her into my arms and hold her tight, to keep her close until he leaves. But I don’t have that right, and Nate’s not going anywhere. I can tell by the way he looks at her—all that unveiled love and longing. I know the face of a man who would slay dragons for Hanna Thompson, because I see it every time I look in the mirror.
“Do you have any more boxes stashed in the back?” Nate asks.
Hanna shifts awkwardly and shoots me a look. “No, but Liz is bringing some any minute now.” She points behind her and edges toward the door. “I have cookies that need my attention.”
Then she’s gone, leaving Nate and me staring at each other. He opens his mouth like he’s about to tell me something, but then he shakes his head and goes back to the kitchen.
I need to follow Hanna and find out what she knows about the offer. Hell, I should have saved myself the trouble and asked Nate. Buying me out would be nothing for him.
But I’m a f**king coward and I’m afraid to go through that door. Will he be kissing her? Touching her? Hanna’s probably baking cookies—nothing more—but what I saw at Maggie and Asher’s has tormented me for days. A repeat performance might destroy me.
“Hello?”
I turn to the door and find a customer. The petite brunette looks familiar, but I can’t place her. Did we go to high school together? Or maybe college? High school’s a better bet. Over half of my graduating class left New Hope for college and never came back.
She frowns at me and rises onto her tiptoes to peek over my shoulder. “I’m looking for Hanna. Will she be back soon? I could just wait.”
I lift a brow. “I’m sorry, do I know you?” Forgetting people always makes me feel like an ass.
“Oops! I’m Elle.” She smiles, and again I feel that sense of recognition, but I just can’t place her. “Janelle Crane. Nate Crane’s sister.”
My lawyer’s right. I need the money. But the bakery is my last connection to Hanna’s life, and selling it makes the end of our relationship feel too final. And who is the client? I’m not turning over half ownership of Hanna’s life to just anyone. If it’s Nate, would he use his ownership as leverage to get Hanna to move to LA?
I dial my lawyer, but she doesn’t answer. She left the message on my office phone last night—a habit we formed when my involvement in the bakery was still a secret—and I doubt she’s in her office this weekend.
After locking up my office, I find Sam at the front of the club. He’s covering the front for me this morning—something he’s done most Saturdays since I bought the bakery and didn’t have the money for staff.
“I need to run over to the bakery,” I tell him. “Are you okay to open if I don’t get back in time?”
Smirking, Sam nods. Saturday mornings aren’t a hopping time for fitness. “Whatever happened to your plans to offer classes on Saturday mornings to get traffic in here?”
I shrug. “I’ve just had other priorities.”
“Like paying the bills for the bakery instead of hiring someone who could bring you new business here.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just making an observation. Grab me a cup of the good stuff while you’re over there.”
“Should I assume Liz knows how you like it?”
“Fuck off,” he mutters, but there’s a hint of a smile behind the command.
The bakery smells amazing this morning—always, really, but there’s an extra hit of vanilla in the air this morning, and it reminds me so much of Hanna’s smell that it makes my chest ache.
“Oh, hey!” Hanna pushes through the swinging door from the kitchen and gives me a tentative smile. For a moment, I forget all the bullshit and almost expect her to come around the counter and rise onto her toes to kiss me.
I wish she’d forget too—just for a moment—that those days are behind us. I’d hold her fast and keep her close. I’d deepen the kiss until she softened and moaned against my mouth. I’d remind her what’s worth fighting for.
“Thanks for helping me out while I did interviews last week,” she says.
“It’s not a problem.”
“Yes, it is. You have your own business to run, and I know it’s hard for you to get away. But I appreciate it. Can I get you some coffee and breakfast as a thank-you?”
“I’ll take a coffee. Thanks.” She pours me a cup, and we both do our best to pretend this isn’t as awkward as hell when she passes it across the counter. “How’s the hunt for new employees going?”
“It’s frustrating. I’ve found a couple of part-timers, which is great, but I really need a manager who can take care of the front of the house while I do the baking, and I need a second baker to take over for a few weeks when the babies are born. Drew is good, but she can’t put in the hours I’ll need.”
Nate Crane pushes out of the kitchen, and the sight of him hits me like a punch in the gut. She said she wasn’t leaving me for him, and he hasn’t been around, so I was starting to believe it was true. Until I found them on the balcony at Asher’s last weekend.
“Hey,” he says, locking his gaze with mine.
I lift my chin as we appraise each other. He looks at Hanna, and I want to pull her into my arms and hold her tight, to keep her close until he leaves. But I don’t have that right, and Nate’s not going anywhere. I can tell by the way he looks at her—all that unveiled love and longing. I know the face of a man who would slay dragons for Hanna Thompson, because I see it every time I look in the mirror.
“Do you have any more boxes stashed in the back?” Nate asks.
Hanna shifts awkwardly and shoots me a look. “No, but Liz is bringing some any minute now.” She points behind her and edges toward the door. “I have cookies that need my attention.”
Then she’s gone, leaving Nate and me staring at each other. He opens his mouth like he’s about to tell me something, but then he shakes his head and goes back to the kitchen.
I need to follow Hanna and find out what she knows about the offer. Hell, I should have saved myself the trouble and asked Nate. Buying me out would be nothing for him.
But I’m a f**king coward and I’m afraid to go through that door. Will he be kissing her? Touching her? Hanna’s probably baking cookies—nothing more—but what I saw at Maggie and Asher’s has tormented me for days. A repeat performance might destroy me.
“Hello?”
I turn to the door and find a customer. The petite brunette looks familiar, but I can’t place her. Did we go to high school together? Or maybe college? High school’s a better bet. Over half of my graduating class left New Hope for college and never came back.
She frowns at me and rises onto her tiptoes to peek over my shoulder. “I’m looking for Hanna. Will she be back soon? I could just wait.”
I lift a brow. “I’m sorry, do I know you?” Forgetting people always makes me feel like an ass.
“Oops! I’m Elle.” She smiles, and again I feel that sense of recognition, but I just can’t place her. “Janelle Crane. Nate Crane’s sister.”
