Chapter 7
7
DORIE
I sighed heavily and wiped the sweat from my brow. The bakery was finally closed for the day, and I was exhausted. Saturdays were always a marathon. Today had been no exception. The ovens had been running nonstop, the display cases emptied faster than I could refill them, and my feet were screaming at me to sit down.
But it was over now. We were closed. I had Sunday and Monday off to recover. Well, “off” in the loosest sense of the word. I still had two wedding cakes to finish next week, and Eliza still hadn’t confirmed the design for her dream wedding cake. Typical Eliza—procrastinating until the last minute and leaving everyone else to panic.
I knew what the problem was. I had given her too many options. I was going to have to narrow it down for her. I would probably end up being the one to pick the cake. She wanted big and grand. I was thinking seven tiers of pure indulgence, each layer a masterpiece in its own right. The bottom tier would be a rich, dark chocolate ganache, adorned with hand-painted gold leaf accents. I wanted to give the wedding guests a real extravaganza with all the flavors. It was going to be pure decadence. And I didn’t care if Kaisen thought it was too much.
It was a wedding. Not just any wedding—Eliza’s wedding. They were already going all out. The cake couldn’t just be okay.
I untied my apron, the fabric stiff with flour and sugar, and tossed it into the laundry bin in the corner. I glanced around the kitchen, surveying the aftermath of the day. Mixing bowls piled high in the sink, trays scattered across the countertops, and crumbs dusting every surface like a fine snowfall. It was chaos.
I grabbed a sponge and started scrubbing the bowls. The typical routine was almost meditative, giving my mind a chance to wander. Not that it went far. Kaisen’s face kept popping into my thoughts—his smug grin, his stupidly perfect jawline, that look he’d given me last night when he’d asked me out for a drink.
Why in the world would he ask me out? There was nothing that said he actually wanted to spend time with me. My hands stilled in the soapy water, a scowl forming on my face. I didn’t understand him. Didn’t understand what game he was playing. He’d made it perfectly clear from the moment he arrived in town that he thought he was too good for me. And yet, there he was, standing on the sidewalk, looking at me like he actually wanted to be there. Like he actually wanted me to say yes.
I shook my head. It wasn’t worth thinking about. Kaisen didn’t really want to have a drink with me. It was probably some kind of joke, or worse—some weird power play.
I finished cleaning up, so ready to go home, take my shoes off, and maybe have a glass of wine. I collected my things and walked out. I locked the door behind me and turned to find Mrs. Henderson, the owner of the boutique next door, waving at me from her shop. I forced a smile and walked over, trying to shake off the fatigue.
“Hey, Dorie,” she said. I could tell by the look on her face something was wrong. I wasn’t sure I had the energy to deal with whatever that was. “Did you hear about the building a few shops down? They sold out to that firm.”
My stomach dropped. “No, I hadn’t heard. When did that happen?”
“Just this morning,” she said, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “I got another offer today, too. They’re getting more aggressive. I don’t know what to do.”
I nodded, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in my chest. “Yeah, I’ve been getting the same letters. It’s unsettling, but I’m not going to sell. They can keep offering and trying to intimidate me, but they won’t win.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m worried they’re going to try some legal tactic. Can they get eminent domain? I heard someone mention that.”
I shook my head quickly, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “No, they can’t do that here. This isn’t some massive infrastructure project—it’s just a developer looking to make a profit. They’re banking on us getting scared enough to sell cheap.”
Mrs. Henderson sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I hope you’re right, Dorie. This place is all I have left.” I could see the fear in her eyes—the same fear that had been gnawing at me for weeks now.
“We’ll figure it out,” I said with more determination than I felt. “We’re not going to let them push us out without a fight.”
“I’m not sure how much fight I have left,” she said.
“Let me know if you hear anything else,” I told her.
I started the walk back to my place. My mind was racing with genuine fear we may not be able to win. The predatory nature of the offers was getting harder to ignore. I’d said no multiple times, but how long could I hold out? And what would happen if I did? My business license was fine. The health department always praised my cleanliness standards. But the building was old. What if they managed to get the building condemned? Then the offer would be dramatically reduced.
By the time I reached my condo, I was mentally and physically drained. I walked inside, greeted by the familiar sight of Rick lounging on the couch. He blinked at me lazily, his tail flicking as I scratched behind his ears. “Hey, buddy,” I murmured, feeling some of the tension ease. “I hope you had a nice, easy day, because I did not.”
He stretched, hopped down, and curled his body around my ankles before trotting off toward the kitchen, clearly expecting dinner. I followed him, my shoes squeaking against the hardwood floor, and pushed the button to drop his food a little early.
“You know you’re spoiled, right?”
He ignored me, his face down as he gobbled up his food. His life was so rough with automatic feedings, clean water, and comfy beds spread all around the condo. I kicked off my tennis shoes and dropped my bag with my work clothes. I had a date with the washing machine, but that would be later.
I stripped out of my yoga clothes and headed for the shower. The hot water was a relief, washing away the layers of flour, sugar, and grime that had clung to me all day. I leaned against the tiled wall, letting the steam rise around me as my thoughts drifted back to the conversation with Mrs. Henderson. I couldn’t let them win—I wouldn’t. But the fear of losing my bakery was like a lead weight in my chest.
By the time I stepped out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel, I felt marginally better. I towel-dried my hair, throwing it up into a messy bun, and pulled on an old band T-shirt and a pair of sweats. Comfort food was calling my name. I padded into the kitchen, ignoring Rick’s judgmental stare as he lounged on the cat tree like he owned the place.
Before food, I grabbed the bottle of wine. I was about to open it when my phone rang.
“No,” I groaned.
I checked the screen and saw Eliza’s name. “If you’re calling to tell me you’re not coming, too late,” I answered. “The cat is already out of the bag.”
She laughed. “Sorry. Cullen wanted to have a little adventure.”
“It’s fine.”
“I have a favor to ask,” she said.
I looked at the bottle of wine. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be opening it. “What’s up?” I asked.
“Can you go check out the mansion Kaisen rented? I’m worried he’s going to turn it into a frat house by the time we get there. We’re supposed to have a couple of events at his place.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “A frat house? What kind of guy is Kaisen, exactly?”
Eliza laughed, but there was a note of exasperation in her voice. “Oh, you know K. His reputation precedes him. You’d think he was still in his twenties the way he dates and parties. I just want to make sure the place isn’t a disaster before my bridal shower.”
I wanted nothing more than to open the wine, eat a plate of tater tots, and veg out with my cat and Netflix. But I couldn’t say no to Eliza. “Alright, I’ll check it out. But if he’s in the middle of some wild party, I’m not sticking around.”
“You’re the best,” Eliza said. “How did the tasting go?”
I didn’t want to put any stress on her. It was her wedding. I was the maid of honor. My job was supposed to be to keep as much of the stress off her shoulders as I could. “It was good,” I lied. “I think we’ve narrowed it down.”
“Good. See, he’s not so bad.”
She had no idea.
“Text me the address,” I said.
“It’s North Cape,” she said.
“Enjoy your trip,” I said. “We’ll be here. I’ll hold the fort down.”
“Let me know how it goes!”
I hung up and stared at my phone for a moment, debating whether I should actually go through with this. Showing up unannounced at Kaisen’s rented mansion felt… weird. He was a grown man. Was it really my place to invade his privacy and check up on him? I wasn’t his mother. But Eliza had asked, and I couldn’t let her down. The wine and tots would have to wait.
I grabbed my keys and headed out, Rick giving me a disgruntled look as I left. Normally, I chose to walk around town. With the narrow streets and limited parking, it was easier to walk than drive. But I was not interested in walking the six miles out to the North Cape area where the house was. I wasn’t surprised they rented such a nice place. I had only ever driven by the houses and never actually been in one.
The drive to the mansion wasn’t long, but it gave me too much time to think. By the time I pulled up to the imposing house, my nerves were on edge. I took a deep breath, smoothed my hair, and walked up to the front door, knocking before I could second-guess myself. I swore if he opened the door naked or with some woman hanging off him, I was never going to forgive my sister.
The door swung open. Kaisen was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and gray sweatpants. He looked sexy as sin, his dark hair slightly messy, his eyes sharp and assessing. “Yes?”
“Eliza wanted me to check the place out,” I said quickly, my words tumbling out in a rush. “She’s worried you’re throwing sex parties here or something.”
Kaisen chuckled and gestured for me to step inside. I walked in, appreciating the homey feel of the place. I didn’t see any whips or chains hanging from the ceiling.
Kaisen closed the door behind me. “The prostitutes won’t be here until later tonight,” he said dryly.
I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way my cheeks heated.
“Cullen called and told me to expect you,” he added. “I think they were worried you might actually catch me doing something.”
“I’ll have to thank him later,” I said.
I bit my lip, unsure what to say or do next. Kaisen was watching me, his gaze intense and unnerving. I felt like he could see right through me. It made me want to squirm. I should have put on some makeup or a decent shirt. I didn’t know what I was thinking.
“Do you want a glass of wine?” he asked, his tone casual. “I’d offer you something stronger, but I’m saving it for my upcoming sex party.”
I couldn’t help it—my lips twitched into a smile. He was kind of funny. And maybe, just maybe, I could tolerate him.
“Wine sounds good,” I said, following him into the kitchen. As he poured us each a glass, I found myself relaxing just a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.