Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Layla
“ S ticky. I’m always sticky,” I told Isla as I walked into the back. She had a streak of flour on her forehead. I pointed it out on my own forehead, and she reached up with a heavily floured hand and added to the original streak.
“Better?” she asked.
“I guess that’s one way to look at it.” I walked over to the sink to wash the glaze off my fingertips. “I think there’s too much glaze on your cinnamon rolls.”
Isla looked up from her mound of bread dough. Worry creased her brow. “Did one of the customers complain?”
“No, just me. I’m covered with it all the time. When I was at the café for lunch, I ordered a burger. It tasted like cinnamon roll glaze.”
Isla waved off my concern and set to work kneading the yeast dough. “People really like those cinnamon rolls.”
“Gee, how crazy is that? Soft buttery bread wrapped around cinnamon and brown sugar and dripping in sugary glaze. And people actually like that stuff?”
Isla shook her head. “All right, Miss Sarcasm, start washing those pans.”
“Yes, boss.” I smirked at her. My phone was ringing in the office. “Wonder who could be calling right now.” I gave her my little-sister, pretty-please look, and she nodded her head toward the office. I hurried in to answer it. It was Emily. I’d told her to call me with all the band night details, but it was strange that she was calling before I got off work.
“Hey, Emily, I’m just about to wash pans. Can I call you?—”
Emily’s sniffle came through the phone.
“Emi?”
“Do you like him?”
“Uh, gonna need more context, Em. Do I like who?”
She sniffled again. “Nash Ledger. You like him, don’t you? Because he certainly likes you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked about you last night.”
“So what if he asked about me? He knows we’re friends. Do you know how many times I get that same question when I’m out and run into someone we both know?”
“No, it wasn’t the question he asked. It was the way he asked it. Disappointment. I could hear it in his tone. He was thoroughly disappointed that you weren’t there.”
“So, you’re an expert on intonation analysis now? Emily, you’re reading too much into a simple question.”
“You didn’t answer me,” she said. “Do you like him?”
“He’s a really nice guy, and he has this great dog and?—”
“No, I’m not asking about the dog. I want to know if you like Nash Ledger, and you know what I mean by the word ‘like’ so don’t twist it.”
“Emily, I don’t know what you’re going on about. I walk his dog, and we live on the same road, and he’s only a temporary resident. That’s all there is to it.”
“So, you’re not interested in Nash and you’re not seeing him—you know—secretly, behind my back?”
“I’m seeing his dog, so if that’s a problem for you, then too bad, because I like Rocky.”
“I’m sorry. I’m being a crazy person. I was sure I noticed something, something in his expression when he asked about you.” Her tone was far less strident. “Do you promise not to start seeing him?”
She’d calmed down and then turned right back to crazy town. “Fine, whatever, I promise. This is all stupid because he’s just a temporary neighbor. Gosh, I just realized that Rocky will be leaving, too. Now you’ve ruined my mood. Thanks a lot, pal.”
She giggled. “A little payback for the tossing and turning I suffered through last night as visions of my best friend kissing and holding hands with my future husband dashed through my dreams.”
I shook my head. Sometimes Emily could be too much, even for me. “I’ve got to get back to work, Emi. Try to find some gravity and come back to earth. Sometimes your dreams detach you from reality, and that’s when they’re no longer dreams but problems. He’ll only be in town for a few months?—”
Emily gasped excitedly. “A few months? I thought he’d just be here a few weeks. How come you didn’t tell me?” There was a touch of accusation in her tone. I was done with the call.
“Seriously, Emi, just listen to yourself. I’ll talk to you later. And I promise that there is nothing going on between Nash and me. Goodbye.” I hung up, and my last few words still hung in the air. Something about them made my limbs feel heavy. I shook off the feeling and left the office.
Isla looked up from her work and spotted something in my face that made her stop what she was doing. “Everything all right?”
I blew out an exasperated puff of air. “Just Emily being Emily. I love her, but sometimes she can be a lot.”
Isla smiled. “Trust me, we all know that. Are you walking the dog again today?”
That question brought a smile back to my face. “Sure am. I better get to work on these pans because my new best friend will be anxious for our date.”