Chapter Three
KEEPING HER COMPOSURE WAS a struggle at this moment for Bailey.
Her first instinct upon coming face-to-face with Landon in her workspace was to jump up and down with pure unbridled joy.
Thankfully she reined herself in. She had already engaged in enough shenanigans earlier at the smoothie spot. He finally knew who she was.
This was super cool. Not once to her knowledge had he ever ventured into this area of Yukon Cider until this very moment.
According to her calculations he’d been in Moose Falls for ten months or so.
And yet, on the same morning as their encounter at the smoothie shop, he’d shown up here.
Was this more than a coincidence? Maybe he did know who she was, and he’d shown up to tell her off.
Some instinct told her that he wasn’t that sort of guy.
What she’d done hadn’t been the biggest deal, but still she was mortified.
“A-are you part of the t-team?” Landon asked, stumbling over his words.
Clearly he hadn’t been expecting to see her here.
No doubt he thought she was a little strange due to their earlier encounter.
Honestly, she couldn’t really blame him.
She’d dragged him into her little ruse without even knowing if he would be okay with it.
Bailey slowly nodded. “What brings you here?” A part of her dreaded his response.
This was her dream job, and she didn’t want to lose it because she’d ruffled the feathers of Hattie’s grandson.
She’d heard Hattie talk about her grandsons, and it was obvious that she thought the Stone boys hung the moon.
Landon didn’t look annoyed, though. Just curious.
“I’m going to be working in the cider lab from now on.” He shrugged. “Hattie’s idea.”
Her heart was thumping so wildly she suspected he could hear it beating like a drum. Relief flooded her. This was about work and not her little ruse from this morning.
“Oh, wow. I had no idea. T-that’s a surprise.
” The words practically fell out of her mouth.
What was going on? Was she really getting tongue-tied around her crush?
That wasn’t like her at all. She was a confident, plucky woman who never backed down under any circumstances.
Yet here she stood, with her nerves shot to hell.
He grinned at her. “Hopefully a good one.”
Zing. Her heart constricted. What was he doing to her?
Was he flirting? Or simply being a friendly co-worker?
Or was it merely wishful thinking on her part that he was being flirtatious?
For quite some time now she’d been fantasizing about this man, and now here he was, standing before her in all his glory.
His glasses were a little askew, and she wanted to reach out and adjust them.
Nope! Keep your hands to yourself.
When he smiled, dimples formed in his cheeks.
Oh my goodness. He was even better looking when he grinned.
Keep it cool, she reminded herself. Do not let this man see that you’re crushing on him.
No good will come of that, especially after this morning combined with the fact that he was now going to be working in close confines with her.
She had always been a consummate professional at work. Bailey couldn’t let that slide, not even for Mr. Fine himself. This job was the best thing she had going for her, other than her family.
“The cider lab is a great environment to work in,” Bailey said, sidestepping his question. He had no idea how she was geeking out over the idea of working with him. Were her palms sweating? Suddenly it was feeling awfully warm in here.
“I’m a scientist by trade, so this is right up my alley,” Landon said. “Of course I’m going to need everyone to show me the ropes. I’m going to be a sponge, soaking everything up.” Again, he smiled at her, causing a wobbly feeling in her legs.
“What was your specialty? Chemistry, right?” she asked.
His face lit up. “Yes, I’m a chemist.” He twisted his mouth. “Or I used to be.” His voice sounded sad all of a sudden, and she felt a fierce need to cheer him up.
“Not was. Once a chemist, always a chemist.” She had no idea why he seemed to have given up on his profession.
She’d heard a few rumors that he’d been forced out of the laboratory where he’d been employed, but she wasn’t sure whether it was simply unfounded gossip.
Maybe it was true, judging by his demeanor.
Losing one job shouldn’t mean your whole career was over, though.
Maybe he just needed some moral support.
“We could use a chemist in here, especially now that we’ve been tasked with formulating next year’s holiday line,” Bailey told him. “It’ll be fun but demanding as well.”
“That’s my favorite part of the job,” a booming voice said as a tall, bearded man walked over to them. He reached out for Landon’s hand and shook it. “I’m Fritz Weaver. Welcome aboard, Landon. Joann just got me up to speed.”
Landon enthusiastically shook Fritz’s hand. Bailey knew Fritz could be a bit overwhelming at times, although Landon seemed to be taking him in stride. With his blue hair and caustic wit, he took some getting used to.
“We’re a laid-back crew here in the cider lab,” Fritz said. He put his finger up to his lips. “Although everything that happens in the lab stays in the lab. No telling our business to Hattie. We don’t take kindly to snitching.”
Landon held up his hands. “No worries here. I’m a team player.” He made a locking motion on his lips as if he were turning a key. “I’m no snitch.”
Bailey swatted Fritz. “We’re not worried about that. Fritz is pulling your leg.” She shot Fritz a pointed look. “Isn’t that right, Fritz?”
Fritz chuckled at his own joke. “Sorry, Landon. You’ll soon find out that I like to joke around. Hattie is a good woman, and even though she can be intimidating at times, we love her to pieces.”
“That seems to be the general consensus here in Moose Falls,” Landon told them.
Bailey could hear the pride ringing out in his voice.
From what she’d observed, Landon was especially close to his grandmother.
Of course she’d caught only glimpses of them together, but the way Hattie gazed at him was as if her grandson had achieved world peace.
Likewise, Landon treated her as if she were a rare piece of crystal.
Even though she was just an onlooker, it made her heart ache, knowing that Hattie’s life was ebbing away.
Thankfully, she’d accomplished so much in her life that Bailey knew her legacy would endure.
“I’m going to head back to my office and clear a few things out. Hattie brought me here right after our meeting, so I wasn’t able to grab my work bag,” he explained. “I’m going to explain things to my colleagues.”
“Take your time,” Bailey said. “We’ll be here.”
“Okay,” Landon said. “I’ll be back soon.”
The moment Landon turned around to leave, she cringed. We’ll be here? Why was she acting so dorky all of a sudden? She wasn’t even sounding like herself.
He’s just a guy, she reminded herself. She’d had crushes before.
But not like this, a voice buzzed in her ear.
This one had been raging for months and months now.
Not that she’d done a single thing about it.
In her mind, Landon was a bit untouchable…
a gorgeous genius who was one of the heirs apparent to Yukon Cider.
“You like him, don’t you?” Fritz asked as soon as Landon left the lab. “It’s written all over your gorgeous face.”
Bailey whipped her head around to look at him. Had she been that obvious?
“Of course I do,” she answered. “He seems cool. I’m guessing he’ll be a great co-worker.”
“Mm-hmm,” Fritz said, nodding at her as if she’d just admitted something huge.
“What does that mean? Mm-hmm,” she said, imitating him.
“It means I see you,” Fritz said, taking two fingers and placing them against his eyes before pointing them at her. “That man is absolutely divine, and you know it.”
Bailey shrugged, trying to act unbothered.
Fritz was a good guy, but he was the last person she wanted to know that she was crushing on Landon.
He was kind and reliable, but he loved to gossip.
They would all be working together in the lab, and Bailey didn’t need that kind of awkward in her life.
The last thing she wanted was for Landon to find out about her feelings.
She stuck out her tongue at Fritz. “I think you’ve been stuck in the cider lab too long. The fumes are beginning to get to you.”
“Whatever you say, doll,” Fritz said. He pressed his palm over his heart. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul.”
As Fritz turned around to head to his workstation, Bailey let out a little moan.
Fritz could be problematic. She loved the guy, but he was definitely the blabbermouth of Moose Falls.
Wild thoughts began running through her mind.
Landon might find out about her crush on him due to Fritz’s flapping gums. The very idea of it made her wince even though she rarely cringed at anything.
Maybe she should just have a fling with the youngest Stone brother and call it a day. YOLO, to borrow Hattie’s favorite expression. Perhaps that was the way to get the man out of her system once and for all.