Chapter 1 #2
With two people in line ahead of me, I took some time to peruse the options in the display cases.
My mouth watered at the sight of everything available, and if I didn’t have several hours of fun in the park with my friends ahead of me—plus the fact that I’d already nearly stuffed myself during lunch—I might not have forced myself to try to decide on just one item.
“Can I help you, sir?”
Tearing my focus away from the desserts on display, I blinked at the woman behind the counter.
Sir?
Well, if that didn’t make me feel my age, I didn’t know what else would.
When I’d been eating lunch, I’d glanced over here several times.
Aside from my love of all things sweet, it was the young woman working behind the counter who had captured my attention.
Physically speaking, she was just my type, with her short stature and long, dark hair.
From the distance, I’d seen her smile, and it was captivating.
Up close, the deep blue hue of her eyes had the same effect.
“Sir?”
At what felt like the biggest insult, I shook off the thoughts distracting me and apologized, “I’m sorry. I was just… Well, I’m not sure how to say this without sounding like a total jerk.”
Surprise washed over her as her eyes rounded and she jerked her chin back. “You have something to say that would make me think you’re a jerk?”
I shrugged. “Perhaps. But I promise I’m not one.”
An awkward laugh escaped. “Okay. Well, what is it?”
A smile slowly spread across my face as I pointed to the table where my friends were still seated. “I was having lunch with a couple of my buddies, and I couldn’t help but notice the line over here. I figured that had to mean there was something over here worth making the visit for.”
“And now that you’re here, do you regret coming over?”
“No. Well, maybe.” Her brows shot up, silently questioning me. Laughing, I explained, “I only regret that I don’t have enough room to try all the desserts that look good in that display case.”
As quickly as I could snap my fingers, the woman smiled at me. It lit up her whole face, her eyes sparkling as her bright white teeth gleamed against those pretty pink lips. “I can assure you that it’s all very good. You’re unlikely to be disappointed.”
“What would you suggest?”
“It’s a bunch of freshly baked goods, so I love it all. You really can’t go wrong with any of it.” She moved from behind the register to the side, so she was standing behind one of the display cases. “Is this your first time?”
First time?
“Pardon?”
Soft laughter escaped as she cocked a brow. “Being here,” she clarified. “Have you ever been here before?”
“Not to…” I leaned back and looked up at the sign above the bakery. “I’ve never been to The Mixing Bowl before, but I did come to Westwood’s quite a few years ago.”
“Ah, I see. Well, since you mentioned having lunch already, I wouldn’t suggest any of the savory items. I’d stick to something sweeter. The cupcakes are super moist. The brownies are perfectly fudgy. And the cookies are perfection.”
Narrowing my eyes on her, I teased, “I thought you were going to help me decide. That just makes me want to try all of it.”
“Sorry.” Her eyes raked down over me before shifting to the side and staring at something in the distance. Eventually, she returned her gaze to meet mine and said, “I think, especially if you intend to share with your buddies, the cookies might be the best first option for you.”
“Okay. Let’s go with the cookies then. A variety of whatever flavors you decide.”
“Would two for each of you be enough?”
Given that my friends weren’t as big on treats as I was, I said, “That sounds great.”
“You’ve got it.”
She got to work on packing up the cookies, and I used the time to take her in.
As she moved around the space, grabbing a bag for the cookies, tossing them inside, and sliding a handful of napkins in as well, I couldn’t help but notice things I hadn’t been able to when I first walked up and allowed my eyes to roam over her body.
And I didn’t feel guilty about it, either.
She’d done something similar to me only moments before.
Plus, this was about one thing.
Fun.
That’s what my life was about.
And this beautiful woman in front of me—who seemed to love desserts just as much as I did—was someone I believed I could be content to have a few nights of fun with.
She finally returned to the spot behind the register and held out the bag to me with a wink. “I threw in an extra one on the house.”
A wink.
She was flirting with me.
I took the cookies from her. “Thanks…”
“It’s Jules.”
“Jules. I’m Beau.”
“Well, you’re welcome, Beau.” She rang me up and gave me the total, and after I paid, she said, “I hope you enjoy the cookies. And maybe you can come back sometime so you can try the brownies or cupcakes.”
I grinned at her. “Oh, I fully intend to.”
Jules held my stare for several silent beats. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you then.”
Confidence surged inside me.
This whole exchange was just another thrill for me, just one more thing I did to make myself feel good.
Liking that I had the upper hand, I shot Jules a knowing look, turned, and walked off. But I swore I could feel her eyes on me the entire way back to my friends.