Chapter 4
chapter four
Caeli.
“I can’t believe how well we did today.”
My sister was beaming. I would have been sharing in her joy if I hadn’t been so arrogant to make a bet there was no way in hell we would win. That I would win, because this was all on me.
“The numbers are really good.”
She frowned, snapping the lid on the one tray of cupcakes we had left. The fact that we almost sold out was proof of how great our numbers had been for the day. Our first day at Food Alley was a success, but not enough to secure this spot.
Damnit.
“The numbers are better than good, but based on the look you’re giving right now, I’m not so sure. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” I forced a smile and closed my laptop.
“Lee?” she warned with a threatening glare. The “stop your shit” look. My sister knew me better than anyone and vice versa.
“Our sales were through the roof today. Stop looking at me like that.” I glared back and she narrowed her eyes but let it go, offering a smile while she did a quick celebration dance. “Ay, Ay, we killed it.”
Her shoulders bounced while she slowly rocked forward, bending at the waist, then back.
“You’re so damn extra.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? This is big shit, Lee. If we keep having days like today then we can make this a regular thing. What’s our grand total?”
I smiled proudly. Regardless of me putting my foot in my mouth by betting our livelihood on a sexy body and an insanely gorgeous smile, we really did have a good day. “A little over eight hundred.”
“Wow, are you serious?”
“Very.”
“We usually barely make five. This is definitely a lucky spot.”
I cringed.
“It’s not the spot, it’s your cupcakes. The mojito sold out, Ami.”
“True, but this spot is also a big part of it. They reached us before the rest of the food trucks which means they soothed their sweet tooth then indulged in that other crap. Who cares about barbecue and beans or a tuna wrap once they sample our goodies.”
I arched a brow and her smile expanded. “Not those goodies, Lee. You know what I mean.”
“Yeah I do but truthfully a tuna wrap from Rollin’ Healthy might not be so bad right now. I’m all sugared out.”
I thought about the truck that sold healthy sandwich wraps, regretting that I hadn’t grabbed one before they shut down. But they were positioned two rows back and our foot traffic wouldn’t allow my sister to manage alone.
I groaned internally, thinking that might be us back there in no man’s land after my very stupid error in judgment. Betting our spot with Smoked & Spiced’s sexy representative was damn sure an error in judgment.
Just thinking about him caused my pulse to skip and had me groaning internally once more.
“You can do that tomorrow before the rush and get me a pesto chicken.”
“So kind of you for letting me get you lunch,” I teased and Camilla grinned.
“You know me, always doing my part to pay it forward.”
“I think we’re done here.” I shoved my laptop in my messenger bag and glanced around the truck.
“Yep, I think so. We can lock up and head home. I want to work on a new recipe.”
“Oh lord, what now?”
“Don’t oh lord. You know it will be amazing and I’m not telling you. It’s a surprise.”
“Right, which means you have no clue what it will be. You’re just going to mix a bunch of flavors until one speaks to you.”
“At least you know but don’t hate on my process. That’s how the mojito was born and shall we not forget it was our best seller today.”
“You have a point. Do your thing. I respect the process.”
She grabbed her purse and I moved to the front to secure and lock the service window only to find the source of all my contention approaching. The bigger than life smile on his face and assuredness of his stride told me everything I needed to know.
We lost the bet.
When he was close enough, he placed a receipt on the counter. I lowered my eyes to the proof of my demise then lifted them slowly back to his unfairly handsome face, hating how much I enjoyed every hard line, defined contour of his jaw, and smoothness of his chocolate skin.
Why did he have to be so good looking?
“What’s that?”
“Five thousand, six hundred and seventy-two dollars which means you won’t be here tomorrow.”
Muscles tightened in my chest but I locked my arms across it all the same.
“You’re awfully sure of yourself. How do you know our sales didn’t exceed yours?”
His unfairly handsome face shifted into the most arrogant grin. “ Burnt meat outsells puffed sugar any day of the week but if we need clarity, I showed you mine, it’s time for you to show me yours.”
The way his eyes devoured my body slowly and thoroughly, the sexual innuendo was loud and clear.
“You win. Happy ?”
“Nah, not yet.” His gaze was on me again in a slow caress which seared my skin. “But I will be soon. I have expensive taste. I hope your sales were at least partially decent.”
“Who are you and why would your taste have anything to do with our sales?”
“He’s nobody and they don’t,” I quickly shot over my shoulder at Camilla who moved to my side seconds later.
“You’re definitely not a nobody.” She smiled smugly at him and it grated my nerves but this man wasn’t mine. I had no right to be annoyed, however, I was. “Wait, you look familiar. Do I know you?”
Sexy’s eyes left me and slowly drifted over to Camilla before he shook his head. “No, I never forget a face.”
That intense and introspective glare left her and landed on me again. “Or a body. When are you moving your truck?”
“We’re not.” I narrowed my eyes and his lowered to the receipt.
“We had a deal, Sugar Princess.”
“What kind of deal?” Camilla cut in.
“You didn’t tell her, did you?” His expression was mocking.
“Tell me what?” My sister’s eyes bounced between the two of us and my heart dropped.
“We bet that our sales would far exceed yours since your stubborn ass sister refused to move your truck and now she owes me dinner.” I wanted to land my fist right into his face to shut him up but the universe intervened.
“Bray, you need to come get your girl. She just pulled up and looks like the dam’s about to break. You need to fix whatever is going on with her.”
I was grateful for the interruption but pissed that the interruption was his girl . Who I didn’t know existed . Dam’s about to break meant she was upset to the point of tears. What in the entire hell? This man had been openly flirting with me each time we interacted, even added a private dinner as a line item of our bet, and he had a girlfriend.
“Lee, did you make a bet with him about our sales and this spot?”
“That’s not exactly how it went…”
My sister glared accusingly and I slammed my mouth shut.
“Look, I have to go see what’s up with her but you owe me dinner and you also need to have this truck out of our spot by tomorrow morning.”
I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off but he walked away and his body was replaced by another. I did a double take because the two men had similar traits proving their relation but their looks were uniquely their own. Both, however ,were “he could get it” type of fine.
When his eyes bounced from me to Camilla and a smile spread across his face, I turned to look at my sister who was grinning and blushing like a damn idiot and it all made sense when he spoke.
“Damn, small world, I see. How did that rum work out for you?”
This was the guy she met at the liquor store.
“Great actually but what are you doing out here?”
“That’s my truck next to yours. Smoked & Spiced.”
“Was that your brother?” She pointed toward their truck.
“Nah, my cousin Brayden.”
“Oh, makes sense. He looked familiar and I wasn’t sure why. Now I do.”
While Camilla was distracted, I mumbled that I was heading to the car and she could meet me at home. When I stepped out of the truck, my eyes flew down the sidewalk where I noticed Brayden with a woman who was talking a mile a minute throwing her arms and hands in the air. Eventually he jerked her forward and pulled the woman into a hug that seemed too comfortable and too intimate. She sank into his body and he rubbed her back which meant she was definitely his girl .
I was pissed and annoyed and damn sure not moving our truck. Maybe he won but he hadn’t exactly been honest. The girlfriend factor changed everything. Terms no longer apply . Why would I buy dinner for a man that was taken? If he wanted to argue, he could argue with his mama. Sweet Reasons was keeping this prime real estate and that was that.