Chapter 15
I could tell that Rhea didn’t usually invite people into her world, and sitting next to her at the scratched-up dinner table in the station’s kitchen felt monumental.
It made the moment feel powerful.
She had invited me to stay for dinner after she had eaten her dessert at the picnic table.
The brownie—not me. Regrettably.
There wasn’t a chance that I would say no to her, with her dark, sensual eyes pleading with me to continue to build our relationship into a deeper, long-lasting connection.
So, there I was, tucked in between Rhea and a guy called Sweetie, though I wasn’t sure the big monster of a man could muster a smile even with a gun held to his head. The guys were loud, but I expected nothing less.
A guy named Rowan told a story about someone getting stuck in a child’s tire swing—a firefighter, not a citizen.
Devon, who ordered a ham and cheese panini sandwich with a large green tea smoothie every Thursday from the bakery like clockwork, made three inappropriate puns involving hose lengths before the garlic bread even hit the table.
And I laughed so hard at the camaraderie that I snorted my milk and made a massive mess all over myself.
I was having a blast.
“Okay, okay,” Martinez grinned, tossing a packet of butter across the table. “Now that Goldie is officially one of the crew, someone’s gotta ask—” he looked at me directly. “How’s it feel knowing the firehouse won the battle for your heart against the boys in blue?”
A silence fell as every set of eyes turned to our side of the table. There was nothing but the awkward clink of forks, and my smile slipped. I hesitated, suddenly overwhelmed by the question.
But Rhea didn’t let me hang.
“We didn’t win anything,” she said calmly, taking a sip of her water. “Goldie is dating both me and Tanner.”
Every soul in the room froze, the only things moving were the eyes of every man as they all looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say to that. Sweetie even choked on his meatball.
I looked at Rhea, blinking at her.
“She’s poly,” she added, as if it were the easiest answer in the world to give. “And we’re all happy.”
Thomas, a guy I recognized as one of Tanner’s friends, whistled from the other end of the table. “And Brooks hasn’t said a word about it.”
“I’d be quiet too if I were worried about being the second runner-up,” Martinez chimed in.
“No,” Thomas gave me a small nod from his end of the table, “It means he’s taking it seriously. Just like Rhea is. Good for you, Goldie. I hope you all find incredible happiness this way.”
I didn’t respond to him, besides giving him a small smile, and neither did Rhea as she shifted the conversation.
But she reached under the table and squeezed my hand.
Hard.
She had said it out loud, to the guys she worked with every single day in life and death situations, like it was simple and true.
We’re happy.
But that word—we—made my stomach flip in about eight different directions.
Because as happy as I was… I couldn’t help wondering; Was I the poly one?
The only one?
Were Tanner and Rhea both with me, and only me?
Or was there a way that something would form between them, too?
As the surrounding men joked and goofed around, enjoying their downtime between stressful calls, my mind drifted.
I remembered the tension between Rhea and Tanner at the community meeting, the way Rhea’s pulse increased until I could see it thumping in her neck when she looked down at Tanner’s lap. And the way that lust burned bright in his eyes when I called him on the fact that he liked her looking.
Was there an attraction there? Enough to make either of them brave enough to act on it? Was that even something I wanted?
Before that thought had even finished brewing in my mind, I knew the answer.
Yes.
Unequivocally, yes. So much so that I’d happily get on my knees at both of their feet and beg for it if I didn’t think it would be pushing boundaries they might not be ready to test the line on.
Yet.
“Are you okay?” Rhea leaned over, interrupting the memory of my dream, where she kneeled between my legs, stroking Tanner’s dick before lining him up to fuck me.
“Yep,” I squeaked, choking on my own tongue and blushing like a fire hydrant. “Great. Awesome.” I cleared my throat and gave her a tight smile. “I’m perfect.”
Her dark eyes squinted slightly, and her lips parted, no doubt ready to call me on my bold lie, but she was cut off by the blaring alarm that rang out through the station.
“Well, damn.” Sweetie cursed, throwing back his chair and unfolding his massive body from the seat. “Now we've got to wait for pie.”
“Not on my watch,” Martinez winked, grabbing a massive pie pan from the fridge and a handful of forks. “Let’s ride.” He grinned over at us, “Come back again soon, Goldie!”
Everyone scrambled from the room, and I stood up, sweating under Rhea’s watchful gaze as she hesitated. “Go.” I nodded. “I’ll see you later.”
With a groan, she leaned in, kissing me hard and coaxing a sweet sigh from my lips before she pulled back.
“Don’t think you’re going to get off the hook completely.
When I see you next time, you’d better be prepared to tell me exactly what you were thinking about just now that had you squirming in your seat like a teenage boy at his first strip club. ”
“I was not.” I scoffed with mock outrage and then giggled. “Okay, fine, I will. But you’d better be ready to play dirty for it.”
She groaned, and someone yelled from the garage bays. “Dalton! Let’s go!”
Rhea backed up through the door, and I gave her a quick wave, loving how teasing her made me feel. “I’m the dirtiest player out there when the reward is as sweet as you are.” She winked. “Have a good night.”
And then she was gone.
The sound of sirens echoed through the building as I followed her out and stood in the open bays where just moments ago, multiple massive firetrucks had sat. And just like that, the whole crew was off, chasing danger and adrenaline.
And there I was, rolling my sleeves up to do the dishes and put the rest of the food away so Rhea and her crew could come back to a clean space, all while I secretly planned how to test my theory of Tanner and Rhea’s sexual chemistry.
Cedar Bluff was falling asleep around me as I drove through the quiet town. I’d left the fire station and instead of going right home like my tired body desperately begged me to do, I took a detour.
I just wanted to check on it.
To see it with my own eyes.
Honey & Hearth.
It probably would have sounded insane if I tried to explain it to anyone else, but in a way, my bakery was my home. It was a physical piece of my soul, built in brick and mortar, standing tall against the elements of the world and giving shelter to those who needed to find warmth inside its walls.
And after almost losing it all in that sprinkler malfunction, I was a little more stressed out about the fragility of the things we care about. So, I wanted to just drive by and make sure it was okay.
As I turned the corner, something up the street caught my eye. Something out of place. Tucking into a parking spot a few buildings away from my bakery, I studied the scene before me.
A shiny black SUV was parked at the curb outside the bakery, idling silently with a small puff of exhaust billowing from the pipe. The red taillights glowed in the dim evening between the streetlights.
Standing between the curb and the bakery, a man stood.
Though he wasn’t just any man, more specifically, not a man from Cedar Bluff. He wore a suit made of a crisp charcoal fabric that fit every inch of his body perfectly. His shoes were so pristine that the quaint little pendant lights in the front window of Honey & Hearth reflected off them.
In one hand, he held a tablet, and he tapped away at the screen before pausing to stare up at my bakery windows.
To study them.
My heart gave a strange flutter. Something cold slithered across my spine, warning me that whatever he was doing there wasn’t good.
Forcing my spine to find its steel, I got out of my car and quietly walked up the sidewalk toward him, approaching cautiously. “Can I help you?”
He turned, and his response to finding me there on the sidewalk was far too confident. Like he expected me to appear. “Well,” he said, voice smooth like a snake, “are you Marigold James?”
My stomach dropped, “I’m Goldie.”
“Right, Goldie.” He said my name as if it were a child’s nickname as he locked the screen on his tablet. “Adorable. Truly. Fits the aesthetic.”
I blinked, scanning the street for anyone out for a walk or leaving another business. But I was alone. “I’m sorry—who are you?”
He extended a hand, but I had zero intention of shaking it as I stared at him. “Martin Lister. Bakewell Industries. We specialize in brand revitalization and upscale community experiences.”
Brand… what?
“I’m not sure I understand,” I said, trying to steady my voice.
“Oh, of course.” His smile widened. “Let me simplify it for you. My company is opening a bakery across the street.”
He pulled a flyer mockup from the folder under his tablet and handed it to me.
I felt like I was going to throw up as I stared down at the glossy ad in my hand.
Sweet Cravings Café—Gourmet Bakery & Espresso Lounge
Opening Soon!
My chest tightened, “It’s… a franchise,” I whispered.
“Correct.” He smirked, pointing to the Honey & Hearth sign lit up above the front door beside us. “Charming space you’ve built. Very small town chic. And you’ve got heart, clearly. But as you know…” he made a vague gesture at my building. “The market is changing.”
“Changing?” I stammered, “How?”
“Upgrading.” He stated, like it answered the entire question, but then dug his point in deeper. “Customers don’t want to stand at a counter to order their meal, paying with cash only, and waiting for their order. They want an app. They want mobile ordering. They want contactless delivery.”
I stiffened, “I’m doing just fine.”
“Are you?” he asked softly, stepping closer, and I took a step backward, scowling at him.
“I hear your outdated sprinkler system malfunctioned recently. Now you’re dealing with backlogged permits, rising supply costs.
Add on the competitor moving in right across the street…
” his eyes glittered. “It’s all a bit much for one girl, isn’t it? ”
I swallowed hard, stiffening my spine and standing taller. “I can handle it. “
He clicked his tongue like he was trying to be sympathetic.
“Of course you think you can. But let me be honest, Goldie, Cedar Bluff is ripe for modernization. The people want that. They want corporate support and unified standards. They want upgrades that real money can buy.” He stepped closer again, but this time I was frozen as his tone turned darker, “You won’t survive long-term competing against us.
We’d prefer to make you an offer rather than… crush you.”
My breath caught, “Crush me?”
“Market-wise.” He shrugged. “Nothing personal, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart.
The word hit me like ice water. I stepped back, clenching my molars until they creaked. “I’m not selling my bakery.”
His smile was pitying, with an air of challenge to it. “You may not have a choice.” Turning, he headed back to his fancy SUV, “Have a good night, Ms. James.”
I stared at the flyer, still clenched in my fist.
Sweet Cravings Café—Your New Favorite Bakery.
My chest squeezed painfully.
What if he was right?
What if I couldn’t compete?
What if everyone in town ended up loving the shiny new thing and forgot about me?
I felt small. So, freaking small.
My hands trembled as I unlocked the front door to Honey & Hearth and stepped inside. The darkness swallowed me. And suddenly the bakery didn’t feel warm or magical. It no longer felt full of dreams and endless possibilities.
It felt fragile. Breakable.
I pulled out my phone, and my voice shook when Tanner answered. “Hey, um, are you busy?”
The air in the call changed the second he heard my brittle tone, instantly alert. “Goldie, what’s wrong?”
I swallowed, “Can you come to the bakery?” I hiccupped and covered my mouth as tears welled in my eyes, falling over my cheeks as my shoulders shook.
“I’m on my way, baby.”