Chapter 2
Lily
“Lily of the Valley! Hey, I love your podcast!” I smile as I throw another can of soup in my cart.
“Thank you! I appreciate your support!” Pushing my cart faster, I wince when the wheels behind me squeal as the woman pushes to keep up with me.
“Are you working on your next story yet? I’m so excited to see what you’re working on.”
Turning around with a wink, I tap my forehead. “Top secret info but it’s coming soon.”
“Awesome! I can’t wait.”
I turn back to my cart with a deep breath and then duck around the corner quickly, hoping to outrun the fan. I know that it’s necessary but I’m so tired today.
And really, I never thought my little podcast was ever going to get as big as it has. I love to travel around our area and feature new things to get people excited about but the people stopping me everywhere is driving me crazy. I don’t do this for the notoriety. I hate that!
But I needed a way to make money that didn’t involve going in for long periods of time to a regular job.
My chronic fatigue syndrome means that sometimes I just can’t get out of bed and I can’t go in to a regular job.
I need something that is fewer regular hours so I can adjust my schedule as need be.
Most regular bosses don’t recognize CFS as a real illness. I’ve lost count of how many people think I’m whining or faking instead of struggling to keep up with my own body.
With a tired sigh, I push my cart up to the checkout, wincing when the cashier grins and waves.
Obviously another fan. With a huge grin, I force myself to step up to the counter and unload my groceries as she chatters a mile a minute about her favorite episodes.
I don’t mind the fans. Except when my body is starting to drag ass and it feels like I’m about to fall down I’m so tired.
And that feeling is creeping up on me. I know I’m going to need to go home and take a nap so I can actually go do my podcast at Spice Spice Baby tomorrow.
I’m looking forward to tasting some great baked goods and talking to some great kids.
I can’t let my body tank my plans. It’s time to rest.
Tomorrow is another day.
The kids are chattering a mile a minute and there’s a buzzing electricity in the air that fuels even my tired body.
“Hey, guys! Settle down! We’re just about to start and I can’t hear myself think!”
The low, dark voice has my body pulsing in seconds. Startled, I glance over at the huge guy in the baker’s apron and a huge white smile. A swath of his dark hair hangs into his crystal-blue eyes and my whole body tenses as those eyes turn to me.
“Hello, I’m Mark. I’m in charge of these guys tonight. I’m assuming you’re my podcaster?”
“Oh, hell yeah!”
His bright eyes twinkle and his hand comes out to touch my shoulder and it feels like a jolt of fire sizzles along my skin where his fingers rest.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he chuckles. The kids around us are laughing and that’s when I realize that I fucking said it out loud!
Oh shit!
“I’m sorry, I’m really tired tonight. I’m afraid I’m not making any sense.”
He shoots me a skeptical look that narrows the crystal blue eyes he studies me with.
“Well, let’s get this party started, kiddos!
Grab your spots and make sure that you’ve got your essential ingredients and specialty items. I put everything at each station since we’re such a small group tonight but check the recipe that’s tacked onto each board and make sure. ”
He shoots me a smirk that turns my knees to liquid. “You can set up wherever you want to. We’re gonna take a few minutes to set up and then get started.”
He turns away and oh my! His backside is just as beautiful as his front. His ass is a work of art. Round and just the right size to take a bite out of.
My cheeks flush bright red like I know he can read my mind and he knows what I’m thinking.
But he’s just talking to one of the kids. A pretty girl with dark curls and crystal blue eyes, studying me like I’m some strange insect that she doesn’t know what to do with.
I remember the description of the bakery and smile gently. I have a feeling that I’m looking at the guy’s daughter.
That’s one of the special things about this place. Single dads. They’re all single dads.
I’ve heard women and the way they talk it’s clear that they like the guys here. Hell, it’s clear that they want to jump the guys here.
But if this one guy is anything to go by, I can understand. He’s gorgeous. At least six three with a body that’s lean and muscular, tanned skin and bright blue eyes. The unruly lock of hair that keeps falling into those eyes just makes him look more human.
He claps his hands and I jump. He swings to me. “You want to tell the kids what you’re doing today?”
Straightening, I grin at the kids and pull out my phone. I don’t use expensive cameras and shit. I’m a one-woman show. That’s one of my taglines.
“Hi guys!’ I wave at them and they wave back.
“I’m going to do a podcast recording today for my show, Lily of the Valley, which is all about the special things around our area for people to do.
I just want you to do what you normally do and I’ll ask a question here or there.
I don’t try to get in the shots. I’m concentrating on you guys so just have fun with it.
Your parents have signed all the forms, haven’t they? ”
Nods all the way around and the guy in charge grins at me. “I gave them the stuff before you got here.” He hands me a stack of signed papers. “We’re all good to go. We’ve only got eight kids tonight including my daughter, Casey so we thought it would be a good night for you.”
The way his firm lips twist tells me that he’s lying right now. I’m guessing he wasn’t a fan of this. But it’s gonna be great for them so I’m sure he’ll be happy once it goes out.
Nodding, I start lining up my shots and chatting with the kids. “Just do what you normally do and have fun with it.”
I fade into the background like I usually do and smile when I start my recording.
The big guy steps into the middle of my screen and my whole body goes hot as a furnace. His pale blue eyes sparkle with life as he talks to the kids and then smiles at the screen.
His big body moves around the space with wild efficiency. Like a carefully controlled breeze that’s about to whirl into a hurricane. He’s a force of nature. His daughter chatters a mile a minute and every once in a while, I pop into the recording to ask a question.
Everything is going smooth as silk and then all of a sudden, one of the kids forgets to set the lock on the mixer and the air’s full of whirling white sandstorms that cover everything.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He laughs and grabs the mixer to shut it off. He grins at the camera while I wait for the explosion.
But he just laughs. “And that’s why we always double-check the lock on the mixer, guys. Let’s get this place cleaned up and then we’ll get back to the scones we’re baking.” He turns to me. “It will only take us a couple of minutes. But you can stop recording if you want to.”
Shaking my head, stunned, I just keep going, fascinated by the guy that fills the screen.
Gorgeous, sense of humor and just plain nice? Sign me up for that please!
But this is a job. And this guy probably has about a million women chasing him.
There’s no way he’d ever be interested in someone like me.