brIANNA AND FLYNN
“Here you go. I’m sorry about the wait. I’ve got a slice of coffee cake here for you to make up for it.
” Brianna Montclair handed her customer a box of two dozen iced sugar cookies.
Normally, she would’ve had them all boxed up and ready to go well before they were supposed to be picked up, but The Cozy Crumb had been particularly busy on that Saturday.
“I hope your daughter has a great birthday party.”
“She definitely will as long as she has these!” the woman said with a big smile, not seeming concerned about waiting ten minutes for Brianna to pack up her order. “These are her absolute favorites. I kept asking her what kind of cake she’d like, but all she wanted were these cookies!”
“I’m so flattered!” There were plenty of days when running a bakery and coffee shop was a frantic and hectic job, even if she got to do it with her best friend.
She and Nia worked well together, handling the inevitable problems as they came up.
Complements like this one made the early mornings and the hours on her feet more than worth it.
“Just give us a call when you need something else.”
“Actually, do you have any information on your wedding cakes? A friend of mine is engaged, and she’s interested in getting something from you.”
Brianna eyed the line that was already forming at the counter.
It would be good for business if people drove by or walked in and saw how many other people wanted their baked goods and freshly brewed coffees, but how long would they truly be willing to wait?
Especially when, even though it’d been on her to-do list for a month, she hadn’t created a flyer about wedding cakes?
“Here.” Brianna handed the woman a small notepad.
“I’m actually out of the printed versions right now, but I can send you a link when I get it posted on our website. ”
“Perfect!”
With that done, she and Nia tackled the rest of the line.
They whipped up drinks and watched the day’s baked goods slowly dwindling in the display case.
When the last customer was served, and they had a moment to breathe, Brianna leaned on the counter.
“Whew! I think that was the biggest lunch rush we’ve ever had! ”
“We’re just that good,” Nia said with a smile, wiping up a few drips of coffee. “We should be proud.”
“Oh, I’m definitely proud.” The Cozy Crumb had been open for almost a year now. Small businesses were always a risk, especially in a town as small as Red Lodge, Montana, but they’d had no problem keeping the bills paid. “I’m also just kind of…”
“What’s wrong?” Nia was at her side in a moment, looking into her eyes and touching her hand to her forehead. “Are you getting sick?”
“No, mom. I’m fine.” Brianna elbowed Nia’s side with a grin.
She’d had some hard feelings when Nia had discovered she was fated to Brianna’s father.
It had threatened their friendship and business, but Brianna had come around.
She was so glad, because she wouldn’t have wanted to do this without her best friend by her side, but she still enjoyed ribbing Nia about it every now and then.
“Maybe just a little tired? I can get you a coffee,” Nia offered.
“Sure.” Nia was already headed into the back, which left Brianna to rearrange a few of the goodies left in the display case and figure out what was going on inside her.
She wasn’t sick, nor was she any more tired than she ought to be for this time of day.
But the wolf inside her felt strange, as though it were anticipating something.
Brianna glanced at the calendar on her phone to see if there was an upcoming event she’d forgotten about, but she found nothing.
The bell over the door rang, which meant there was no more time to sit around and analyze herself. Brianna straightened up and rattled off her typical greeting. “Welcome! What can I…” She trailed off as a man walked in.
His dark hair was combed back, accentuating the brilliant blue of his eyes over sharp cheekbones and generous lips.
Her wolf perked up instantly as she took in his broad shoulders, which his polo showed off rather nicely.
His jeans were snug enough around his thighs that she wished he would turn around.
Fortunately for her, he did, but she didn’t get a chance to see how nicely the denim stretched across his backside.
Brianna was instantly distracted by the five toddlers that the man gently shooed into the building.
Stunned, she looked back up at the handsome man.
He looked a little stressed, and she could only imagine he must be with five toddlers the same age!
“Hey, guys!” Nia squealed as she emerged from the kitchen. She set down the drink she had made and rushed around the counter, kneeling as the kids rushed to her for hugs. “How are you? You’re all getting so big! I’m so happy to see you!”
Brianna watched this exchange, puzzled by exactly what was going on.
She looked back up at the man to see that he was looking at her, too, and he didn’t avert his gaze when she caught him.
Those sky blue eyes intensified, and his jaw tightened.
Her wolf jumped and contorted within her, suddenly agitated.
For a long moment, Brianna didn’t even feel the need to blink because it would be one split second of not being able to look at him.
“Hey, Flynn!” Nia said, breaking the spell. She stood, holding one of the tots on her hip. “Are Eve and Joel with you?”
Oh. That explained it. Brianna had been so fixated on him that she hadn’t paid much attention to the kids, but of course, they were the children of Eve and Joel.
The dragons and their small settlement were new allies to the Montclair pack.
The little ones were just growing so quickly that she didn’t recognize them.
“No, they needed a vacation. I guess raising five little ones at a time will do that to you.” Flynn watched the kids with a line of stress creasing his forehead. “I volunteered to watch my nieces and nephews for the weekend.”
“How’s that going?” Nia laughed.
“Good, for the most part. At least I’m getting to spend a lot of quality time with—whoa, Forrest. Let’s not do that, buddy.” Flynn swept forward and pulled Forrest back from the chalkboard menu in front of the counter, where the specials for the day were written.
“I’m sorry. I’m being so rude.” Nia turned to Brianna. “I don’t think you’ve met Brianna, my best friend and Cole’s daughter. Brianna, this is Flynn Ashford.”
Brianna moved forward without even realizing she’d picked up her feet. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Flynn took her hand. His grip was firm but soft, and he kept her hand on top of his.
This was no business handshake. Flynn’s eyes blazed into hers, and even Brianna’s wolf was still for the moment as it became completely fixated on this stranger.
It looked like he might graze his lips across her knuckles like some knight in shining armor, and electricity bolted through her arm in the hope that he might do just that.
But then he dropped her hand and darted to the side, grabbing Stella as she tried to climb into a chair, threatening to pull it down right on top of her. “Careful!”
“Ca-fa?” Stella repeated, her big eyes turned to her uncle.
“That’s right,” he said. “You’ve got to be careful. Don’t want you to hurt your little noggin.” Flynn danced his fingertips gently across Stella’s forehead, making her giggle.
The spell had been broken, but Brianna’s wolf hadn’t settled down entirely. She didn’t think it would as long as he was around. Though business was the last thing on her mind, it was an easy default. “Is there something we can get for you?”
“Yeah, I promised these little monsters that I’d get them cupcakes after lunch. I’m not so sure it was a great idea, but we’re here.”
“Can’t turn back now,” she said as she went behind the counter and opened the door of the display case. “What would they like?”
“Come on, guys.” Flynn clapped his hands gently and ushered all the little ones over. “Time to pick out cupcakes!”
Brianna watched them through the glass case as each child thought carefully and pointed to a treat. She used the plastic plates she reserved for kids, so there was no worry about them breaking, and Nia helped seat each of them at a low table.
“All right, Aspen. Your turn.” Flynn guided the last little one to the display.
“That!” She tapped the glass excitedly toward a cupcake covered with sprinkles, but then she spotted one with pink frosting. “That!”
“You have to pick just one,” he reminded her patiently.
Her little brow wrinkled. She pressed her whole face to the glass with her hands spread out on either side. “Thaaaaat!” she cried even louder, finding a cupcake with purple frosting.
“I’m sorry about all the fingerprints,” Flynn said as he rose again and fished his wallet out of his pocket.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Full-grown adults touch it just as much as the kids do, so we clean it regularly, anyway.
” She laughed, but then she worried that she’d laughed too loud.
Brianna’s fingers pressed all the wrong buttons as she rang up his order, and for a moment, she was tempted just to give him the cupcakes for free.
That would be too obvious, though. Damn, I’m really overthinking this.
He swiped his card when she gave him the total. Then he cringed as one of the kids started screaming at his siblings. “I’m sorry about that, too. With five kids, it’s always kind of loud.”
“But you’re the only ones in here right now,” she pointed out.
The last customer must have left shortly after Flynn arrived, though she hadn’t noticed.
Brianna usually tried to call after their customers as they walked out, telling them to have a good day or come back soon.
She’d completely missed the opportunity because she’d been too interested in Flynn.
“Nice place you have here,” Flynn said.