Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Shae moved closer to her and he reached out, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Who?” she asked, afraid of who he was going to say.
“Me,” Shae said.
This surprised her. “You?”
“Yeah.”
“What?” she frowned.
“Your parents were good bakers and they were honest people. They didn’t think to invest back into this place when business was booming, and they took the money, used it to raise you two. I also believe some of the money was used to help send you to culinary school,” he said. “Unfortunately, your parents didn’t change with the seasons and offered the same things all the freaking time. It didn’t take the locals long to get bored, and then they got desperate. They needed money to run, and when the bank attempted to take it, I took over the lease.”
This was not what she expected. “You helped my parents?”
“They were bad business people, but they had good hearts. I did what I could, and yes, I can take this place from you at any time, but I’m not going to do that. Unlike your parents, you have ideas. You know to change with the times, and that is exactly what you do.” And he stole a kiss, just taking it from her.
“And I know you’re going to run this place really well,” he said.
“I can’t believe you ... you could have taken this place from me.” He nodded. “But you didn’t.” He shook his head. “Why?”
“Let’s just say, I wanted to see how you got along without any help.” He stroked her cheek. “And you’re getting along just fine. Let me help. Let me hire an assistant. Not to do anything but serve customers.”
“I don’t think I can do that.”
“It would be for my peace of mind.”
“Shae, you don’t have to do that. I’ve got this.”
He leaned in close so his lips were right against her ear. “Do you think you’re going to have all that additional energy when I start fucking you, and I am going to start doing that. It is just a matter of time, and trust me, baby, when I start, I am not going to fucking stop. I want to be balls-deep inside you so damn badly.”
She felt an answering pull between her thighs. They still hadn’t had sex. They had done a whole lot of other things, but sex wasn’t one of them.
“You want to hire someone?” she asked.
“Yes, just to help you out, and they will follow your instructions. You have my word.”
She sighed and glanced around at the shop. Lily-May was supposed to help her, but all she had done was cause more trouble.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll work with whomever you decide.”
****
It was not easy to find someone willing to work from six-thirty in the morning until six at night. However, there were multiple applicants who came to see what he had to offer. He wasn’t interested in what they were selling.
He still had women who were constantly attempting to try to lure him in. This is what he was used to. In the past, he did find it fun to play along, but that was a long time ago. He wasn’t interested in playing that role anymore, not when he had Peyton. She was worth more than all of them.
As the applicants dwindled, he started to lose hope and started to understand why Peyton was reluctant to hire anyone. This was her reputation on the line, and he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.
Then, finally, after going through what felt like a hundred applicants and actually was only about thirty, a young woman named Leah came around. She was twenty years old, had lived in Fort all her life, recently moved out of her parents’ place, and was looking for some steady work. Her total honesty shocked him, that she had sucked at school and didn’t academically learn well. She was a hard worker, and she would be someone he could rely on. At no point during her interview did she press up her breasts, pout, or flirt with him. She was interested in the job, nothing else. Peyton had seemed reluctant at first, and told him she would give Leah one week to see how she got on.
By the following Friday night, he pulled into the parking space just outside of Peyton’s bakery. It was already getting dark, and they only had a few days before October hit. Fort absolutely loved Halloween, and it was a lot of fun to get the locals involved. Tourists came throughout the whole year, and it was another opportunity for small business to earn money as people visited. He knew that small towns were dying, and it was only through innovation, constantly moving forward, and changing with the times that kept everyone on their toes. Fort was a thriving town, and one he intended to keep going for many decades to come.