The Blizzard Bluff Series

Chapter 5

Merry

My breath makes white puffs of smoke in the air as I move quickly from my SUV to the front door of the bakery. The lock is close to frozen, so I have to mess with it for a few minutes before I can get it open. Hurrying, I run for the alarm, shutting it off before it can start beeping at me and I have to answer a phone call explaining why it's blaring in the background. It's embarrassing, especially the week it happened four times. I had the same customer service representative and he thought I was hitting on him.

Nightmare.

Either way, I've made it a point to not set off my alarm since. It's become a game I play every morning and, so far, I've won every time. Making my way through the bakery, I turn on the ovens and lights I'll need to get the first treats up in the case.

My routine is simple. I take off my outerwear, roll up my sleeves, put my hair up, crank up the radio, and get to work. For almost an hour, I go on autopilot, grabbing the stuff from the freezer and cooler. Going ahead and warming up the things I know customers will want first, I start stocking the case.

Since it's close to Christmas, I give the case a little more love than normal, decorating it with greenery and lights. When it looks how I want it to, I move back to the kitchen. Yesterday, I baked some sugar cookies and now I'm ready to decorate them.

This was my favorite thing in culinary school and I wish I was able to do it much more often. The only time they're requested is around this time of year and for most birthday parties. Back before I bought the bakery, I'd thought of running a cookie business first.

When I was doing my research, I realized I would never be able to make the type of living I want just selling cookies.

As I finish the last one, my phone vibrates against the metal prep table. A name I never expected to see come across my phone again flashes. Morgan, my ex-boyfriend.

For some reason, at this crazy hour of the morning, I decide to answer it.

"Hello?"

His face appears. It immediately looks like he's had a night. "Hey." He smiles drunkenly. "How are you, Merry?"

"Good, busy." I show him that I'm working.

"You still getting up at this ungodly hour every morning?"

"Obviously." I roll my eyes. "You're talking to me right now and I'm in the bakery. It would stand to reason, right?"

"I miss you," he slurs. "We had so much fun, Merry. Your tight little body riding mine. I always wanted to get freaky at the bakery, but you'd never let me."

"Still wouldn't," I interrupt him. "It's unsanitary."

"C'mon, there's gotta be something that would change your mind." He gives me a creepy grin.

Immediately, Beckett's face flashes in my mind. I'm done listening to whatever this is. We hadn't spoken to each other in months before this. "Yes, there is someone who could change my mind. He works for me." I give him a smirk.

"Isn't that rich? You hated that I wouldn't work with you, that I refused to help when you asked. So now you've moved on to a worker?"

I hate that he's calling Beckett a worker. He's so much more than that. He's become an integral piece of my life. Although I like to pretend he annoys me, I've come to look forward to the days he comes in and I'm going to hate when he isn't here with me in the morning. Or when he isn't working the counter with me during the day. There's even a piece of me that likes closing up with him in the afternoon.

"Beckett's more than a worker. You're half the man he'll ever be."

There's a noise behind me and I know the man I'm talking about has heard what I've just said. And I'm not even sorry. At least it's out in the open.

No matter what happens - it's all out in the open.