Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Forty-One
Melissa
Olive's laughter sings through my ears. Surrounded by the pier, seagulls, and normal people out walking their dogs.
I watch them from my new bakery across the street as he continues pushing her swing. Everyone pulled their weight in getting this place off the ground and ready for opening night. I never thought I’d see the day Frost would be holding a paintbrush, or Ripper and Toke would argue about measurements, or even Beast build a damn counter.
Two weeks. It only took two weeks to transform this place into what I’d imagined when I first walked in.
Hella pushes her higher as she demands more. Faster. Harder. Just like her mother already, never satisfied with safe.
Serial killers line the walls. Not photos. Art prints. Stylized versions of Aileen Wuornos mid-confession. Dorothea Puente in her garden. Genene Jones in scrubs. Karla Homolka's wedding photo turned grotesque.
Westbeach location proved how much people love a little weird, even with their baking. Love the thrill of ordering a “Bloody Mary” brownie or an “Aileen's Last Meal” cinnamon roll.
The bell above the door chimes, and I turn, stuffing boxes under the counter.
Riley walks in carrying boxes of ingredients, blowing her long dark hair out of her face. She’s all ripped jeans and band T-shirts. Seventeen and already more confident than I was at twenty-four.
“Hey.” She places them on the counter. “Got the most of everything you wanted, but the store manager said he can have the rest here by tomorrow.” Riley’s Toke’s granddaughter. She shows up whenever she wants, apparently. I first met her last week, and after she broke Travis’ nose for touching her ass, I knew we would get along.
Pretty much offered her a job on the spot. It’s a win-win, since it’ll keep her around for Toke too. Old man will have a heart attack with all the stress she puts on him. Not intentionally, just by being a teenager in general.
“Did you finish the inventory?” I ask, shifting through the items and checking off the list.
“Yeah.” She pulls out her phone, showing me the spreadsheet. “We're short on chocolate chips. And vanilla extract. Everything else is stocked.”
“Good.” I scan the numbers. “Put in an order for double what we need. I want backup.”
“You expecting a rush?” she teases, resting her hip on the side table.
I pause, nerves chewing at my insides. “I don’t know.”
She grins. “That's what I like about you. You're paranoid.”
I glare at her. “I prefer prepared.”
“Same thing.” She waves me off. “Anyway, don’t worry.” Her hand reaches into her pocket as she pulls out her phone and flashes it at me. “I put it on TikTok and now everyone can’t wait to come check it out!”
“What?” I tilt my head to study the video. She’d made an edit of images from the Westbeach photos on my Instagram with a catchy beat and the time and place of opening.
“One-hundred and fifty thousand people liked it.” My tone flat because what. “Holy shit.”
Riley smiles at me wide and proud. “Yup! So yes, you should triple order everything!”
I shake off the buzz. “I’m giving you a raise.”
“No need!” she widens her eyes at me. “Also, what do you think about these menu boards?” Riley’s an artist by talent, and attitude.
“These look good.” I zoom in on the lettering. “But make the font bolder. I want people to see it from across the street.”
“You got it.” She saves the notes. “Anything else?”
“No, thank you!” I smile, and Riley dips behind the counter, mumbling something about an order.
The bell chimes again, and Hella walks in with Olive on his shoulders. Her small hands gripping his hair. Both their faces flushed from the sun.
“mummy!” She spots me. “Daddy pushed me so high I could see the mountains!”
“Did he?” I move toward them. “That sounds dangerous.”
“It was awesome.” Olive grins. “Can we do it again tomorrow?”
“Of course,” I say, since she’ll be spending so much time here.
Hella lifts her off his shoulders and sets her down gently. She immediately runs to Riley.
I watch them together. Riley patient and genuine. Olive animated and curious. Two people from completely different worlds finding common ground.
Hella moves beside me. Close enough that I feel his heat. Smell leather and smoke and something distinctly him.
“Shop looks good.” His voice rumbles low. “You ready for tomorrow?”
“No.” An honest answer. “But I'm opening anyway.”
“That's my girl.” He pulls me under his arm, and I melt.
His girl. The words still make my stomach flip. Still makes me want to push him away and pull him closer at the same time.
He gives Riley a look before she directs Olive to the kitchen.
Hella turns me to face him. “I need to show you something, but it's gonna take a drive.”
“Now? I have—”
“It'll keep.” His hand finds the small of my back, steering me toward the door. “Please, it's important and I'm not entirely sure you're not gonna hit me or somethin' so we should do this away from Olive.”