Page 39 of Bittersweet

“I doubt they make much more than enough to live on doing this.”

Harper felt the sudden need to defend the food truck vendors. “I think some of them are pretty successful at it. I thought about taking my food on the road, traveling around to the festivals, seeing more of the state—maybe the country—going places I’ve never been before.”

“Wait, you wanted to own a food truck? Was this before you decided to open the shop?”

She had said too much. The food truck dream hadn’t really been hers. It had been Logan’s. But she would have been more than happy to go on that journey and follow that dream with him. “It was before. When I was in college.”

“It could be a fun side business.”

“Yeah, maybe.” She hoped to veer the subject away from her college years.

“You could get a truck and hire someone else to drive it around for you and sell your food. Might be a nice revenue stream.”

That idea annoyed her. “It was supposed to be me driving the truck.”

“But aren’t you busy enough with the bakery?”

Harper nodded. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to do that now. Things are fine the way they are.” When the words left her mouth, she realized she meant them in more than one way. She didn’t want things to change between her and Brett, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t let things remain as they were for long.

He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Did I freak you out the other day? Because I never want to pressure you, Harper. But I’m ready. I have been for a while now. I want to be with you.”

Harper glanced nervously at the people sitting close by. “Can we talk about this when there aren’t dozens of people within earshot?”

He kissed the back of her hand. “Of course.”

Harper’s stomach sank at the look in his eyes—the same look he’d had for that BBQ earlier, only now he looked like he was ready to devour her. She should’ve wanted her boyfriend to look at her like that, but instead, it made her uncomfortable.

He might be reliable and trustworthy, but there was still something missing. She forced a smile as she took her hand back, gathered their trash, and stood.

Brett took her hand again, and they walked along the row of trucks, stopping at a dessert truck, and trying out the competition’s chocolate chip cookies.

“They’re okay.” Brett gave her a wink.

When they passed the coffee truck again, Brett veered in its direction. “Let’s see how your food is selling.”

She gave a little tug on his arm. “No, we don’t have to. Savannah will tell me tomorrow.”

“I could go for a coffee.”

Harper reluctantly followed him into the line, turning so she wouldn’t be seen by the people behind the window.

When they moved closer to the front of the line, she took a peek inside and locked eyes with Logan. His face lit up at the sight of her.

“You came!”

He passed an order through the window to the person in front of them and spotted Brett standing next to her. His happiness faded in less than a second.

“What can I get ya?” Logan asked coldly.

Brett stared down at Harper. “He owns it?”

“Did I not mention that?” She attempted to play it off, but let out a nervous laugh.

Brett didn’t seem like he was in the mood to let it go. “You’re working with him?”

“Brett, can we just get the coffee and go?”

“Whatever you want is on the house.” Logan interrupted their moment.

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