Page 72 of Delicious

“It is.” He nods. “I guess I’m just worried because what if we hit a downswing again? Let’s say I find the money somehow to take on new staff, open a whole new kitchen off-site, which I’d need to make and store all the candies in quantities to make it profitable, and buy new equipment. What if I did all that and then it doesn’t work out? I’d lose the bakery too.”

“It’s a risk, yes.” I head behind the counter and begin to fix him a latte the way he likes it. “But you have a passion and a talent,mijo. I know you can do this.” My mouth twists as I stare at him thoughtfully. “You know what you need?”

“Besides a manager, new staff, a new kitchen, new equipment, and about twelve extra hours in the day?”

I snort. Colin is so quiet and sweet that I get the feeling not a lot of people get a taste of his sassy side. Except me. I’m so extra most of the time I just bring it out in others, I guess.

“What you need is an investor.”

“Sure, because they grow on trees. Have you seen what the interest rates look like right now? I’m not taking out any loans with the bank. I built my business from the ground up on nothing but hard work and my savings. I’m not going to risk that now, especially not with the way the economy is.”

“I don’t mean a bank. I mean me.” I slide his latte towards him.

“What?”

“I’ll invest.”

“You…” He pauses, his cup halfway to his mouth. “What?” His gaze trails over me, from my faded pink hair and eyeliner to the Colin’s Cupcakes T-shirt, which I customised with glitter and rhinestones before removing the sleeves and widening the neck. Continuing on, his eyes track over my tiny little denim cut-offs to my knee-high sports socks and sparkly purple Converse high-tops.

I know nothing about me screams money—not my Puerto Rican by way of Long Beach accent, my clothing style, or, if we’re being honest, my whole personality—but I do have money, and a lot more of it than people think, thanks to Tyler.

“That’s, er, nice of you to offer, Cookie, but I pay you next to nothing for working here. I’d need a lot of capital just to buy the machinery I need.”

I laugh warmly at his wrinkled nose and look of confusion. “Trust me, I have more than enough. I don’t even use what you pay me.”

“You don’t?” If possible, he looks even more confused. “What do you do with it, then?”

I shrug. “I give it to a place that supports at risk and homeless teens.” I turn back to the coffee machine and start making a cappuccino.

“I…” Colin frowns and tugs the strings of his apron, the way I’ve learned he does when he’s stressed or overwhelmed. “Okay, putting that aside, which is a really lovely thing to do, by the way, why did you even ask for a job, then?”

“Because you looked so stressed and tired when I walked in here my second day in the bay. I needed something to do while Tyler was dealing with his father’s funeral, and I love baking. I had a gut feeling.”

“A gut feeling?” he repeats slowly, and I nod.

“Don’t you ever just get a feeling about something and go for it?”

“No.”

I laugh again. “Well I do, and it has never done me dirty. I had a feeling about this place and about you. So here I am.” The work visas Tyler insists we always have up-to-date paid off there.

“And now you want to invest in the expansion of my business?”

I nod again. “It will all be drawn up legally, this ain’t no shady backroom deal. I genuinely believe in you. It’ll all be aboveboard, Scout’s honour.”

He huffs in amusement. “I doubt you were ever a Boy Scout.”

“Damn, you got me. I wasn’t, too many rules.” I lift my hands and shrug. “Anyway, the offer’s there.”

“Are you even staying in the bay?” he asks, tilting his head as he studies me. “Aren’t you going back to the US?”

I snort loudly. “Hell no. Not with the way things are at the moment. Tyler’s already moved his base of operations from Chicago back to the UK. Once he’s tied up all the loose ends here from his father’s death, we’ll be heading to London.”

“You two do everything together?”

“Mostly.” Snapping the lid on the cup, I bag up a pastry. “He’s my best friend.” I balance the bag on top of the cup and look up at Colin who is watching me. “Neither of us had great childhoods, didn’t really have any family until we found each other. When we met, we just clicked. Kismet.”

“That gut feeling of yours?” The corner of his mouth curves.

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