Page 47 of Half Baked

“Good, we can walk together.”

I place the cobbler in the cooler and slide my apron over my head. It’s still bothering me that he seemed to fixate on the mixer; there’s something more there.

“What else do we need to do as far as wrapping up here?”

Scanning the kitchen, it seems we’ve got everything done. “Nothing,” I admit.

“Want to go down to the beach for a bit? We have time before the meeting.” He sounds hopeful, as if my agreeing is truly important to him. But I’m just as stirred by his offer. There’s something wildly intimate about a walk on the beach, just the two of us.

“Sure,” I nod, avoiding his gaze.

Hayden remains close at my side as we start down the wharf. Same as when we were baking, he’s near enough to brush my arm now and then, but not to the point of embracing me.

“What do you have planned for our next episode?” he asks after a moment.

“I had a strawberry recipe planned for this week, but because of the mixer I couldn’t?—”

I skid to a stop, a memory clicking into place that my brain had been fighting to remind me of. The strawberries. “I told Wes the mixer broke.”

Hayden raises an eyebrow, turning so he’s standing in front of me. “Oh yeah?”

“He asked about the strawberries, and I told him. It was the morning he came in to get things for your meeting.”

“Your treats were a real hit, he made a good call.” He shoves his hands down into the pockets of his linen pants. And if I’m not mistaken, his brow is pinched with worry.

“He told you.”

I’m certain of this. And the streak of concern that passes across his face confirms it for me. It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when I started noticing the nuances of his expressions. But as I watch him, I realize that I know exactly who bought me that mixer.

“Hayden, did you buy the mixer?”

“We’re supposed to be walking on the beach right now,” he deflects, casting a longing look over to the sea.

“Not until you answer me.”

“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine. And we do it while walking down there.” He nods towards the water’s edge.

“Is this another game to you?”

“Try trusting me, just this once.” He sighs.

My stomach drops at the idea of trusting Hayden. But that’s what I’ve been doing already, isn’t it? The biggest opportunity in my life comes along and I’ve trusted him to step into it together.

Wordlessly, I reach down and slide my sneakers off. Depositing them in my bag, I stride onto the beach and head for the strip of firm, cool sand where the tide comes and goes with steady grace.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I hear Hayden mutter behind me. It doesn’t take more than a moment for him to catch me, and we fall into rhythm with our steps.

“I bought you the mixer.”

My feet slow, desperate to stop. To run away from this. But I need answers, and this is the only way to get them. “Why?”

“Nope, it’s my turn to ask a question now.”

“Hayden—”

“A deal’s a deal. And I want to know how things are going with the bakery. Was there a reason you didn’t buy a mixer?”

I wish this was quicksand that could swallow me whole. Anything to get away from this conversation. He won’t understand, he never has.

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