Page 54 of Half Baked

“Why do you want to run from that?” Stevie asks, adding another strawberry to her own basket. I appreciate that they are actively picking the berries instead of watching me bare my soul. It makes this easier.

“I don’t feel like I can accept his help, it’s like admitting I failed. And what if I rely on him and he lets me down?”

“Accepting help doesn’t mean accepting failure. Just the opposite, it means that you’re continuing to fight for your dreams,” Ivy assures me.

“Is there something Hayden did to make you think youcan’trely on him?”

“Once I start unravelling everything I’m overthinking? No. He hasn’t given me a reason to doubt him,” I answer.

“You let us be here for you. Do you think trusting him is any different?”

My basket now full, I rise and shield my eyes from the sun as I watch them follow suit. We take our time, walking at a significantly slower pace back to drop the strawberries off. They don’t push the subject, just walk beside me.

“That’s different. It’syou. Besides, you all are here to talk things through with me. Support and encourage me. You aren’t offering money or bailing me out. Plus… I’m also starting to feel things for him which is just complicating his offer,” I admit. “I’m not the type of person that jumps in with both feet?—”

“We know.”

I smile at that before continuing. “I plan, and examine, and process. There’s no binder I can make that tells me how to keep my heart safe while testing things out with him.”

Wren loops her arm through mine and nods. “I get it. But even if you don’t have a binder, you have your intuition. Trust yourself to accept things as they feel right, moving at a pace you set.That’syour plan.”

“And if you need us, we’re here,” Ivy reminds me.

We deposit the strawberries in the larger crate waiting in the back of my Bronco and take our empty baskets down to the next field for blueberries. We harvest and talk about nothing of any importance. Like when Stevie brings up the time that Wren sprinted through this field because a bee chased her for her cherry perfume. And the reminder Stevie gives to go into the market after this and get a few blocks of the blueberry cheddar cheese because it’s a favorite amongst Ivy’s family.

It’s exactly what I need.

As I work, I let their advice turn over in my brain. Trust when it feels right. Set my own pace. The idea sounds simple enough, and I can’t deny how I’ve been aching to feel more of Hayden. To let him closer.

“What do I tell him about helping me with bakery things?” I turn from the wild bush I’m picking and look between them. They don’t seem phased by the way I pivot the conversation back around because they know me. They know I’ve been thinking about it this whole time.

“You still have four episodes left for the show, right?” Stevie asks, looking up as well to see me nod in confirmation. “Then just see what comes up as you are in the kitchen together. If there’s anything you’d want.”

The last time I had Hayden in my kitchen, I wanted things that had nothing to do with baking. I wanted him. And based on how badly I feel it, I suspect that desire isn’t going away anytime soon.

Chapter 24

Poppy

“Knock, knock!”

I look up to see Tara entering the bakery. She is extremely early for shooting today, and alone. Something about this unexpected drop-in immediately puts me on edge.

My heart rate starts to climb as I wipe my hands on my apron and come around the counter to meet her.

“Hi, Tara. What brings you by?” I try to sound casual and laid back about her surprise appearance. I hope I sound laid back.

“I wanted to catch you and your hunky firefighter before shooting today. I have an idea for the show.”

“Oh, okay. I can give Hayden a call, see if he can come by now,” I offer.

This is feeling more and more like an ambush. I’m not sure what she has planned, but I suspect that I’m not going to like it.

“Wonderful, thank you, dear.”

With a stiff nod, I pull my phone from my back pocket and excuse myself into the kitchen. Hayden answers on the first ring.

“Hi there, this is a nice surprise.” His voice is warm and inviting, even through the phone.

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