Page 91 of Sweets and Sycamores
“I have to make dulce de leche for Mia. She made it abundantly clear I haven’t made her some in a while, and ‘Do I even love her?’” he grumbled. “And I’ll run a delivery in the afternoon to Mrs. Chen.”
“Let me help with Mia’s sweet treat,” Allie offered. “I’d like to know how to make it for her, too.”
Dom nodded once, his heart growing to the size of a carving pumpkin.
Dulce de leche was complicated in its simplicity. Allie needed to observe Dom at least three times more before she gave it a try herself. But this was Mia’s favorite, so the effort was worth it.
Allie was cleaning the table by the window when the doorbell rang.
“Welcome—oh.”
Jared freaking Finn stood by the door and stared at her. She hadn’t seen him since the day he was all too friendly withher manipulative ex. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt, and Allie Read him instantly. She’d take no chances around a man like him. His aura was conflicted, feeling like he wanted to repent, but at the same time like it was the last thing he wanted to do.
His eyes moved awkwardly around the shop, where the other patrons enjoying their pastries had gone quiet. Jared walked up to the counter, and Allie followed him, rolling her eyes so hard they almost made a popping sound.
“What can I get you?”
“Just a coffee, please. To go.” Allie turned her back on him, reaching for a to-go cup even before he’d mentioned it. Jared cleared his throat. Twice. “I came to apologize.”
Allie heard him loud and clear, but unfortunately for him, he spoke over the buzzing sound of the coffee machine. She suppressed a smile before turning to face him.
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
Jared’s face grew red, and Allie thought that at any moment, smoke would be coming out of his ears.
“I’m sorry!” he shouted. “I had no idea Sam put a—” Allie’s eyes turned to saucers, but thankfully, the moron stopped talking. No one in Sycamore Falls knew about the seal except Dom and Mia, and she wanted to keep it that way. Jared cleared his throat again. “I didn’t know.”
Allie nodded and handed him the cup of coffee.
“Thanks.” What else could she say? Allie hadn’t thought about Jared all this time, and she wasn’t going to start now. “Have a good day.”
“So…we’re good?” He placed the money on the counter and raised his stupid eyebrows.
“We’re…nothing. But I appreciate the apology.”
Allie left for the kitchen to do exactly nothing but wait until the unwelcome guest left. She stared at the oven timer, whichhad twenty-two minutes left, until she heard the doorbell ring in the bakery.
She was not one to hold a grudge, having always considered them a waste of energy on people who did not deserve the effort. However, she did not want to look at his face anymore, and that was a perfectly valid excuse for hiding in the kitchen.
“Allie?” Her favorite voice boomed from the narrow hallway before Dom’s body filled the doorframe. He wore his unfriendly glare, and his hands fisted at his sides as he scanned her from head to toes. “You okay?” She nodded honestly. Besides the scare she took from Jared almost announcing the seal to the entire town, nothing about him fazed her. “I really need to put up one of those signs,” Dom muttered.
“What sign?”
“Never mind.”
“Let’s go over the Harvest Festival preparations,” Allie suggested instead, putting her arm around Dom’s waist and cuddling to his chest. “I have some ideas.”
The crease between his eyebrows shifted into intrigue.
“Baking ideas?”
Allie smiled widely and nodded, then said the thing she knew might give her a glimpse of Dom’s smile.
“With hazelnut cream.”
She was right.
“Tell me all about it,” Dom said, charming Allie by giving her his full, undivided attention.
