Page 26 of Building Romance
“Alright, what’s your plan, then?” I ask her and she grins as she rubs her hands together.
“We need to do some reconnaissance and I know just the hacker to help us,” she says with a grin and a wink as she motions to Kasen’s apartment across the hall from this one. Dear God, what am I about to do?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Fletch
“Fuck, these are really good,” Dalton practically moans as he finishes an eggnog cookie.
“Can we just get her to bake for our store?” Spencer asks.
I glare at my brothers. “First, she’s our competitor. So no. And second, we get to keep these recipes. Remember?”
“Oh, right. It’s in the contract,” Spencer says smirking. I refrain from rolling my eyes. I love Spence but sometimes he is so focused on the forest he forgets he’s surrounded by trees. Details are not his thing.
“You’re an idiot,” Dalton growls as he grabs another cookie and a cupcake.
“So what’s the plan? This woman has culinary skills. Do we just sink obscene amounts of money into the Hearts Lane location? Do we search for a renowned pastry chef with a following on social media to run the bakery? Do we cut a special deal with some coffee suppliers for special beans? What’s the path forward?” Dalton continues as he takes a bite of the cupcake and his eyes roll back in his head. I hear the telltale pop of a candied cranberry and I shake my head.
“I don’t know. I need to get more intel. If she’s given us these recipes, then I know she has some way better things up her sleeve. She’s not going to give away her best ideas,” I point out.
“True. You need to spend time with her. Gain her trust, figure out her secrets, and then we pivot before opening with a new direction that can crush her store,” Spencer says matter-of-factly.
“Exactly,” I state.
Dalton laughs. “Why the hell would she trust you?”
“Because I’m witty and charming,” I say with a smirk. Both my brothers double over with laughter and I flick them off. “Fuck you both. Women love me. I’ll figure her out. Give me a few weeks.”
The competition starts in another week. I’ve already scheduled time with her this week to go over our strategies and backup plans, but then as her team coordinator, I’ll be intimately involved in every aspect of our team’s baking. The competition calls for the bakers to have one assistant and she’s already told me some woman at the bakery will be there. I just hope that doesn’t screw up my plan to be able to gain her trust.
“Bro, you need to tread lightly with this one,” Spencer adds as he takes a piece of the pie. He takes a bite and his eyes widen. “How did she even do that?”
I shrug. “We haven’t gone over the process yet,” I answer as I take a cookie.
Spencer types something on his phone and his eyes widen. “Wait a damn minute. This is the competition?” he asks as he flips his phone around to reveal a photo of Camryn.
I nod, forcing myself to swallow the cookie. Holy fuckballs! It’s a candid shot someone took as a promo piece on the café. She’s throwing her head back and laughing. Her curly red hair is up high in a ponytail, but tendrils hang down around her face. She’s gorgeous.
“I mean, maybe I can talk to her,” Spencer says as he looks at the photo. I practically growl as I shove his phone back toward him. There is no fucking way I’m letting Spencer anywhere near Camryn. I might have the playboy reputation from the antics of my youth, but Spencer eats women for dinner and spits them out for dessert. He can never keep a girlfriend longer than three months. It’s like he purposefully repels them once things start to get serious.
Dalton leans in to see what has us transfixed. He whistles. “She’s beautiful,” he says. Now, I’m angry. I feel like a feral dog ready to mark his territory.
“I have this under control. I can handle her,” I say through gritted teeth.
Spencer laughs. “Right. We all know how you handle women,” he says with a smirk. I want to punch that look right off his face.
I clench my fists at my sides. “I got this,” I growl as I turn and walk out of the room before I do or say something I might regret.
I make it to my office and sit down, swiveling my chair to stare out at the city below. What the fuck just came over me? I’m not with Camryn. Who cares if Spencer or Dalton went after her? Why did I just feel protective of this woman who drives me insane?
My assistant’s voice rings out from my desk phone and I welcome the distraction. I don’t want to spend another second pondering why I just felt the overwhelming need to protect my biggest rival.
“OK,” I say as I look around the kitchen. “What’s first?”
It’s Sunday evening and Camryn has invited me over to walk me through baking each item. We will be holed up at an estate just outside the city for the competition starting next weekend, so this is our last chance to go over things.
“I’m here,” another voice calls out and an older woman walks into the room.
